Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-16
sr.ynryc nv 1gErR OWN LIGHT.


For many years the railroads OF Ne
braska enjoyed special advantage over
all other taxpayers in the under
valuation Of their properties. The as
sessnlent Of most of the railroad mile
age Of Nebraska in the nineties was far
below its valuation In the eighties, and
while the mileage was increasing from
year to year the aggregate taxation OK
railroads was actually shrinking from
year to year. Three years ago public
sentiment had reached such pitch of
resentment that the state boards of as
sessment, made up chiefly Of men who
owed their positions to the railroads,
could no longer stand against It and a
material increase in the aggregate rail
road assessment was the result.
This increase, however was still far
below the actual value Of the railroads,
as measured either by their earnings or
by the market price of their stocks and
bonds In round figures the ratio of
valuation between the properties of the
railroads and all other classes of taxable
property In Nebraska is twenty per cent
but their assessment has never been
over twelve per cent OF their true value
The lowest estimate Of the value Of
railroad property in Nebraska in 1904
was S3JOOOO,OOO, and by rights it's as
sessment at one-ffth should have been
$40, 900. 900, but its actual assessment by
the state board was only S46,OO0,OOO, or
on a basis Of $230,OOO.OOO instead of
$3.50. 100000. The true value of rail
road properties in Nebraska, as gagged
by their earnings for 1905, is not less
than 800 600 600 but the assessment for
1905 is less than 100000 higher than
1t was in 1904.
And yet the railroad attorneys have
had the audacity to enjoin the collection
Of these taxes on the plea that the rail
road assessment was by twenty per cent
too high as compared with the valuation
of all other classes of taxable property.
If this contention were absolutely true
the railroad assessments for this year
are still over $1OO,OOOOO0 too low and
all the palaver and sophistry of the rail
way attorneys and railway tax agents
cannot brush aside this stubborn fact.
The resolutions adopted by the Ne
braska State Association Of County Com
missiOners. demanding the withdrawal
of the injunction suits to prevent the
% 40 90 nd
1905, voices the sentiment of practically
all the taxpayers Of Nebraska, Including
the favored shippers and the most de-
voted friends of the railroads. While
the railroad attorneys and tax agents
want TO earn their salaries, the railway
ma gnates and managers should heed
the warning embodied in the protest Of
the county commissioners and order
their attorneys to lie down. The rail-
ways OF Nebraska can well afford to pay
their taxes so long as they are not
molested in the imposition of taxes in
the shape of freight rates upon the
people of Nebraska.
If they persist i'm the policy they have
been pursuing with tax injunctions they
will be in the position of the fisherman
in the Arabian Nights. who drew n
metallic vessel out of the sea. and after
unsealing IL found himself confronted
| by q monster genii. whom he vainly
tried to put back. When the state is
once aroused the genii OF railroad regu.
: lation will not down at the bidding of
the railroad attorneys or tax agents.
Railway managers should remember
that their best friends are those who
counsel compliance with our laws and
the payment to Caesar of what belongs
to Caesar. BY such a policy they may
conciliate the people and ward Off the
uprising that is sure TO sweep Nebraska
as It has Michigan, Wisconsin and other
OF the granger states.
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