Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-15

lands are worth 500. My friend, judge
| Cook told me this forenoon that oul
lands we're worth SIS. but while Judge
Cook is a mighty good lawyer, one OF
the best in Iowa, he doesn't know lit
tie bit about real estate. He used To
hold court in our county and all he eVei
saw of IL was en- route from Grinnell &c
Montezuma.
The gentlemen who have preceded
me all agree that the assessors have IL
right. Let me see. There are from
twenty four to thirty assessors in each
county. Each valuation is the concen-
| sus of their opinions. and strange to
say, their Judgment in each and every
case comedies With the opinion of the
Spokesman here. Truly, Il most re-
markabe unanirnity of opinion
haven't so much respect for assessors
Look at this abstract. Why. II 1t
were the work of one man he should go
to an asylum. Blackhawk S4S.50 and
Poweshiek $3.50. Why. gentlemen, you
can not find Poweshiek county farm
| III all OF Blackhawll county. The gen.
| tleman says it is right. l say 1t is
wrong. Why should Tama be assessed
s412, Marshall S5.77 and Jasper $6.43
higher than Poweshiek? You all know
that Tama and Marshall are NO better,
and Jasper not quite SO good
Mr.. Carroll then asked, what about
Iowa. Mr. Norns?" 1T is assessed low
er" Mr. Norris continued, "and should
he. Mahaska should be at least SO
higher than Poweshiek, while the dr.
ference now is only 20 cents. Look at
the fiat. wet country of Calhoun, s50.3o
per acre. and Poweshiek s45.40 Why,
gentlemen, an acre in Poweshiek is
worth two in Calhoun. l am not de-
crying Calhoun. 1 simply say it is not
Poweshiek, and nobody knows this bet
ter than you, Mr. Gilbertson.
The gentleman addressed nodded his
approval.
Look at Hamilton. s5O.57, with Han
cock, just like 1t, s3l.91, and Wright,
$500"
Governor Cumm;ns Interrupted by
asking, What about Cass. Mr.. Norris"
The reply came quickly: "Cass is
one of the finest counties in Iowa, one
OF the finest bodies of land on earth. l
heard you say, governor, there was not
q poor farm in that county. Those al
mighty, all-wise assessors think Cass is
worth s7.67 per acre less than Calhoun.
Think of 1t! Calhoun 5000 and CraW-
ford s39.S4, and yet these gentlemen
come here and ask this council to let
these figures stand. You can't do IL.
You dare not let them alone Now
what are you to do? AS understand
II. aside from the fact that the law re-
CURES you to find its cash value, there
-, ~
to make real estate bear its proportion
Of the burden as compared with rail-
road and personal property. Am
right"
THAT is right" asserted Governor
Cunrmins and the other members.
Mr.. Norris then continued: Every
we'll. then. If it were not for this fact
it would make no difference whether
you got the cash value or not; 1t would
make no difference whether Poweshiek
went in a $50 an esq, 80 long
as other counties We're rat in at the
same proportion"
Governor Cummins interrupted;
THAT is exactly right
Mr.. Norris proceeded: Then it only
remains for you to determine its mar
,i-.~'.-a---- ernvidei nv the stat
ute, and you Will have It's cash value
and its proportionate value
Governor Cummins broke in: That is
exactly what we want to hear from
you on"
Mr.. Norris then explained: There is
but one way. and you have 1t. 1t is not
a true criterion, but 1t is the best YOU
have; in fact, the only criterion you
have. What have these lands brought
in the market? regret that when you
asked for sales for the last half of 1902
you did not make this period lap over
sales made. Most of the sales made in
the last half of 1902 did not become
matter of record until March 1, 1903"
Mr. Carroll spoke up: we changed
that later and asked for all Of 1902"
Mr. Norris continued. That is
better was misinformed by
our county auditor. Let me now show
you why these figures are not true
criterion of value. When We have pros
perity, boom ensues. Everything.
land included. sells for more than 1t is
worth. Is not this true?'
Governor Cummins replied: But
when times are not good, do things sell
then for less?"
Mr.. Norris replied: You anticipate
me. That Is just what | was about to
say, and it Is absolutely true. is 1t not
Mr.. Martini"
Mr.. Martin replied: II think it is"
Mr.. Gilbertson also nodded assent
Governor Cummins then asked:
How. then, are we to fluid out what 1t
is worth?"
\ Mr.. Norris replied: Everything has
an intrinsic value. Simply use your
common, every day horse sense. But
want to state another proposition:
When times are good, money easy, men
buy high priced lands; when times are
duh they buy the cheap lands
Mr.. Gilbertson interrupted: II think
that is true, too"
Mr.. Norris then said: ut then fol-
lows that for the last TWO years we
have been selling our best lands
Governor Cumnins attempted to ask
another question, when Norris contin-
ued: governor, I have anticipated
what YOU are about to say. You have
fired it at every other speaker. You
want TO ask me how that affects the
percentage that the assessment bears to
the price paid for the acreage sold. 1t
is in this way:
You must know. at any rate Mr..
Martin and Mr. Gilbertscn know 1t, for
they have been in the land business,
that cheap lands are always and every
where assessed higher in proportion to
their value than the dear lands"