The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-30
RAILWAY ASSESSMENTS
Annual Fight In Iowa to Keep Them
Down Is Started. =.


DES MONIES, IOWA.-The annual cam
paign OF the railroads having lines In Iowa
to keep down the railroad assessment is fairly
on. Personal and political pressure in all
its forms is being exerted on the members Of
the executive council which includes Cow
| ernor Cummins. Secretary of State Martin.
State Treasurer Gilbertson and Auditor OF
State Merriam 80" ss@
With no little accumen the railroad tax
commissioners and attorneys have planned
to influence the msmbers of the council by
the employment of representatives who are
on friendly terms with the present admins
traton. The presence of Judge J. G. Cook,
general solicitor for Iowa Of the Milwaukee,
| in Des Moines, is but one evidence OF the
activity Of the roads Judge Cook comes with
a flourish of trumpets and announces that he
will prepare statistics to show that the real
estate of Iowa Is assessed at less than 10
per cent of it's value. A large share Of the
force Of Judge Cooks argument will probably
be knocked out when he Is confronted with
the fact that the present real estate assess
ment Is that Of Jan. l. 1901, and that since
that time realty has increased in value in
Iowa from q fourth to third In almost
every section Of the state One of the best
posted OF the state officials said to-day that
in northwest Iowa 1t had gone up from 30
| to 40 per cent since that time and that to any
one who kept this in mind, Judge Cooks pro-
posed statistics would appear valueless.
Carroll Wright, OF the Rock Island, will be
relied on to exercise the largest influence In
behalf of all the roads. 1t is said that ex-
Congressman Joseph Lane, OF Davenport, 10
cal attorney for the Milwaukee, who has
lately formed partnership with Judge Wa
terman, will be employed to use his influ-
ence in behalf Of the Milwaukee. AS is gen.
orally known, Judge Stevens, Of Boone will
endeavor to help out the Northwestern. :
The Milwaukee and the North Western roads
are particularly exercised They are as
sessed the lowest of any Of the large roads
and any increase must bear on them heavily.
The Milwaukee especially fears lest Auditor
Merriam, whose term Of Office will soon ex-
pire, will work for an increased assessment
The influence of Lieutenant Governor John
Herriott Is also feared. The railroad officials
| are hoping for nothing more than that Mr..
Herriott. will keep his hands off and remain
| quiet The danger is from the railroad view
point that Mr.. Herriott will labor with some
| of the council to secure largely increased
assessment, that he will make an argument
| at some OF the public hearings, or that he will
in some public way help to fortify$ the execu-
| tive council against the assaults Of the rail-
roads. -, -t- *'' = ~. :
Talk is that Governor Cummins will be
given to understand that If he does not use
his influence to hold the assessment down,
he will be opposed for a second term as gov
ernor. " .l->t t''>
The gross earnings in Iowa for 1901 were
S56. .0C0. 900. On account of this, it has gener-
ally been supposed the council would make
! the assessment approximate this figure fixing
1t at from s55,00o 900 to $50, 100000 II the
ret earnings, which exceed $4,000, 900 are con
sidered, the assessment ought to go to $780,
600, ,000 1t Is now in round numbers $47-
| O00,00o The railroads, it is understood, will
| resist any attempt to Increase the assess
ment more than two or three millions, and
politicians in close. touch with the council
say that body will raise the assessment but
| little ..' +. - p. - =: