Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-16
IKE OTHER PROPERTY
Railroads to Be Asse ssed Higher
TO Correspond With Increase
on Real Estate.
Representative Of Companies
Admit Justice Of q Substan.
tial Increase.
Complaint About Politics and
Newspapers.--Interestins
Discussions.
Special to Tines Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, March 16.-There will be
a substantial increase in the assessment
|of the Iowa railroads this year, not only
because of the increased mileage, but
because of the added value of the prop
|erty and the demonstrated Increased
earning power of the property as shown.
by the company reports. The amount of
that increase is yet to be determined.
That there will be on increase can not
be disputed now. The reason for this is
plain. The members of the council have
gone at the matter Of assessment in a
way which shows they mean business.
Representatives of the leading railroads
nave as much as admitted that 1t Will.
be but justice for the council TO make a
substantial Increase. No real arguments
to the contrary have been presented.
therefore, unless the council arbitrarily
overruies all reason and decides upon
fayoring the railroads without any
|cause-and there appears to be no dis
position to do this-the assessment will
be increased several million dollars
without taking the new mileage into
consideration.
When the council finally approached
the question of considering the state
ments of the railroad officials with a
view to arriving at a just basis for the
assessment, Secretary of State Martin
presented resolution showing the
gradual increase in earnings of the
Iowa roads and showing that IL the as
sessment this year is to be proportions
ate to that of last year, as compared
with gross earnings. there must be an
increase in the assessment of nearly
two and three-quarter million dollars
and declaring that in view Of the in
crease of assessment on other property
of the state there should be anEincrease
In railroad assessment. The resolution.
contained irrefutable statistics and was
SO carefully worded and 80 nicely plan
ned that no exception could be taken to
1t. Mr.. Martin introduced 1t thus early
that it might be considered and dis
cussed by all the railroad representa-
tives- Some of the railroad mer did
discuss the resolution One who gave 1t
some consideration was w. w. BALDWIN.
of the Burlington system, who made a
favorable impression on the whole for
fairness and candor Why should there
be an increase in the valuation Of rail-
road property for taxation? +? he asked
Does the state need more money? Ia the
treasury in need of more taxes? If so
then there are two ways of getting more
money-one by increasing assessments
and the other by raising the tax rate. II
all property is TO be assessed higher to
get more revenue, then why not simply
raise the tax rate and make the raise
equal all round? Mr.. Baldwin was
asked If 1t was not true that other
property was assessed higher. He had
no statistics. Finally. before he had
finished. he was asked the direct ques-
tion. If it should be disclosed before this
hearing is concluded that other property
! in the state is subjected to higher as
sessment valuations this year then
would 1t not he just to increase the rail-
road assessment? To this Mr. Baldwin
replied without hesitation that 1t would
be right.
That settles 1t for the higher assess
ment this year. Within the past few
weeks Mr.. Martin and Mr. Gilbertsop,
of the executive council. have caused to
be sent out to the county officials of the
state Letters of inquiry asking whether
the assessments being made are higher
or lower this year than last and how
much These letters ares Jug. coming n,
quite large batch Of them arriving
last night. They will in due time be
presented to the council. These letters
show that as a rule the assessments
being made this year are higher by from
S to 10 per cent than last year, and on
personal property the rise. has been
from 3.to per cent. Only now and then
does a report show that the assessment
is substantially the same as last year
In many counties definite action has
been taken and assessors are instructed
to assess as much as 10 per cent higher.
In other counties there is sort of in
formal agreement as to the increase
In others the county boards will arbi-
trarily move up the assessments. With
these facts before 1t and the Admission
of a leading railroad representative like
Mr.. Baldwin that II other assessments
are made higher railroad property
should also be assessed higher there is
no question as to what the council will
do.
What Mr.. Baldwin said before the
council was not all frankness and can
dor. He took shot at those members
of the council who believe i'll making
assessments according to value of the
property and also hurled a harmless
dornick in the direction of all newspa-
pers that manifest independence OF ac-
tlon and sentiment. He declared that
the council has before 1t all the ele-
ments which ought to be considered in
making assessments, more information
Regarding railroads than assessors have
who assess farm property. We would
not be coming up to Jerusalem. as it
were, each year, to argue before this
body. he declared, II 1t was not for
the politics in 1t. II we could have a
democratic governor or other officers to
share the responsibility we would not
have 80 much criticism. Just now we
are confronted also with revival OF In
terest in the question Of the value Of
stocks and bonds and other evidences Of
value Of the property. We are invited
to consider change in the method OF
making (ae assessments. That In all
right An editor now and then gets a
new idea into hiS head and begins asi-