Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-22
PLEA FOR PACKING HOUSES
Old Argument Advanced Agar to
Justify Their Evasion OF
Their Taxes,

OMAHA, June 21.-To the Editor of The
Bee; We are again hearing more or less
OF the regular annual complaint about the
packing houses Of South Omaha not being
assessed for taxation on as big a basis as
smaller properties. Suppose they are not;
are they not entitled to consideration be-
cause OF the fact that In addition to S4s,-
ia Of taxes paid for 1901 they are daily
and weekly contributing to the welfare Of
the city, county and state by paying out
millions Of dollars each year for wages and
stock purchased. Fault finding and COM
planning like smoking. soon becomes q habit
and 80 accustomed are some people to max
ing these complaints that 1 cannot believe
they have ever stopped to consider our
loss should our four packing houses be
driven to other cities; or of the vast amount
OF money they bring to our state and pay
out for stock. wages and other disburse-
ments. The weekly pay roll for wages for
'laboring men, girls, clerks, statesmen and
others amount to about 365, 900 per week;
or 50, $50, 900 per year.
For stock they pay out over $50, 900, 900
dollars annually. most of which is for stock
from Nebraska; and this too is nearly all
money brought in here from other cities,
states and foreign countries all over the
world. Unlike many other institutions-take
the mercantile concerns for instance hat
send out of our state large amounts Of
money for goods, only the small percent
age of profits remain, while with the pack
ers about 365, 900, 900 are brought into our
state and emily the small percentage for
profits Is sent out to such packers as are
nonresidents.
The packing houses bring in foreign
money-others send 1t away. They sup
port several coal mines, several salt mines
and an almost endless number of firms
and institutions that are doing business
in the state and developing the west. and
are the direct means Of bringing two adj
ditional new railroads to Omaha.
These are days of consolidation, economy
OF management and Capitalization Pack
ing houses maintain stockyards. 1t is not
unreasonable to suppose that some day in
the near future there will be but three
and probably only two stockyards In the
United States. Omaha should be the loca-
ton Of one OF them. We are now second
to Chicago in the volume OF stock bust
ness. We have already lost to St. Joseph
one big packing plant-the Hammonds.
Council Bluffs and other cities would well
come the rest OF our packers and ex-
empt them from all taxes for years. ] hap
pen to know that all the packers regret
the mistake OF locating in South Omaha
with the cramped and hilly surroundings
in place OF the broad bottoms near Council
Bluffs.
The packing house owners and managers
are willing to stand a fair assessment and
We should encourage their good will. ]
believe that every corporation or individ-
ual that "a a large employer OF labor
should receive the utmost encouragement
and consideration by the tar levying pow
ers and our citizens generally and rather
than lose one concern employing even nifty
men we had better exempt from taxes for
twenty years all new concerns that will To-
cate In the city or county.
w. L. SELBY.