Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-06
Erm Nrrs rn cRAcK-

Within the past twenty days the rail
road tax bureau has flooded the state
with a perfect shower of bulletins to
dispel the impression that the Nebraska
railroads are not bearing their due share
Of the burden of taxation. Instead Of
convincing the people that the railroads
are overtaxed, the bureau has succeeded
in arousing public attention to the fact
that the railroad corporations are up
against It and are sparring hard for
wind.
The array Of figures projected into the
bulletins and press advertisements do
not refute the specific complaint that
the state board has refused to assess the
franchises Of the railroads, which con-
stitute the most valuable asset Of these
corporations. The ingenious and mis-
leading pleas advanced on behalf of the
railroads fail to justify the fragrant dis
elimination in the assessment of rail
roads as compared with other classes Of
property.
Up to this time the bulletin throwers
have failed to convince the people of Ne
braska that if 5,465 miles of railroad
with inferior rolling stock and inferior
roadbed and rails were worth 500, 339,631
in the year 1892, 5,7O4 miles of road
with double the equipment, a vastly i'm
proved trackage and enormously valua-
bic terminal facilities are worth only
$26,5 S0, 502 this year. In other words,
the tax bureau cannot convince the peo-
pie of Nebraska that the railroads with
their enormously increased earnings and
that have doubled their market value of
ten years ago should be assessed nearly
three millions less, Notwithstanding the
increase TO their main line mileage by
239 miles.
yet issued have failed to show why the
assessed valuation of railroads In Doug
las county, including their terminal ia
%cilities, right-of-way depots and depot
grounds and the west half Of the Union
Pacific bridge, should be assessed for
$4,000 less in 1902 than they were as
sessed In 1891 without the bridge, with
but the costly passenger depots and
without millions of dollars expended for
improvements in Omaha and South
Omaha within the past ten years.
The tax bureau bulletins have utterly
failed to explain why the east half of
the Union Pacific bridge should be as
sessed for $4,000 in Iowa, while the
u.ost hale is assaasad p,Iv at e1 1GQ In
Nebraska. In contrast with this seal
dalous attempt to defeat fair taxation
Is the notorious fact that one-half mile
of Union Pacific railroad in Jackson
county, Missouri, situated within the
limits of Kansas City, is assessed for
$3.50, 449, exclusive of buildings, while
the Union Pacific is assessed for the
same distance at Omaha at $4,000. But
that is not all. The Missouri state board
assessed the franchise of the Union Pa
cifc for the one-half mile in Kansas
City at $4,000, while in Omaha the
Union Pacific franchise Is not assessed
for a penny.
While the railroad bulletins persist
tnlly OShy tuuL ZIG PlO,OOOtOOU ulludioi
depot and bridge properties in Omaha
have been gulped down by the railroad
whale without showing ne slightest
sign Of expansion Of its digestive ap-
paratus, no bulletin has yet pointed out
where any county, town or city along
the line of the Union Pacific has been
benefited one penny by the so-called dis
tribution. Nor has any bulletin yet en-
lightened us as to the whereabouts OF
the new Burlington depot and its valua-
BILE terminal facilities in the assessment
Of the Omaha & Southwestern, which Is
assessed at $500 a mile in 1907, as
against $500 a mile ten years ago.
These are hard nuts to crack for the
bureau and there will be a great many
others harder still when comparisons
are instituted between the fast and loose
methods of railroad assessment In Ne
braska and the precise and compre-
hensive systems that are in vogue In
other states.
nuE AHnST nIEEICnIn pRnRIHMS