Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-14

Pacific. to remain until the close Of the
session.
McCsEue sNeaks on Just Taxation.
This afternoon John L. Mccague Of Omaha
spoke on Just and Equal Taxation" His
address was carefully prepared and he pre-
scented some figures on the inequalities Of
the taxes paid by corporations and land
owners that surprised bis hearers. Taxation
he defined as a contribution Of the people.
by the people and for the people according
to their means for the public as a benefit
and not a necessary evil" as II is often
considered.
The railroads and other franchised cor
porations in some instances we're paying on
only 4 or 5 per cent Of their valuation and
the landowner having tangible property had
to make up the deficiency.
Railroads in Nebraska paid taxes on a
valuation Of only s2s. 600. 900, while their ac-
tual valuation was over $3.50. 900, 900. As
shown by its bonds and stock the valuation
OF the Union Pacific in Nebraska was at
least $500 per mile and Il is assessed at
only $500. other railroads show similar
conditions.
He referred briefly TO the inequalities In
taxation in Douglas county. These inequal-
tiles in taxation we're caused by the
law permitting bonded Indebtedness and
other indebtedness to be deducted from
the capital stock. The constitution re-
quired all property to be assessed at its
fair valuation and the law should require
It to be done.
He was followed by J. r. Hanson Of Free
mont, who spoke on the same topic. The
issue. he said. was between realty and per-
sonal property, and the latter was never
found by the assessor, so realty, especially
in the country, paid all the taxes. The ques-
lions OF railway and franchised corpora
tion taxation did not interest the people of
the smaller towns as in metropolitan cities.
The taxation laws Of New York were re-
ferred to and highly commended.
Mr.. Hanson thought the appraisement Of
the railroads in the country would com
pare favorably with that Of farm land,
though at terminal points they got of too
easy.
Election of Omcers.
The election Of officers then took place,
resulting as follows: President, James
Conklin, Franklin; treasurer, r. E. Moore,
Lincoln; secretary, J. F. Hanson, Fremont;
Vice presidents: II. C. Smith, Falls City
Fred d.. Wood, Omaha; Alonzo Thompson,
) Fullerton; A. d. Curtis, Geneva; Willis
Caldwell, Broken Bow; ]. A. Slater, Minden.
These, together with Lem Tibbetts Of Hast
ings. ]. G. Preston of oxford, R. s. Rising
Of Ainsworth. w. NJ. Reynolds Of Chadron
A. J. Leach of Oakdale and A. A. Druse Of
Friend. constitute the executive committee
! MAXWELL ON Irrigation.
The subject OF irrigation was next con.
sidered. Mr.. Maxwell OF the National Irrl'
cation association was the principal
!! speaker. He was of the opinion that a ma,
: tionaI irrigation law was a necessity in or
5 der to avoid conflicting claims and to SCI
that the water supply was conserved al
much as possible. In order to do this &C
q curate and careful surveys were necessary
? and until that was done It would be i'm
practicable to begin any great irrigation
project.
= Prof. c. d. Bessey of the State universit,
spoke on the public lands Of western Ne
. braska, In his opinion there were thou
J sands OF acres not only not located so tina
e they could be irrigated, but of such a ma
= ture OF soil that irrigation would not d
them much good. They were adapted onl
for grazing and IL used for this purpose
: was possible to pasture them so heavil
as TO DESTROY the grasses entirely. 1t ha
I been thoroughly demonstrated that unles
y irrigated, crops could not be raised In tn
r northwestern part of the state and ina
3 where an attempt was made to ~cultlvat
i the lands the result was only to kill on
I the natural grasses and 1t would requir
! years for them to grow in again. Tn
n bulk Of the western Nebraska lands, h
a considered, could be better used for graz
3 ing than anything else.
5 !, A. Fort Of North Platte thought some
thing must be done to save the surfac
water which found It's way into the Plat
rivers. The South Platte, he said, ha
been q dry bed of sand for years and 70
the last few seasons much Of the time tn
y North Platte had been dry at his city.
70 Wyoming and the western part Of th
state used all the water and did not re
y turn any Of 1t to the river bed. It was din
~ cult to see where the water supply for irrl
! cation was coming from.
Resolutions Adopted.
he At the session this evening resolution
ID were adopted favoring the passage Of NOR
OF stringent laws for the protection Of land
Of lords. encouraging building and loan as
lie sociations, but condemning the tontin
t plan; favoring a national Irrigation Law
but opposing the so-called compromise bi
IN now before congress or any other bill tina
m takes away the actual control Of water b
Of the state.
The rorrens land system was strongI
vs. endorsed aud a strong resolution wa
adopted condemning the Bowersock bill fC
the leasing Of the vacant public lands
the cattlemen as a detriment to the be-
IN interests OF the state.
u At the close Of the session a banqu'
90 was held. after which there were shol
70 talks on immigration by ]. r. Buchanan
" the Elkhorn and ]. G. Bonnell OF the Roc
=. Island system. H. l.. Wilson Of Lincol
Al gave an address on Nebraska's thirty-hN
nc years OF development as a state. Pres
dent James onk was POSTMASTER.
MURDER IN SECOND DEGRE