Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-13
A cumMins COUP.

During the session OF the last legisla-
Treasurer Gilbertson and Secretary
Martin found that an effective, sensible
reform measure for railway taxation
could not become law. and at the
eleventh hour the English bill was
passed as being the only piece of legis-
lation that could be secured. Appar-
emily it was n harmless sort of a bill
but after becoming a law the men who
have been lighting all efforts to reform
the methods of assessing railways for
taxation have discovered that the Eng
lish bill was loaded.
It was well-known that Governor
Cunrntns was very DESTROYS of securing
some legislation that would require
railroads to keep uniform records of
their business. so that all would report
on the same thing and that their rec
ords should distinguish between the
business that belonged wholly to Iowa,
or only partially TO this state. For
made TO push such bin and it may be
presumed that the governor considered
the effort hopeless one. However, at
the very closing hour, when most of the
ever present railway attorneys were
busy looking after the Molsberry and
Hubbard bills and the others had gone
home. the English bill was rushed thru,
containing, among others, q clause Civ
ing to the executive council authority
to prescribe and enforce any rules and
regulations ii might see fit for the bet
ter ascertainment eff information as TO
the value of railway property. Under
this clause the executive council has
proceeded to adopt rules containing the
very provisions that Governor Cum
minis desired and for some reason
either neglected or did not dare to
press before the legislature.
The new rules deal with the gross
and net earnings, requiring all roads to
report their gross earnings every
month and not wait until the end OF
the year. when they could see how
they were coming OUT Also roads
must keep their records in such shape
as to show their earnings on property
in this state as distinguished from
earnings on property in other states,
proportionate earnings due to the cred
it of it's property in Iowa when haul |
extends across this state into others
Then as to net earnings very important |
and explicit instructions are given as
to what can be charged off to expense
of operation and maintenance and
what should be shown as "betterments
investments In additional or improved |
property. These rules are very impor-
tant, in view of the Juggling of figures
that has been going on before past ex
member of the council, accused Judge
Hubbard of appearing one year with an
argument in favor of an assessment
based on gross earnings while the next
year he WOulU l8lh even stronger. l0I.i
an assessment based on net earnings,
which ever plan would benefit the,
Northwestern road. Bushes men can
readily see how bookkeeping may be
done to show no net earnings at all on
"a large volume of profitable business by
charging new bridges, depots, heavy
rails, ETC., to cost of maintenance, and
Governor Cummins very justly desired
some legislation on this point, but it
seems from the developments that he
had to resort to stratagem to get ii, and
the citizens of Iowa with real estate
listed for taxation are to be congratu
lated that they have a governor with
the ability to outwit such an
aggregation as the attorneys who hover
around every legislature representing
large railway corporations.