Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-14
EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW"
Railroads Ask that Nsbraska's Motto Be
Respected.
WHY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THEM2
II Assessments Are to BE In
creased, All Interests
Should BE Raised
Alike.
~ DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THEM2

ISSUED Under Authority Of Inc Railroads
of Nebraska.)
The information given in the bulletins
which have been issued has not been with
the idea OF entering q complaint in regard
to the amount Of taxes paid by the rail-
roads Of Nebraska, or with the idea of
accusing any other interest with not paying
its full share OF tax. The question of in
creased taxation was pressed upon the rail-
roads OF Nebraska by parties who wished to
make it an issue, either for personal, po-
litical. or in ignorance OF the true situa-
ton. and the railroads felt that 1t was no
more than proper for them to present the
facts to the people Of the state and allow
them to Judge whether they paid their full
share Of taxes and whether 1t would be
proper or just to add a large sum to their
valuation without making an addition to
the values OF other property In the state.
and thus create additional and unfair bur-
dens for the railroads to carry, which other
interests would not be called upon to do.
In the bulletins which have been pub
lished we have compared the proportionate
amount Of taxes which are paid by every
interest in the state with those which are
paid by the railroads. We have endeavored
to show tina the railroads Of Nebraska pay
fully as heavy a tax as railroads In other
states are called upon TO do. It would APP
pear that for years all property In Me-
braska has been very much underesttmated
for purposes Of taxation. In 1880 the census
report shows that in that year the proper
Tomato amount OF property returned for
taxation in Nebraska was less than in any
OF the states OF the union excepting Me-
vada and Idaho, and in the census Of 1900
II will show that Nebraska in that year
reported a less proportion than any other
state in the United States, and at the same
time the census Of 1900 will also show that
the levy for taxation Is higher In Nebraska
than any other state. In 1890 the levy for
taxes was $4.51 for each 800 Of assessed
valuation, and Ia that year II was the
highest levy of any state in the union.
The average IN the United States only
amounted to S1.s5. In 1900 this tax levy
will figure about S427. while the rate
throughout the United States will hardly
aggregate more than Si.75.
In this matter II is for the people or
Nebraska to decide whether this condition
OF AFFAIRS should continue, OF q reform In
valuation be established. The only position
that the railroads tax in such a matter
as this Is that In any advanced valuation
placed upon them, the other property
throughout the state should join In SUCH a
percentage of advance as would be consid-
cred fair.
Our quotation from Mr.. McIntosh's speech
at Lincoln, July 2s, covers the feature
which should be kept In mind by the legis-
lature or the assessors when such q change
would occur. The constitutional provision
that taxation must be equal guarantees this
protection to railroads as well as to other
property. Most OF the figures which we
have presented in the bulletins which we
have issued have been obtained from ON
cial data. and at any time where estimates
have been used great care has been taken
in using estimates below, rather than above