Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-07-23
FIXING THE ASSESSMENTS.
State Executive Council Holds To
Arqument of Attorneys.


Argument of Attorneys.
Des Moines. July 15.-The executive
council yesterday concluded its hear.
ing on real estate assessments and will
take up railroads today. A number OF
the representatives of the railroads
have been present and in view of the
enormous increase in real estate as,
sessments 1t is pialn 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 heard: Wood
bury, Adair, Story, Scott, Adams, Dial.
las, Clayton, Henry, Montgomery.
Page, Plymouth. Pocahontas and Polk.
Monday afternoon Poweshleh, Carroll,
Hamilton, Calhoun and many others
were heard.
In regard to Polk county Auditor
Cope merely called attention to the
fact that the assessments were pest.
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 9th.
ers, and he declared the assessments
generally in the state were within is
per cent of actual values. He would
take an option on any county ut
is per cent above assessment and
make money. He suggested the New
Zealand plan of the government talk
ing an option on the land at the asses
sed value with privilege of buying
1t 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 16-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
ern Railway company. He refused to
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 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
a 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: Il take il for
granted that all values are purely rela.
tive. We convert all property into a
common factor or denomination
through money. Suppose ! own a
railroad in Iowa which | have man.
aged for many years, and which all
that time had paid me per cent on
million dollars, besides maintaining
itself. Now. suppose wanted to get
my money out of the railroad and put
1t into farm lands. go to the market,
we will suppose, for the purpose of
selling the road AS understand it,
il | could present to the men who
might be interested in purchasing such
property, d railroad that had paid 6
per cent on million dollars and bade
fair to do so for a 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
at what it 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 it, then must we not assess il
at that? | believe that if we are con.
that railroad will sell for
certain sum OF money, then we must
assess it at 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. j.. Tarbet for the Du.
buque & 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 a state board of review took up
of the equalization OF
the assessments in the different coun.
lies. The equalization was not com.
Dleted and nothing definite could he
announced.