Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1904-02-25
COUNSEL STEVENS MAKES PROTEST
Levy This Ye r Amounts TO Z Per
Cent Gross.
Methods of Assessors Claimed To b
Unfair Arrive at Value on The.
ory of Cost TO Reproduce.

Its last assessment OF RAILROAD prOP0rt,
aud increased the total valuation b,
over $4,000, ,00j, the road that va,
given the biggest share OF the incress'
was the Pere Marquette, being jumpet
In round numbers, from e26, O0O.OOO
S37, 600, ,00U an addition OF ell.00C, 900
The Pere Marquette, like other roads
In Michigan, Is fighting in the United
States courts the law under which rail-
roads are taxed on the value OF theil
property, and they are paying only
such amounts as would have been -
scssed !ainst them under the old law
assessing them on earnings. Never
theess they may some time-when the
courts derid the qu4stion-t ave TO pay
tax4s under the new law aud the,
wou then have a very pretty sum 70
turn into the Et'te's Golfers.
The I'eFe Marquette people feel ID q
they are particularly harI hit, snd
their cffi;iSls say they are being tr"st
el urj stly, with the prediction that II
the policy OF the present tax commits
sion is folio we'd II will hurt the busi'
ners interests Of Ih4 state.
Frederick w. S even', general coun-
sci of the p 70 Ma q iette, in talking
about the situation yesterday said:
EXC ESSiVE TAXATION.
"rhe general pu llic uUes not under
stan how the IA lroads OF Michigan
are being treated In he N alter OF tax.
tion. Public sentiment viii not sus.
tai the high as+esr N ,nts recently
made nor the netho Is Of reaching val
.ues, when the act, become known, fur
pIblic sentiment when v..h~irdiormet
Is lust an L~irv~'If the assessment II
= 'nsJ3 against the p re NJ ,rqustte 10 SUI
tanned the road will have TO pay NOR
than S63t, 200 In ad iition 10 that SUI
1t tha4sr.sly paid, fIr 1898. over sl6
01D taxes on prop rty assessed local
IN cities AMI villages, on the zroan
thaii il is Dt used for railroad pu pose
ut lie also Obliged TO pay . furths
large 81 n on account OF state tsxt
against the depot property in Detroi
asp which there Is a separate asses
meot bg the sate board against th
two companies which own the Detro
terminals. aud the taxes against the'
companies as fixed by the state boaI
will amount to oyer $50, 900 for 1908,
which the Pere Marquette must pay
proportion as between 1t and the W
bash. In short, the Pere Marquette
assessed by the sta board and by loc
assessors In such manner that
total state taxes for the year 1903 AloI
amount to upwards Of $4,000 which
practically per cent OF ito entire gro
earnings for Michigan. Mind you,
gross earnings from all sources, not
net earnings.
IL do not believe that any fairmin
ed citizen considers that the Pere Ms
quette is justly chargeable with A'
such taxes, nor that any one can fail
see that it necessarily restricts 8
company IN the improvement OF
property and It's service and the exte
sion OF its lines in Michigan, and 1t
certain that capital will consider 10
and we'll before 1t builds more railros
ia Michigan 30 long as there 10 = pr
pect o! such excessive taxation.
AN UNEQUAL BURDEN.
"Are not raj 20 ids assessed Ia I
same way rs other property \
Stevens WAS asked.
mo. cir. The CRY that resulted
the enactment Of the present law
1901 was Equd tsxstion.' II wso 50
Let raiirJa property bs as sssed =
taxed hkr o'hsr property But
stosd OF % II taxation we have
equal t,xttlo and instead OF rsilrr
property sung sss sssed and taxed u
other prop; ;rty, IT appears that IL 10
sessed and taxed on n basis entlr
different from that folio sed, AMI =,
higher rat tnau levied, in tho case
osher propsrty.
"In 1890 under authority o. the 81
Prot. Cooley with the aid OF skil
men, made An exhaustive detsilei
am ,tion OF all tn railroad prope
10 Michigan, and vAlu ID IL on the b
OF IN cost OF repro luction, iuclud
right OF way, station grounds, ys'
grading, EN- 1ankmsnt-, bridges,
yerts, ties. rails, station buildiI
Shows, tools, rolling ock and ev'
thing In the way of tangible props