Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-08
"Good for the Soul"

Cdiu pdiSu III Was llccly Ctldi ecu Ny
democratic candidates that this
course would be adopted by the
railroads, but the republican lead
ecs in this state pointed with pride
to the railroad assessment made
under the republican administra-
ton, and said that under republi-
can laws and republican admins
tratiou the railroads had been re-
quired to bear their proportion of
the taxation burden.
But now the people are learning
that they were leaning on a broken
reed when they were depending on
even a small increase in railroad
assessment to bring them relief.
In the presence of these revela-
tons republican editors find them
selves seriously embarrassed, and
among the interesting confessions
made is that appearing in the local
republican organ, in which it is
said:
Ifanything is calculated to arouse
the resentment of property-ow
citizens of Nebraska, who pay their
own taxes and expect other citi-
zens and corporations to pay theirs,
this unprecedented action of the
railroads is sure to do it.
1t is notorious that the new Ne
braska revenue law was enacted in
strict accordance with the demands
of the railroad lobbyists and that
the assessment of railway property
made by the state board under it's
provisions, while in excess of what
the railroads demanded, was still
far short of what it should and
would have been if gagged to the
selling value of these properties,
as reflected by current transactions
on the money markets. The only
inference to be drawn is that the
railroads were instrumental in pro-
curing the enactment of d new
revenue law for Nebraska in the
expectation that they would be en-
abled to shirk their taxes still fur
Their and unload still more of their
burdens upon the shoulders of
other taxpayers, and having failed
in this, they now wish to upset a
law of their own making.
Is it any wonder that the people
of Nebraska look with suspicion on
the railway tax agents and the rail
road lobbyists Is it any wonder
that they feel that the railroads
want to hog it all and are not will
ing to abide by square deal? Is
it any wonder that they are con-
Stantly looking about to see if
there is not some way by which
they can protect themselves against
railroad encroachments and secure
an equal enforcement of the law
for small taxpayers and big cor
porations alike.
But, Judging the future by the
past, after saying all this, the local
republican organ will, during the
campaign Of 1905, be found work
ing enthusiastically in behalf of
candidates chosen by these same
railroad influences.
The railroad managers are not
to be frightened by the prediction
that their efforts to escape taxation
will arouse the resentment of
property-owning citizens of Ne
braska." These railroad manag-
ers manipulated the legislature of
Nebraska two years ago according
to their own will, and although
they Haunted their control of the
legislature in the very faces of the
people, they openly and notorious
~ obtained control of the republic
can state convention in 1904. If
results show anything, the people
with their eyes open registered
their approval of corporation dom
nation in the public affairs Of this
state.
1t was charged during the cam
paign just closed that the Nebraska
revenue law was enacted in strict
accordance with the demands of
the railway lobb. visits" that the
of railway property
made by the republican state board