River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-02-26

still Greatly Underestimated by Tax Commits.
sion. Commissions Figures of Farm
Values. They Fall Short Of
the Census Returns.
ISSUED In Behalf of Wisconsin Railways


In article number we stated that the
estimate made by the Tax Commission OF
the true value of the nonrnilroad property
or Wisconsin was at least 81 OOO,0OO,OOO too
low. In the present article and In several
of its immediate successors we shall point
out some of the most important of the err
rors made by the Commission.
In the report that has just appeared the
Tax Commission on page 2l0 says: The
commission from the investigation of facts
and statistics covering n period Of seven
years from 1895 to 1901. has ascertained and
determined the true cash value OF, all the
taxable property of the state to be the sum
of S1,J04 3I6.000" On the next page or
page ZIG of Its report the commission says:
The lowest amount OF che market value or
the stocks and bonds of the railways of the
state on the average of seven years uSa1-
1SOl) after deductions OF lands ana collat-
eral bonds, is $21T 1854, 026." Having given
these two sums the commission, although 1t
does not draw this conclusion itself, pre-
sents and discusses these sums In such
way that the reader Will say, the rnllWoy
companies have approximately one-elghtn OF
the property of the state, therefore they
ought In justice be called on to pay IKE
proportion OF the taxes"
If the railway companies believe tnat
their property represents oneeighth Of the
property of the state they would be willing
to bear one7eighth of the taxes. But they
do not believe that $1,000, 34dOOO fully rep,
resehts the cash value of the non.rairoad
property In Wisconsin nor do they believe
that their properties can on any equitable
basis be valued as high as $217, SOD, O26.
If 1t is possible to show that the taxable
on-railroad property of the state exceeds
81, 500, 100000 then even II 1t be conceded
that the railroad properties are worth
S217, 1874. O26 the railroad companies can in
justice only be expected to pay little more
than one-t wefth Of the taxes.
We will now show that a very large part
OF the taxable non-railroad properly was
entirely overlooked by the commission IN
making its estimates and the property IL
did find 1t greatly undervalued. The farm
ing industry will be considered first.
In discussing the value Of farm property
we have the results OF the national census
of 1900 to guide u.s. The census returns
show very conclusively that the Tax Com
mission has great deal OF work yer 10 40.
While 1t has succeeded better than many
anticipated In getting property on the TAX
rolls that formerly to greater or less ae-
gree escaped taxation It's work along thls
line Is, however but half done.
Let us now compare the value OF farm
property Of Wisconsin as determined by the
Tax Commission with the census returns.
OF course 1t will be remembered that the
valuations Of the census are for the year
1900; and that even the census enumerators
did not find all the property in the state.
The very first items compared SHOW star
thing variations. The census gives the Yaiue
on June l. 1900. of the 10, S62727 acres or
land In the 100, 795 farms of Wisconsin as
5000. 542. 800. This equals an average Value
of 500 20 per acre, and no fair minded man
will contend that this Is more than the
farm lands Of Wisconsin are worth. The
census gives the value on June ], 1900 or
the buildings on the farms or Wisconsin as
s15J. GO4 go. Adding the two sums just
given we find the value or the fafniS anu
buildings on June ]. 1900, was $086' l4I,9Oo.
The Tax Commission reported the value
in 1900 Of the 80, 982,307 acres or land IN
wisconsin together with the vatue oil the
buildings on 1t as $3.50, 80. village ana
city land, regardless of whether or not IL ~
clndpd in this item This Is simply the
yalue of the acre land outside or villages
and cities and of the buildings upon tn'S
land. z.,, oo
ures and the valuations Of the Tax Com
mission. but have not examined tne hsuIeS
closely have jumped to the conclusion tnaI
the farm lands of Wisconsin are now 40
spssed by the state board at very nearly
their full value. But such persons nave
failed to note that the census returns Only
cover the land Of the he state tnd Is tha FAY
Commissions figures cover the Whole hIe1 a
Of the state that is outside Of villages anu
cities or 30. 982. 307 acres.
Now let ur make a compa ~ison of the yalu-
ations OF the Tax Commission and the re-
turns of the census after the latter hsuFcs
have been supplemented W an estimate o.
the valuc Of the acre lands of the state OUT
side Of cities and villages and not f0und III
farms: and after all the values have befn
brought down to 1902 the date OF the latest
estimates made by the Tax Commission.
CENSUS RETURNS.
Farm lands and improvements other 200 20 ,oo
than buildings $1,000. .....:....; .Sodo''a@'''"
Ten per oo cent, I 1919 increase III 58O54 200
:, Ironi , ia =. Ioooi 1855, Goa, $40
Ten per 1oc cent T. 1900 l9G increase N 500 497
IL. 119. $50 acres of standing TIMBER "a. ,or Goa
ore lands, cut-oyer lands, etc.,. l"l'io''ooS
IT., 1885,, 05s, 22e
TOTAL
TAX COMMISSIONERS VALUAIlONS'
Tax commissioners valuation OF the
acre land Of the state and or the
buildings on the said land was IN - .ox ooo
"NSS'S~~'~
Increase In value from 1900 to 1907,
ii being assumed that country city,
village ,an no ~, anu nel rate IS 400 0s9
No., s673 734, a19
IL i.
These statements show that the Tax CoH CON.
missions valuations instead OF being ne a
as high as the census returns ran shoi1 I 10, "
lions are made to cover the same acreage
NDENnDWsS Ass