Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-09
THE CORPORATION CAMEL.

When the camel attempts to wedge
his way through an enclosure he first
inserts his nose, then his head, then his
hump and finally lands on the inside
with his whole body. That is precisely
the method which the railroad corpora
lions and their allies, the franchised cor
porations, have been pursuing at Lin
coin since the opening of the legislature.
First the corporation nose was pro-
jected into the organization of the two
houses, then it inserted its skull and
ears into the legislative committees,
then it began to wedge it's big hump
into both houses and finally expects to
hand on its feet without further resist
ance before the legislature adjourns for
good.
At first the railroad lawyers and rail
road lobby simply sought to parry the
assault upon the railroad Entertainments
by the commercial bodies and taxpayers
Of Omaha and Lincoln for legislation to
compel the railroads to bear their share
Of city taxation in proportion to the
value of their property within the city
limits. By vigorous bulldozing they
pried Lincoln from Omaha and turned
the Lancaster delegation against House
Roll $50.
Next the railroad lawyers and lobby
bride distributors boldly sought to die
tate evenu revision laws that would
enable the railroads to continue the
game of bunco by which they have for
years managed to shift the tax burdens
upon the shoulders Of other property
owners and other interests subject to
taxation.
And now they have the audacity to
demand a revision that will not only
legalize their impositions, but to in
crease the tax levy on other interests
while they are reducing their own. The
success of the railroad lobby has
spurred the lobby of the Omaha fran
chised corporations to follow suit with
ingeniously contrived amendments to
the revenue laws that would nullify all
that has been accomplished through the
proceedings instituted in the courts by
the Omaha Real Estate exchange.
Under the decision of the supreme
court the market value of the stocks
and bonds of corporations that supply
municipal utilities, including water
light, power, street railways and tele
phones, constitute the basis of valuation
for the assessment and taxation Of
these corporate properties. But by som
mysterious influence a provision has
been inserted in the new revenue bill
by which this basis of assessment anC
taxation so far as it relates to tele
phone, telegraph and express companie.
would be discarded and the tangibl,
value of their real estate and chatte
property with one years gross receipts
added would constitute the basis o.
their assessment. The plan is to pu
the other public service corporations ii
the same class.
In other words. instead of assassin,
the franchised corporations named OIL
the aggregate market value of thei
bonds and stocks it is proposed to as
sess them on the aggregate value o
their real estate and personal propert,
and let n years gross receipts b
added as representing the value of thei
franchise. On such a basis the fran
chised corporations of Omaha include,
in the special list would be relieve,
from paying from 30 to so per cent o
the taxes that they are obliged TO pa,
under the supreme court decision.
Manifestly, If It was right to tax or
class of public utility corporations O.
the gross receipts basis 1t would be ur
Just and unreasonable to tax anothe
class Of municipal franchise corporation
on the bond and stock value basis. AS
|, natural sequence the street railwa
company has employed all its influence
/, to be accorded equal favor with tn
!, other corporations, which means in plat
I English that the combined franchise
corporations Of Omaha, which represer
r from $12,OOO.OO0 to SIS, OO0. 600 Of ia,
I able property, are pooling issues wit
the railroad camel.
A FALSE ALARM.