Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-20
TIE CENTRAL IDEA
Legislators Think Much About
Railroad Assessments.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY
A Great Big "If" in the Way of Iowa
Getting Her War CIaim-Jenks'
Smallpox Bluff Worked in a Man.
ner.

Des Moines Bureau The Courier
Des Moines, Feb. 10.
The question of railroad assess
ments easily holds first place in the
thoughts and conversation OF members
OF the general assembly at this writ
ing. The situation is peculiar said
one shrewd observer to me yesterday.
There is set of men here who are
committed to certain so-called reforms
and who now find themselves unable to
deliver the goods contracted. Anoth-
er lot smilingly watch the embarrass-
ment of their colleagues, and, having
nothing to lose and all to gain in the
future, are advocating measures which
they know can not command the atten-
ton of the legislature. Between the
two the really earnest and conscien-
tious fellow. who wishes to ascertain
| facts and base his action upon the
| knowledge SO gained, finds himself I'M
able to reach any definite conclusion.
| A considerable section of the lawmak-
ers are committed to the project of
| basing the assessments upon the value
| of stocks and bonds, while Lieutenant
| Governor Herriott and his followers
are positive that the only correct
method of estimating values is upon
! the basis of net earnings"
In my opinion" says Chairman
Hughes of the house appropriations
committee, the market value OF stocks
and bonds, taking the average for a
year or series of years. is the only
method which offers an equitable So
luton of the question: question
which presses for Immediate adjust
ment."
The Railroads Side.
That all sides to this controversy
might be fairly treated l asked a
prominent railroad official for state
ment. There are few facts in this
connection which are fundamental. -
said this man, (which connot be con-
troverted and are rarely disputed. The
railroads of Iowa pay one-twelfth of
the total taxation for all purposes,
from road supervisor tax to the sup
port of state institutions. 1t goes far
beyond this proportion in some of the
counties, reaching one-siXth of the to-
tai in O'Brien. The people of Iowa
may have been misled by their self-ap-
pointed political and economic teach
ers, but they are just. When it is
proven to the voters and the lawmak-
ers Of the state that the roads which
make the natural wealth of Iowa avail
able, are now paying more than just
share of the revenues of the common
wealth. and are not seeking to evade
or dodge the issue, revllsion of pop.
ular feeling will follow and a settle
ment will not be far off If the system
now in vogue is SO unjust as some OF
our critics would have the people be-
lieve, how comes it that successive ex-
ecutive councils, made up of men hold
ing all kinds of economic beliefs, have
| finally agreed that it could not be bet
tered. They have not been slack in
Investigation, they have attacked the
subject from all sides, they have had
the ripest of fruit of inquiries in 9TH
er state, and one after another these
executive councils have acknowledged
that while improvement might be pos
sible the method of bringing it about
had not yet been indicated. And these
men have considered net earnings as
a basis and also studied the results of
taking the market values of stocks and
bonds. The most exhaustive study
ever made of the railroad situation
was that instituted in Michigan under
the Pingree administration. This
work was completed by eminent spec
ialists, who considered the subject for
two years, every foot of road in the
state was traversed, the tangible and
| intangible values of all kinds carefully
weighed, and when these men had fin
ished their labors they reported that
the physical value was worth about
| $64,000.000, while the intangible OF
franchise value amounted to $4,000,
600 more. 1t was found that the value
of the Michigan roads was about $23,-
600 per mile. The Iowa roads, under
the present system are valued at about
$4,000. And after all this inquiry
and search for the scientific basis of
taxation the state of Michigan has
gone back to plan which has no es
Big If in War Claim.
l asked the chairman of the house
appropriations committee what would
be done with the Iowa war claim cash
if the sum is turned over to the state
treasury. eve will not spend the mon
ey until we are sure of having it." he
replied. There is a great big if in
the way just now. But | will say, thai
with the present pressing demands fol
{ money, | can see no other way out OF
it than increasing the levy. The full
amount of the state tax at present is
20 mills and it would not be greatly
burdensome to add another mill to this
amount. The people do not stop tc
consider how really small part Of
their taxes go to the state and what
a large proportion is used right al
home, in their schools, their roads ant
the purely local requirements. Ant
yet the state institutions are growing
all the time and needing greater sup
port funds. The long and short of the
whole mater is that We cannot KEEP
them going on the present levy"
The Furry Bill Passes.