Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-23

were all demanding a great deal. The pub
lie was not informed OF what the assess
ment would be until in June. believe. or
some time after the state convention. had
no. conversation with Mr. Bennett (secre-
tary of the board and do not at this time
recall what The Bee or Mr.. Rosswater said.
The value OF railroad property was fixed
by the board in 1903 at Se.OO0,0Oo IN round
numbers and in 1904 at SlO575, coz 30. We
were sworn 70 fix the actual value in 1903
but merely followed the long established
precedent. In 1901 we followed the strict
letter OF the law. The Union Pacific said
that the assessment OF 1903 was fair"
The governors statement as given here
was not made continuously. but mostly in
reply to Baldwin's questions. as, for In
stance. when the governor said he did not
recall what The Bee or Mr.. Rosewater had
said
Then Baldwin Warns Up.
Mr.. Baldwin then approached the gov
error with his warning finger raised and
asked him in laundering tones:
Upon your oath as governor had you
not sworn in 1888 20 return the property Of
the railroads at its full value and have
you not already testified that the property
was assessed at but from one-hfteenth to
The governor replied:
Il suppose that we did violate the law
then because OF the long established preoe-
dent in fixing railroad valuations. had
talk with Mr. Kelly OF your road and he
favored the revised valuation OF the road
and said he would DO his part In 1904 we
assessed the property at its full value un-
der the law. II II true there was a slight
| increase in the valuation OF the property
over 1903 But the assessment OF 1904 had
nothing whatever 70 do with the assessment
of 1893 When we came to the assessment
Of 1914 we did not pay any attention to the
question Of uniformity"
Attorney General Begins.
This concluded the direct examination of
| Governor Mickey and Attorney General
! Brown then proceeded TO the cross-exami-
nation. He asked him in reference TO his
understanding Of the meaning OF tangible
| and intangible property in order TO correct
/ a Misunderstanding Of a question put tc
! him Thursday morning. The governor
! stated that the board was IN session sI
/ weeks in 1904 on the railroad assessment
/ and there were present Messrs Kelly and
! SCribner OF the Union Pacific road and
| representatives OF other roads. The matter
OF railroad assessment was discussed and
| argued thoroughly by the representative
/ Of the railroads He said;
! There was no effort 70 separate tht
franchise value from the tangible value
figured that the net earnings were ovei
l $500 per mile, and We left the genera
1 valuation al SIS, 900 per mile. Each OF tn,
three propositions, tangible, Intangible anC
stocks and bonds property were considered
as factors In the making up OF the genera
estimate. We did not assess any property
I outside the state and none which was 10
| cally attached"
The cross-examination OF che governoi
was TO show that the road was actual,
underyalued ana that the action OF IN,
state board was fair legitimate and squl
taola The governor did not conclude hi
testimony until O'Clock Friday afternoon
No other witnesses being present III
hearing was continued over until mex
week. when Secretary Of stats NATEA, sx