Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-26
ASSESSMENT OF THE RAILROADS,

lack moral courage. lie went before the
State Board Of Equalization last week and
demanded that the assessment Of railroads
In Nebraska be raised.
Imperial Republican: Edward Rosewater
Is making a great effort for a higher rail-
road assessment in Nebraska, claiming that
the shrinkage in railroad valuation since
1890 has been ~ per cent, while the de-
crease in personal property has only been
AZ per cent.
winside Tribune: Rosewater is making
the fight Of his life now to have the State
Board of Equalization compel the railroads
to pay their Just share Of taxes. In this,
no matter what the motive Is, he should be
supported by the press Of the state, re-
g~ardless Of politics.
Custer County Beacon: Edward Rose
water is demanding that the Board Of
Equalization shall assess both the bonds
and stocks OF railroads in this state. Rose
water is correct in this matter, and should
the board do this. the present state admin
istration will receive the thanks Of the
people.
Schuyler Quill: The Bee Building COM
pany commenced mandamus proceedings in
the supreme court to compel the State
Board Of Equalization to reconvene and
properly assess railroad property. Having
succeeded in raising the valuation of COR
p~oratioh holdings in Omaha by the same
proceedings gives hopes that the move will
be successful.
Columbus Times: Editor Rosewater is
after the leading railway corporations OF
the state with a vim for n-compliance
with the law with regard to assessments
OF their property. He got no satisfaction
from thu GNnNa nAAzI 80 -
the matter is now in the supreme court
on a writ Of mandamus. When Rosewater
gets his war paint on he is a fighter to
the last ditch.
Kearney Hub: Edward Rosewater has
taken his fight for an equitable railroad
assessment to the supreme court, and that
body has issued an alternative writ Of man.
damus, returnable June 3, directing the
State Board Of Equalization to %reconvene
and reassess the railroad and telegraph
property in the state or show cause why It
should not. This means a showdown on the
question of railroad assessments.
Custer County Republican: Editor Rose
water has applied to the supreme court for
a writ of mandamus to compel the State
Board of Equalization to assess the fran
chises of railroads. The board consists of
Governor Savage, Auditor Weston and
Treasurer Stuefer. In compliance with the
application the court issued the writ re-
curing the board to reconvene and reassess
the railroad and telegraph property within
the state or show cause why II should not.
Bloomfield Monitor: Hon. e. Rosewater
is now poking hot sticks into the Nebraska
State Board Of Equalization for its remiss-
ness Of its duties in assessing the railroad
and telegraph properties. And why not let
these people bear their just burdens as we'll
as the poor devil who has nothing more
than his COW, his cook stove and ewing
machine? R~osewater, aside from any per-
s~onality or animosity, should have and will
have the support OF the taxpayers Of Ne
braska in a fight for right.
Waterloo Gazette: e. Rosewater of The
Bee on Monday appeared before the State
Board Of Equalization at Lincoln and asked
for a hearing with reference to raising the
assessed valuation of the railroads Of the
state and the board fixed Wednesday as
the day for a hearing. In speaking OF the
valuation the governor said that instead
OF being $3.50, 900, 900 the aggregate state
valuation should be over $1,000 ,000, 900. The
board will not be very severely censured
II 1t concludes to raise the assessment a
few thousand.
TldluNl0W rNcpuDllCdus huWdTu H~OStWhteE
appeared before the State Board Of Equali-
cation last week and asked to have the
railriads pay their share OF the state taxes.
He claimed that their valuation was en-
tirely too low and that II be raised. There
are plenty OF reformers who are good at
long range, but for practical results the
nervy editor of The Bee outranks any II
them. Rosewater is a man of both words
and deeds. He puts into practice what
others put into mere theory. No man In
the state can deny this that knows him.
Stanton Register: The State Board of
Equalization, composed Of Governor Savage,
Treasurer Steufer and Auditor Weston, met
last week and assessed the railroads for
the year 1902. In spite of the increased
earnings, double sthe rolling stock and vast
improvements, the assessed valuation this
year is over $4,000, 900 less han In 1890.
A great injustice is done the taxpayers of
Nebraska in that assessment and the re-
publican state oficials know 1t. Editor
Rosewater of The Omaha Bee and Attorney
Harrington Of O'Neill presented unanswer-
able arguments In favor OF a radical in
crease, but the board refused to listen to
their advice.
Grand Island Independent: Meaning no
contempt of the high court, Editor Rose
water Is carrying his war against the tail-
ure to equitably assess the corporation
properties into Africa. He has through
The Bee Building company Of Omaha APP
piled for a writ OF msndamus compelling
the State Board OF Equalization to assess
the franchises OF the roads. The state
board, consisting Of republicans. raised the
assessment by $3.50, 900, an Insignificant sum
and an action which grants practically
none of the relief, or rather Of the equity,
that is prayed for. Now the question is up
to the fusion supreme court. And after
that the people OF Nebraska can figure 1t
out where they are at.
Neigh eoman Mr.. Rosewater has rem
dered a service of immense value to the
people Of Nebraska in his argument before
the State Board of Equalization. He has
shown that former boards have made the
equalization without any adequate knowl-
edge of the value OF the property under
consideration; that the g~rossest inconsis-
tencies exist in the returns Of the several
roads; that some roads return certain prop
erty OF we'll understood value at greatly
divergent figures, one placing 1t three times
as high as another; that property Of the
same value In Nebraska as In Iowa has been
rated from eight to ten times higher In the