Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-24

each county, township, precinct, city, viii
lage, school and road district.
second-The average valuation for such
mileage per nile.
Third-The valuation that shall be placed
to the credit OF such township, precinct,
city, village, school and road district in
the county.
And still when asked about the relation
Of this bill to municipal taxation Of rail-
roads members of the committee will per-
sist in saying the bill does not touch
municipal taxationyof railroads.
Raises Insurance Companies.
The bill assesses fire and life insurance
companies on the basis Of their gross in
stead Of net earnings, which will make a
vast difference, 1t is held, in the volume
OF taxes these concerns pay. One plan in
this is to catch those companies whose
agents make their returns directly to their
foreign Offices. The bill exempts home mu-
tual companies. Foreign fire insurance
companies are taxed locally on their gross
receipts OF premiums. foreign life on 2
per cent Of their gross premiums, and their
assessment is payable to the state treas
nrer. The Nebraska life and fire COM
panies, except fraternal or mutual, arc
also assessed locally on their gross receipts
OF premiums. "i-
Now that the revenue bill is introduced,
the question of the Omaha tax commits
sioner bill, house roll $3.50. being tackled onto
this measure, has again been raised. IT
does not meet the approval of the COM
mitteemen who framed the revenue bill.
Sears, an avowed friend of municipal tax
alton OF railroad terminals. deprecates the
wisdom OF such a plan. He said today he
hoped nothing Of this sort would be Inder-
taken. The sentiment seems to be In favor
of having each bill go it alone and stand
or fall without the support or disadvantage
Of the other, and that's about how 1t will
come out. f
Look to Omaha Men.
But still the fate OF house roll $40 and
the attitude OF certain members looms UP
as a most pertinent and interesting prop
o~sition. entirely too interesting to suit some
OF these members. The Douglas county men
naturally are looked to to assume a post
tive leadership Of this Omaha bill to give
Omaha and every other municipality In the
state the right of taxing railroad terminals
at their fair cash value. Are they looked
to in valn7 That is a question of much
moment. and upon 1t hangs the political
fate OF some people. This house roll $50
as a man. remarked To-Day Is BOluB 10 DC .
Jonah 10 political plans and ambitions.
OF course II. has been known all along
that the republicans. so vastly In The ma
jority in both houses, would not be a unit
on this proposition. They need not ans
yet command suficient strength to pass
the bill. 1t is now believed that when the
showdown comes the majority. OF the mi
nority will be found against H. r. $50
From ehoiee2 Well that is doubted. From
political wisdom or expediency2 That Il
doubted. too.
Kennedy, the lone Douglas county demo
erat. appears to be earnestly working for
the passage of this bill. He has endeay-
'ored to get the Douglas county members
to caucus on 1t and shape definite and
systematic plans for carrying it through
But he has not succeeded. The Douglas
county delegation actually has never held
a caucus. to decide what its course would
be on this. the most important measure
to their constituents before the. legisla-
ture. Mr. Kennedy today sent word Il
Chairman Goss OF the Omaha city commit,
tee to got his men together on this thine
al once or he might decide 10 go II alone
and do what he could for the success Of
the bill.
Inounfa Iu-a nov-u