The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
WALKER ). HINES
 ON THE GR|DIRON Railroad Commissioner De- nounces L. & N. Official SWORE DIFFERENT THINGS s. Burr Says He Is Liar and Per Iurer, and Cites Conduct of Civ
 ing Roads Valuation
 In Florida.
SWoRE DIFFERENT THINGS

DNS ,od, S. D.. August 17.-The first bye ,S : session of the National Associa- &S f Railway Commissioners was held S-o v. Discussion of the reports of the = 'nmittees on railroad legislation, rail oad statistics, enforcement of eommis- sioners' orders, and classification of the construction and operating expenses of electric railways, occupied the first ses- sion. The entire delegation went to Lead where business session was held after which a visit was made to the under ground workings of the Homestake Gold mine.
 Makes Attack on Hines.
 S. Burr, railroad commissioner. from Florida, created a sensation when he openly denounced Walker D. Hines, for mer assistant general counsel and now first vice president of the Louisville ana Nashville railroad, as a liar and per jurer
 He said Hines made a sworn statement of the valuation of the property of the Louisville and Nashville railroad to the comptroller of the state of Florida Tor the purpose of taxation for the year end ing June 30. 1902. He says he later made another sworn statement to the commis- sioners of Florida on the value of the property for the same year for rate-mak- ing purposes and which was much larger. Later he says Hines made another sworn statement of the value of the property of the same year when applying for a temporary injunction in the United States district court to enjoin the commissioners from enforcing a reduction in passenger rates, which was double the statement made to the commissioners or to the comptrollers. Burr asked the national railway commissioners to not give any credit to the statements made by Hines before the commissions of Congress. Ben jamip F. Chadbougne, railroad conimis- sioner of Maine, made heated reply to the charges
 Different Methods of Taxation.
 Discussions of the investigations of rail- way taxa ton in various states aroused the greatest interest thus far manifested. Charles T. Staples of Minnesota, pre- sented a report which showed that the valuation per mile of railroad on which taxes are levied varies in different states from $94 in South Dakota to s1366 In Mass achusetts, and that there are over hair a dozen methods of arriving at pasis of tax in the various states.
 Judge Robinson of Kansas, called at ten>on Ap the fact that Illinois Central and Santa F'e had special clauses in their charters which prevented taxation the same as other railroads. The convention decided that uniform taxation of rail- ways in all states was so important that the matter should be handed over to the commission on railroad taxes for the en- suing year with instructions to report auch a uniform Dlan
 The next meeting of the railway com mssoners will be held at Washington D. C., February 21 1906.
 At the afternoon sess,<n ~ the National Railway Commissioners the election Of officers resulted:
 pr. w. C. Smith. Dakota. president
 Y p. Rice. Missouri, first vice presi- dent.
 Col. J. IT. Wharton. South Carolina, second vice president.
 E. A. Mosely Washington, secretary
 E. M. Decker, Washington, assistant secretary.