Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-25

TELEPHONE COMPANY REPORTS
n Some casss Officials of the Tele-
phone Limos Have Unwittinsly In
creased Their Own Assessment
While intending to Reduce thigh
Compliment For Republican Officials.


| Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, July 25.--In the work of
estimating the values of property as
snssed by the state officials this year
some interesting things were encount-
Tered. One of the things found was that
] in some cases officials of telephone
| lines have unwittingly increased their
own assessment while intending to re-
duce it. A report is made of telephone
E'ut the council finds a general value
lot the property and then apportions
the value on the deficient mileage bas-
Isl. Later the county auditor finds the
omitted mileage and proceeds to place
Iit on the books at the pro rata made
been reported honestly the pro rata
would have been less. Such instances
have been found in several parts of
the state. The executive council also
I finds that some of the companies re-
ported this year for the first time have
been in operation several years. Sec
r,atary Davidson of the executive coun-
ell this year for the first time took
hold of the matter of securing the tele-
phone reports. and he did the work so
thoroughly that he got about 500 new
ones, or of companies that had not be-
fore reported. Last year the total num-
bcr OF companies assessed was 1,122.
But among those reported this year,
after threats had been made to apply
the penalties OF the law, were quite
number that should have reported the
p,Ast two or three years and have been
a.ssesssd. AS result of Secretary
Davidson's activity he has received
Inany amusiiigiy abasise letter from
p~oprietors of small telephone lines.
They appear to think that the secre-
tary Is alone responsible for the whole
law and the taxes that it is mat
ter of discretion with him as to the
reporting. But with all the abuse he
got the reports--a larger number than
ever before. The assessment of these
1,70O telephone companies is a great
is SIX for the state officials. and 1T is
this on which the council is working
al present.
It is certain that the prediction in
this column several weeks ago as to
the aggregate of assessments this year
will be found good when the figures
ore given out. There will be no great
increase or decrease in assessments
this year The raising of the railroad
as sessments an enormous amount last
year met with general satisfaction and
even the railroad companies made no
great protest. 1t was the most con-
siderable raise since Larrabee was at
the head Of the council. The partisan
of the republican state ad-
sought to convince the
people that the council in fact failed to
make any increase at all in proportion
to The increase in actual farm values
as found by the three thousand local
sssessors but the vote of last fall was
Conclusive that the voters. especially
the farmers. did not believe any such
sracious arguments. Now the feeling
is quite general that railroad values
ard real estate values are about right /
ard all the state officers have to do is
to equalize matters. This is all that
viii be done The figures will be given
nut Wednesday evening.
An able lawyer. resident of another
state. who appeared before the state
executive council In behalf of tele-
graph company operating in several
states. paid the Iowa republican Off |
cials a high and deserved compliment.
He had presented few matters to the |
oe,,o,
eral discussion II find it necessary"
he said. ito discuss the general prin- !
ciples Of assessment with the council. |
| want to say that | have TO do with |
assessments in several states and have
appeared before the assessing boards
in eight of them. Without dispar-
agement to the others I must say that.
as indicated by what l have heard |
here Of the discussion of assessment
matters, that i have not found any
state board so we'll Informed on as
matters or whore the prin-
ciples Of assessment are so we'll under
stood as right here
1t is not generally known but It is a
fact that a syndicate in which Iowa
men are largely interested is engaged
IN building railroad In South Dakota.
This is the railroad being built from
Sioux Falls to Madison. About ten
miles of the read has already beea
built. and the cars will be running
ErGm Sioux Falls to Cotton in a short
irne. The company is operating
title differently from some others.
There were no bonds issued, 10
money borrowed no bonuses exacted
)ut the company is paying for the road
rs it goes 1t will form an important
connection with the lines northwest
If Sioux Falls. and 1t runs thru a rich
e,ritory, far removed from railroad
There are ten owners OF
he property. among them being Sen
.tor f. l.. Maytag, of Newton; Senator
[alnes A. Smith, of Usage, and ex-Sen-
lte'r A. r. Funk. of Spirit Lake.
The vacation of Governor Cummins
win commence next week, when he