Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-02
RAILRoAD TAX EVASION.


Wayne Herald Editor Rosewater is
meeting with be hearty approval OF the
press and people, Of the state in general
in his efforts 70 compel the state Board Of
Equalization 70 raise the rates OF assess
menU made on public franchises and rail-
way corporations. as a basis OF the tax
levy.
ord ouia; The Omaha Bee and It's ener-
setic editor, Mr.. Rosewater, deserve not
a little credit fer the manner in which
they have gone after the equalization board
and compelled the raising Of the railroad
and telegraph assessments. This Is not the
first time that The Bee has done the pub
lie a service for which It could receive no
reward except the thanks OF the public.
Pender Republic: The state Board OF
Equalization, consisting Of the governor.
treasurer and auditor, has been m~andamused
to reassess the railroads OF the state. This
action was instituted by The Bee Building
company Of Omaha and will be hailed with
appreciation BY the taxpayers all over the
state who. while they have seen their own
property Increased in value from year to
year and taxed accordingly. have also seen
the railroad property. whose earning ca
pacity has more than doubled in the last
FIVE years on account of the general good
times. remain at practically the same sum
as it was ten years ago. Justice demands
that the railroad. assessments should at
least be doubled,
Kearney Democrat: Edward Rosewater
appears to have taken on renewed vigor
and has again become the thorn that pricks
the flesh OF the Sinking taxpayer, and
also the Sinking taxgatherer. With the
armor OF righteousness buckled on Mr..
Rosewater endesvored to have the State
Board of Equalization place a fair as
sessed valuation upon railroad property in
Nebraska, but the board. thinking, perhaps,
that the venerable editor has grown too
old to put up much Of a fight, refused to
increase railroad assessments. Perhaps.
now, the board regrets that it did not
listen. Mr.. Rosewater Immediately applied
to the supreme court for a writ of man
damus compelling the state board to re.
convene and reassess the property COM
planned Of. When you conclude that Mr..
Rosewater is too old to attend to his end
OF a scrap. right there is where you make
8 mistake that Encompasses your defeat.
Edward Rosewater will never be too old to
put up q winning fight IN a Just cause.
Holt County Independent: The State
Board Of Equalization, composed Of Gov
ernor Savage, Treasurer Stuefer and Audi
tor Weston, met, last week and assessed
the railroads for the year 1902. In spite
OF the increased earnings, double the roll
ing stock and vast improvements, the as
sessed valuation thts year is over 50, ZOO, 900
less than in 1890. A great injustice is
done the taxpayers Of Nebraska in that as
sessment and the republican state ~ofncials
know 1t. Editor Rosewater Of The Omaha
Bee and NJ. F. Harrington Of 0'NeilI pre-
sented unanswerable arguments in favor
OF a radical increase, but the board re-
fused to listen to their advice.
Wayne Republicans Resewater is entitled
to the support of good citizens in his ef-
forts to compel, the State Board Of Equali-
cation to raise the, rates. OF assessment
made on. public franchises as a basis of the
tax levy. 1t is a notorious fact that they
pay a rate out OF proportion to what their
property is worth and out OF proportion to
the rate at which private property is taxed.
Rosewater has hled a suit praying to the
courts to compel the board by mandamus
proceedings to. raise the rates and II Is
the interest ofNevery man who pays a Just
rate Of taxes to hope his suit is sustained.
What R~osewater gains in this is a question.
He Is probably doing, 1t for political ef-
feet. but that has no bearing on the merits
OF his suit as a citizen before the law.
He IL, entitled to.aenedttcfor the nerve to
go into court In such a just cause. Rose
water is a queer manT-many long, hard
battles has he fought for the people and
Rosewater, and. both have won, some say
the latter the oftenest, by such odds that
they are suspicious of him. He has made
many personal enemies by his selnshness
in politics or what appeared to be selfish
ness; II certainly was antagonIsm which
worked injury to the republican party, but
whether the injury was temporary and will
result in the greater good later on, as his
friends assert, or whether the injury is
permanent is best determined by the reaIi-
cation that R~osewater is still in politics
and a hard man to down. So long as he
has the energy to take up such fights as
he is now engaged In he will be conceded
a degree pA ainceyity equal to those who do
not care to proceed, whether Rosewater's
real motive is for rights sake or whether
the promptings of vain ambition.