Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-09-25

Pr voek BY carrier ...............
tEntered ct the Carson post
RAILROAD TAXATION IN
HUMBOLDT.
The action Of the State Board of Re-
venue On Wednesday last with refer
Anee to the assessment Of railroad
lands in Humboldt county is sign;6-
sl1t and suggestive in more ways
than one Since the enactment Of the
law for . more uniform valuation Of
property for purposes Of taxation, and
those Of the last session for the re-
duction Of tax rates. the laws in ques-
assailed as being in the interest of the
Southern Pacific railroad company.
The most absurd and groundless state
ments have been made in support of
this view.
1t has been broadly charged that the
State Board of Assessors has perma-
nently hxed the valuation Of the rail-
road ct $4,000 per mile, while the val
uation Of al other kinds of property
viii have to be raised from year to
year to Offset the reduction in the
tax rate. Anything more directly at
variance with the truth. it would be
hard to imagine. In the first place the
,pgq1d bae not permanently fixed the
value Of the road 1T any figure. but has
merely valued It for the year 1903 AMI
this ct figures considerably above the
average Of former years. Secondly, the
Board Of Assessors has no power to
fl the value Of the road for more
than one year at time, and 1t has
the same power with reference to Of
her species Of property. Thirdly. the
Board has shown no disposition wha--
ever to favor the railroad. and 1t never
win II the people are careful in the
selection Of their County Assessors
Who collectively make up the State
board.
The utterly preposterous character
Of the charge referred to is well ex
empli6ed by this Humboldt county
matter. The Assessor Of that county
has shown the strongest antipathy e
4heee new revenue enactments has AMI
constantly favored the idea of keep
ing the assessments as much as pos
able in the hands Of the individual
county assessors. He is now chargei
by the District Attorney of his county
With having grossly and wronsfully
favored the railroad in assessment u
its lands in that county, such lands
being valued by him at small frao
ton Of the value placed upon them IL
other counties for the purposes of AK
alton. Moreover, the charge is mad
that these railroad lands in Hum
boldt county have been listed by thi
Assessor 1t very mucn lower value
tnan lands of the same character OWL
ed by private individuals or other &C,
pofations.
Perhaps the Assessor can give
good reason for this Discriminate
but on its face it has an exceeding
bad look. The Board Of EQualizatio
Of Humboldt county passed the chac
es over until the 5th Of October. A
soon as the attention of the Sta
Board of Revenue was directed to tn
matter, telegram was sent to I'll
County Board of Equalization urgiu
it to take action that would do ju
tice to the taxpayers Of that coun
and those of the entire State.
Here we have conclusive demo
stration of the wisdom of the legisl
ton under consideration. Had Il
State Board of Assessors fixed the v;
ne Of these railroad lands and othe
similarly situated, no such abuse
injustice as the one charged in HUI
boldt county would have occurrs
Nothing can be clearer than that t
railroad company can control sins
Assessor much more easily than it c
all of them collectively, when acti
under the eyes of the Governor, t
Controller of State and the Attorn
General. II justice is not done in Il
Humboldt county matter, it will not
the fault Of the State Board Of Re
nue., whose aim is to treat every t
payer with equal fairness.
!l!liniuInIIlll
Notice to the Public.
Especial inducements will be ms