Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-03
THE RAILROADS AND THE PEOPLE

Custer County Republican: Judging
from the proceedings Of the state board in
the railroad assessment matter, some of
the board are influenced more from local
interests than from the general inter
est of the public. This should not be
mans location should not influence his
judgment on the valuation Of property.
York Democrat: United States Judge
Mcpherson has granted a temporary in
junction restraining the state of Missouri
from enforcing it's lately enacted maximum
freight rate bill on the ground that it is
con1scatory. Thus it is we have govern
ment by courts. One little Judge sitting on
the bench knows better what is reasonable
and just than the assembled representatives
of sovereign state and with the stroke Of
a pen brings the work of months to naught
Beatrice Sun: Mr. Rosewater has closed
series of interesting articles upon THE
Railroads and the People" and a perusal
of them shows that The Bee editor has the
correct solution of the problem. 1t is sense
less to assert that the railroads may not be
governed by the same laws that apply to
private individuals. While the railroads are
a necessity for the people, the people are
something of a necessity to the railroads.
There is certainly necessity for both. The
people have lived and can live without the
railroads. The railroads cannot exist with
out the people A square deal" Is all that
is demanded.
Central City Nonpareil: The Nonpareil is
receiving a dose of anti-railway regulation
argument every twenty-four hours from
Messrs. Rathom and Crawford of Omaha.
Who these gentlemen are we have no means
OF knowing but that they are tremen-
dously interested in preventing the dear
railroads from being subjected to some
wholesome regulation is obvious from the
expense" to which they are putting them
selves in supplying us with this literature.
II they can offer no better reasons against
government supervision than they have adj
vanced so far they would just as we'll save
their breath, for the treatment" has so
far failed to take
Columbus Journal: What we need in
Nebraska is not sentiment against rail-
roads, nor sentiment for them, but del
termined demand for equality and justice
before the law. When the law says tax
property at it's full value" the public
should demand the application of that
law to all the property whether 1t belongs
to a railroad or an individual. And both
the railroad and the individual should be
stopped from setting up as an excuse for
another. A good way to begin getting at
the tax-dodging railBoads is to begin get
ting at our taK-dodging neighbors. Re
form, like charity should begin at home.
Beatrice SUM- There is no person that
wants the railroads to pay more than
fair share of the tax burden. This they
should be willing to do. The private in
dividual has to leave the matter of val
uation to the assessor. He is permitted
20 make his showing and the assessor and
board of equalization lxes the value. The
railroads are given the same show. They
present all sorts OF arguments and sta
r.stics to show what their property is
worth, and should then be willing to abide
the decision of the board without trying
to unduly influence the members. When
the corporations submit to the same laws
which govern individuals and give cheerful
compliance to the same there will be a
better feeling between the people and the
corporations.