Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-03-05
STATE LEGISLATURE
RAILWAY ASSESSM sNTs. CONTINUES
TO BE THE Absorbing TOPIC.
Something Expected to Happen This
Week = Struggle Over Equal Suf-
frage Resolution Is Impending in
Householder Matters.

DeS MOineS, Ia, March 1.-The sub
ject of railway assessments continues
to be the absorbing one before the as
sembly. The senate ways and means
committee has reported for passage
with amendments the bill prepared by
the subcommittee consisting of Sen
ators Healy, Junkin, Lewis and Por
Ter This week is expected to witnes.
the settlement of the fate of the meas
ure in the senate.
The senate ways and means com
passage after allowing the railroad in
terests to have a thorough hearing. il
! which to voice their objections. TIL,
amended bill is regarded as less radi
: cal than the subcommittee measure
The important modification made il
committee relates to what matters til.
, executive council shall take into con
sideratiOn in making assessment OF
the railways. The subcommittee bill
provided that 1.-The executive council
III determining such valuation shall
take into consideration the sum Of the
market or actual value of the stocks
bonds and securities of each railway,
together with any other matter neces-
sary to secure just and equitable
assessment" AS amended, it is pro-
vided the council shall take into con-
sideratiOn the market or actual value
of the stocks, bonds and securities
OF each railway, together with gross
earnings, net earnings, and physical
condition. The ways and means com.
mittee was not a unit in supporting
this amendment, though the commit
tee ultimately voted unanimously to
report the bill for passage. In, case
the bill becomes law, the council
will be allowed practically the same
discretion in making assessments as
1t is now, but it will be required to
give the greatest measure of consider
alton to the valuation as determined
from the market or actual value of
the stocks and bonds of each road
Under the law now in force the most
important item of consideration is the
gross earnings. 1t is expected the bill
will cause protracted debate in the SEN
ate. that efforts will be made to make
1t more radical than 1t is in the amend
ed form. and that bills will be intro
duced contemplating the assessment
of the railroads on the basis of the
valuation of the market or actual
value of their stocks and bonds, leav-
ing the executive council the least pos
sible discretionary power that the con-
stitution Of Iowa will permit.
Railway Assessment Postponed.
One important railway measure has
already passed both houses has been
signed by Governor Cummins, has
been published and is now law. I'm
der the law up to this time the execu-
tive council was required to meet the
first Monday in March to fix the rail-
road assessments. and to certify the
assessment to the county auditors
March %. The railroads were re-
quired to make their reports to the
council by Feb. 10. The law just en-
acted extends the time for fixing the
assessment to the second Monday In
July. sets the first Monday i'm August
rs the date for certifying the assess
ment to the county auditors. and ex-
tends the time for the filing of the rail-
road reports to April /. In his inau-
Yural message Governor Cummins
called attention to the need of such
q INV. III OIuCi ~ SiNC thC SOunti
more time to give thorough study to
the railroad reports. The fact there
Is movement for law providing a
new method Of assessing the railroads
has increased the need for deferring
the assessment to later date. A
strong argument for fixing the assess
ment the second Monday in July. and
one to which Governor Shaw called
attention year ago. is the fact that
the council will then have full infOr-
nation as the assessments on all
classes of property. the council as a
state board of review will have equal
lied the assessments in the several
counties. an, it will be able better to
preserve equitable relations between
the railway assessment and the assess
ments on other forms of property.
For IN Educational Board Of Control.
An educational measure of the most
far reaching interest and Importance
has been quietly furthered for weeks
and will be introduced this week. II
Is nothing less than a proposition for
an educational board of control. Its
friends predict, too, that 1t will go
through the legislature with a rush,
because 1t has the prestige of the sue
cess Of the board of control OF state
institutions to give it impetus The
plan Is to place the three great educa-
tional institutions. the state university.
the state normal and agricultural col
lege. under the control Of board OF
three members appointed by the gov
ernor. with the confirmation of the
senate. just as the board Of control
members are appointed. Under the law
now each institution is controlled by
separate board. If the educational
board of control is established, the
trustees of the state normal and the
agricultural college and the regents
of the university will have their offices
abolished.
Hard Contest ON Suffrage Question.
A bitter struggle over the equal suf-
frage joint resolution for the submits
sion to the voters of an amendment to
the constitu on eliminating the word
''male" is impending In the house.
Since opening the campaign in the leg
islature this winter the suffragists
have encou' tered decided victory
and stinl ng reverse. They were
Victorious In the action of the senate
In passing the joint resolution by
vote of % to 10. the measure being
called up Unexpectedly by its author
Senator Allyn, and going through
without debate. Later, however, the
house committee On constitutional