Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-04
CARRYING CAMPAIGN HONE
Real Estate Exchange Will Push It's Tax
Fight with Greater Vigor.
PEOPLE TO Be GIVEN EXACT INFORMATION
state VIII BE Flooded with Circulars
Showing what II. n. ~ Means
TO Each Community in
Dollars and Cents.

The action OF the house Of representa-
tives Of the state in indefinitely postponing
house roll 800 found the tax committee OF
the Omaha Real Estate exchange in a
measure prepared for the action and as
soon as a number Of the members could get
together the plan which will be pursued
In the next two weeks was mapped out.
This plan contemplates nothing less than
an appeal to the constituents Of the repre-
sentatives directly. Circulars are now pre-
pared, using as their basis the figures BE-
cured by Mr.. Ure q week ago, which show
the amount Of taxes the railroads evade
each county, which the taxpayers have to
pay to make up the total cost OF the
county and municipal governments. This
circular will contain words as follows:
Your representative by his vote March .
has cost the taxpayers Of your county =
per annum." Then will follow a statement
of the total assessed valuation of the
county in which the circular is to be used,
the assessed valuation Of the railroad
property in the county, the total OF the
taxes levied, with the total levied upon
railroad property, both for county and
municipal purposes. In the majority Of
cases the total tax levied is not in pro-
portion to the assessed valuation for county
purposes. while for municipal purposes It
Is much below the proportional rate.
No Politics in IL.
With the analysis of the vote Of the
house the committee has decided that there
is no politics in the tight and will use
every effort in it's power to have the cir
culars placed in circulation throughout the
state. For this reason the chairman and
secretary Of the committee, with the presi-
dent OF the exchange, all republicans,
called upon c.. ]. smyth yesterday after
noon and will secure from DR.. p. L. Hall
of Lincoln, chairman Of the democratic
state central committee, through Mr..
Smyth, the names and addresses of eac
Of the members OF the chairmen OF the
fusion central committee in each county,
and to them will be sent the circulars in
those counties which are represented by re-
publican member who voted for the post
ponement OF the bill.
There is no politics in this fight" said
a member Of the committee, and we are not
going into politics, but we are using the
instruments which are placed'in our hands.
The fusionists may, for political reasons,
be willing to circulate this information and
we do not care why they do 1t, for we
are convinced hat the people will
realize that by their votes the members
OF the legislature from their counties
failed to decrease the burden Of taxes
which their constituents are now compelled
to bear by reason Of the evasion OF the
railroads"
The committee already has a statement
of the condition in about forty of the
ninety counties. These statements, show
ing the exact condition in each county, will
probably be placed in the hands of the
printers this morning and sent out imme-
diately. The information from the other
counties will be received continuously and
printed as fast rs It can be tabulated.
In those counties whose representatives
are fusionists opposed to the bill, the cir
c~ulation of the circulars will be placed in
other hands, and by the end Of the week the
committee expects to show the voters Of
each county the amount of money the rep
resentatives who voted against the bill have
voted from the pockets Of the taxpayers
Of the cities and villages Of the state and
into the pockets OF the railroads.
According to statements made in Omaha
yesterday, the condition of the represent
alive who lives at Ruio is peculiarly un-
fortunate from the standpoint Of his con-
stituents. Said G.. ]. Smyth:
"At this time l am engaged in a case in
which we seek to have the village Of Rulo
given power to levy a tax upon the western
end Of the railroad bridge at that city. The
village of Rulo, the precinct OF .Rulo, the
school district of which the FORMER Is a
part and the county OF Richardson have
voted money to have the case tried. This
bill, II enacted. would give the city what
1t desires, but this representative voted d.
rectly against the measure"
1t is estimated that about $50, 900 cir
culars will be required by the committee
to reach the voters, as in addition to these
each newspaper which favors equality in
taxation will be asked to print the facts
showing the condition in its county.