Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-07-17

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| Des MoinsL July is, The executive
council yesterday concluded III hear
ing On real estate assesslaen.a and viii
take up railroads today A number Of
the Representatives Of the railroads
have been present and in vfsw II the
enormous Increase in real estate ~
sessments II ID pam 10 them that they
are slated for another considerable
increase In assessments. Already
they have protested Against the real
estate assessments being TOO high
Yesterday the representatives. OF the
following counties were head: Wood
bury, Adair. Story, Scott, Adams. Dial.
I las, Clayton. Henry. Montgomery.
Page. Plymouth, Focahonias and Polk.
Monday afternoon Poweshtea, Carroll.
Hamilton, Calhoun and many others
were heard.
In regard to Polk county. Auditor
Cope merely called attention to the
fact that the assessments we're pet
ty well up to the actual sales and that
the reason there was not a greater
increase in the assessment was be-
cause assessments had already been
! nearly right.
| County Attorney Neal said in regard
to Scott county that he believed the
assessment was in proportion to nth
ers, and he declared the assessments
generally in the state were withia is
per cent of actual values He wt,uld
take an option on any county at
Is per cent above assessment and
| make money. He suggested the New
Zealand plan OF the government TAX
| ing an option on the land at the asses
sed value with privilege OF buying
| it any time in a year.
| In regard to nearly all the counties
| the representatives contended that the
assessments were fair and equitable
and that no increase should be made.
Des Mones, July I6-Governor Cum
minis, in the hearing of the railroad
representatives on the subject OF as
sessments, before the executive coun-
| Gil yesterday. expressed himself as de-
cidedly at variance with the views set
forth by Tax Commissioner Frank p.
Crandon OF the Chicago & Northwest
US II sNG.9"Ir lie NAGSt-A ~
accede to the proposition Of Mr.. Gran
don that mo railroad is or can be
worth more for the purpose OF assess
ment and taxation than what it would
| cost TO produce another road OF equal
physical excellence in the same local
ity.' His idea was that a railroad was
worth for assessment what it would
sell for on the market
Mr.. crandon, whose position on this
subject has been set forth before many
previous councils, and who is the dean
OF the tax commissioners who gather
here for the annual conclave in assess
ment season. defended his position
earnestly and presented to the council
carefully prepared pamphlet in which
ne made an argument in support OF his
proposition
Governor Cummins, after question
ing Mr. Crandon on some phases of
the question, said: II take it for
granted that all values are purely rela-
tive We convert all property into a
common factor or denomination
through money. Suppose l own a
railroad in Iowa which l have man
aged for many years, and which all
that time had paid me per cent on a
million dollars, besides maintaining
ITSELF Now, suppose wanted to get
my money out of the railroad and put
| it into farm lands. go to the market,
we will suppose, for the purpose of
selling the road. AS understand 1t,
| II could present to the men who
might be interested in purchasing such
property, a railroad that had paid 6
per cent on a million dollars and babe
fair to do SO for reasonable time in
the future. could get one million dol
lars for the property. Now, as to your
proposition that we ought to tax the
property at what 1t would cost to re-
produce it, If we believe that in the
case of the road in question, those who
want railroads would pay million dol
lars for 1t, then must we not assess it
at that? believe that II we are con-
WINGED that railroad will sell for a
certain sum Of money. then we must
assess it 1t that"
During the day Judge Cook of Cedar
Rapids appeared for the Milwaukee,
Carroll Wright for the Rock Island,
Judge Wilson for the Chicago, st. Paul
& Omaha, w. L. Tarbet for the Du.
buque 4 Sioux City, NJ. C. Woodruff for
the Great Western, w. W. Baldwin for
the Burlington and A. s. Dudley for
the Milwaukee.
| Des Moines, July 1.-THE executive
council yesterday practically complet.
ed the hearings on the railway assess
ments. In the afternoon, the council
as q state board of review took up
consideration of the equalization Of
the assessments in the different coun.
ties. The equalization was not com.
pleted and nothing definite could be
announced
| CAUGHT IN PUMP SHAFTING.
4 Sac City Man Has Narrow Escape