Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-04
Members Of the Committee, with Some
Reluctance, Admit Fact.
SOME POINTS OF LAW SETTLED UPON
Creation of the Office of County Assessor
is One of These
CLERKS GoNEAND DocUAENTsLocKeD UP
Railroad PluEEers Have Legislative
Mind BefoEEed on Municipal
Taxation of Railroad Ter
minRIs I'm cities.
tFrom a Stan Correspondent)

biNSOLNs req. S.-CSpecial. )-The sub
committees OF the revenue committed
plugged away all day getting in shape and
putting on paper those sections referred
to them at the meeting yesterday and last
night, as published this morning
During the day the subcommittees got
together and indorsed the election OF a
county assessor This officer will be en-
pioyed only about half OF his time, and
the salary will correspond with the time
worked.
Inc revenue committee, after having
thought over the matter, no doubt has
shelved the Nebraska revenue law and Is
using the Kansas law, as iailread man
| expressed It, 'as a method by which TO pro-
ceed'' The Nebraska law will be used to
make amendments. The change from the
Nebraska law, which was at first the basis
! OF operation, is one reason for desire for
secrecy on the part of the committee When
asked whether the change had been made,
one member of the committee said:
! We found that the Nebraska law would
have to be almost entirely rewritten and
are therefore getting portion OF the rev.
| enue law from laws OF various states. We
! are using as basis only the constitution.
II the Kansas law Is the center OF a hill
that the committee will report, it will oc
casion no surprise to those who are watch
| ing the proceedings.
| The committee has repeatedly refused to
| give out the names OF the members OF the
! subcommittee but it was learned tonisht
that the railroad taxation committee was
composed Of Sears, Brown, Day. Reynolds
and Fries; on personal property, Thompson.
Anderson, Wilson and Douglass.
Baldwin Defends Harrison.
The subcommittees were not ready to re-
| port and consequently the committee did
not meet tonight. In a typewritton inter-
view issued in the Union Pacific headquar-
ters at the Lindell, John ~ Baldwin seeks
to defend and to explain the action of his
understudy in sending out letters TO the
country press, in On attempt to produce ed
| itorial comment in behalf OF the railroads
against the taxpayers, as was exposed in a
letter published In The Bee yesterday The
Interview as sent out is as follows;
Il see that some adverse comment IL at
tempted" said Mr.. Baldwin, because the
railroad companies utilize the newspapera
to present their side of the tax contro-
versy and because they express a willing.
ness to pay the expense of printing. WHY
should they not. the arguments presented
are cnanswerable. The outside counties OF
the state are vitality interested. The
! Omaha papers give only one side OF the
titled to receive information exposing the
sefshness Of the Omaha real estate loom.
ers, and the railroads have a perfect right
to pay for the expense of printing this in
formation.
The railroads have no newspapers OF
their own to present the case and there ia
no one newspaper OF wide circulation stand
ing up for the rights OF the country as
against the encroachments Of the large CITY
The defense OF the country must come from
the country papers. We cannot demand
that they use their space without recon-
pense, although many OF them, recognizipR
their own local interest in The controversy,
decline compensation and freely open their
columns to forciby express their opinians
OF the Omaha scheme. The criticism from
the Omaha boomers is ridiculous. II sounds
like the plant Of a failing and hopeless
cause"
While the committee Of the whole was
in session this afternoon Representative
Warner received word that his mother had
died suddenly at their home at Wayerly.
Mr. Warner Immediately left for home.
This makes three members of the commit
tee absent-Wilson, Douglas and Warner.
Notwithstanding the fact that John N.
Baldwin could not explain TO the revenue
committee and others why It was that
would reduce the amount OF taxes received
from railroads throughout the country dis
trict, there are some members OF the leg
:slature who still believe. or pretend TO be-
lieve that Mr.. Baldwin's statement was
correct. One senator said:
II / was sure that the taxing of the
terminals would not Ieduce the school tax
received from railroads out In the state.
would be In favor OF taxing the terminals
for municipal purposes ] believe that
railroads should pay their Just share Of
taxes, but l do not want It done at the
expense Of the school districts. II tho
people OF Omaha will make II plain to me
that the bill they desired passed will not
reduce the amount Of taxes we get from
railroads out in the state. then am for
the bill"
Personnel of Committee.
AS the revenue committee was appointed
to draft a bill that would meet the re-
quirements OF the states needs and at the
same time do justice to all men and all
taxpaying bodies. II is well occasionally to
look over the list OF names OF the mem-
bers and to know their professions or
business From the house comes six pro-
tessional men and one who may be reck-
oned a farmer, Warner. The senators rep
resent more varied interests. Among it's
members being a banker, lumbermen, law
yers, real estate dealer and one farmer.
The names Of the members OF the commit
tee and their occupation are as follows:
Wilson, physician; Douglas, lawyer Sears,
lawyer; Thompson, lawyer; sweeky, law
yer; Loomis, lawyer; Pemberton. lawyer;
Brown, lawyer Saunders real estate,
though he has been admitted to the bar;
Day and Fries. lumbermen; Anderson.
banker, and Reynolds and Warner, farm
eTs.
That the committee is able and capa-
BILE OF getting up a revenue law that would
be worthy Of the people there Is no ques-
ton The secret sessions held BY the com
mittee. and the fact that It's members are
pledged to secrecy, causes comment After
adjournment last night majority OF the