Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-31

corrupt bodies. and In the case Of the pres
Ont Nebraska legislature I think we have
. set OF mon. the vast majority Of whom
.re Of a high standard Of morality and
intelligence. and far removed from such
Influences as ere too often brought 20 bear
in lawmaking bodies.
I'm short, / think We will succeed in
retting our bill through the legislature. II
Is right. it Is fair and Il Is just. II seeks
10 remove an iniquitous burden from the
shoulders Of the people OF Omaha. and
does not contemplate a single hardship to
a sinFle person or corporation. Why
shouldn't Il pass?
The railroads have failed utterly. to
even meet our arguments, much less con-
troyert them and their very failure, with
all the ingenious powers at their COM
mand, ought to have some weight in con-
vincing the members Of this legislature Of
she justice OF our position. the correctness
Of our argument and the utter absurdity Of
those Of our opponents. The railroads are
fighting this bill simply because IT is fair
and because II passed It will force them to
meet their just obligations as every other
taxpayer in Omaha has to DO. They fight
al such moves designed to prevent tax
evasion"
Lancaster mbe Favorable.
A member Of the real estate exchange,
while expressing the belief that the bill
would ultimately pass, was a little less
sanguine than Mr.. Mcintosh. He had heard
limitations that the Lancaster county del
egation in the house and senate was in
imical to the bill, and feared the aid
counted on from this faction would not be
forthcoming But from interviews with
member OF that delegation It appears that
this gentleman was incorrectly advised.
One of the Lancaster county senator's,
asked about this matter. said.
WE are heartily In favor OF this move
ment We have endeavored and are still
ondeayoring to bring about the same state
Of afairs in Lincoln, for here we arc as
greatly imposed on by the railroads in the
matter Of municipal tax evasion as are the
PEOPLE of Omaha. Amy member Of our 6el4
egation who would oppose this bill would
be doing wrong and antagonizing the
wishes of 30 per cent of the people Of Lin
cola. Z fully believe that il put to a. vote
this question would carry in Lincoln by a
30 per cent majority.
mo. sir, WI are not opposed to this bill.
but will stand by 1t to the last" he con-
tlnued.
Other members from the city of Lincoln
AAh1N AAAAAA oNdANllthNps
The chief opposition Of a sincere nature
70 this bill will come from country mem
berE who believe in that fantasy so per-
s~istently urged by John n. Baldwin and his
confederates, that 1t will have the effect
of raising the city taxes in Omaha and re-
dueing the tax receipts in other counties
of the state. There is no question that.
vague and false as this argument is, It has
found Judgement in the minds Of a good
many. II the friends of this measure can
succeed in convincing these doubling
Thomnses OF the fallacy Of this they will
have. overcome the NEST serious, in fact,
the only really serious obstacle in their
way.
Cne house member stated to a corre-
spoadent for The Bee today that he OPP
posel the bill because he thought it con-
templated an imp-acticabl7 and unconsti-
t~uti0nel act, since the constitution provides
the privilege asked by Omaha for all
municipalities.
some of BaldwIn's Figures.
John N. Baldwin, in his address before
the Joint committee on revenue. made the
statement that the Union Pacific employed
in Omaha alone over 1908 men and had
built-a magnificent depot at a cost Of some
thing like $500, 600. This was when he was
endepvoring to show how much his road
had done for the city Of Omaha, which, he
argued pngratefll forsthese public benefits
now sought to Impose unjust burdens Of
taxation upon the company. In this con.
nection Mr.. Baldwin said that not a city
or community In The state OF Nebraska but
would be glad of the opportunity to exempt
'the Union Pacific from a single dollar o.
taxes for q period of fifty years il only II
could get what Omaha possesses by grac,
of this great benevolent corporation. This
was all said when Mr.. Baldwin was trying
TO show how Omaha was indebted to thI
Union Pacific, but wholly a different argu,
ment was resorted to when the railroad at
torney undertook to prove that his com.
pany's terminals in Omaha had been over
valued for purposes OF taxation.
In this connection, bearing in mind tina
MT. Baldwin himself boosted Of he mag
nlhcent depot erected at a cost OF $500, 900
this array of figures may be of interest
They are taken from the books in tn
state auditors Office and are what tn
Union Pacific returned. under oath, as tina
part Of taxes which It had distributed owe
the state, citing this to combat the argu
ment that II should now be compelled L
pay its proportion Of municipal taxes
1t should be understood that these figure
NtlN aNoNh ny W. boAdNAh last hibhN III III
argument and formed the real basis of hi
remarks. The figures are these:
33.4S miles of -oadbed. right-of-way
and main track, at 5000 per mile. 800 AZ
SI.S1 miles of sldetrack and turn
outs, at $1,000 per mile ............ 97.Sl
6s.5S acres depot grounds, at SO. 1881
. depots, at 50. 1855. .................. 81, 9S
8 section houses, at S90..,........... q
4 tool houses, at .,........,...,...
/ engine house, at $40. ........,..... 4
i roundhouse, at 5000 MINIMUM. 500
coal houses "A
x water TANKS d
% offices, dwellings, etc......,..,.... 1881
b STOCK yhFuS IL
Furniture and fixtures ...,........... q
Fuel, ties and other personal prop
erty not heretofore enumerated, Sl,6i
These figures are supposed to represer
one-slxth Of the actual valuation Of thes
properties, that being the basis OF assess