Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-13
FIGHTS BACK AT RAILROADS
Mass Meeting in Richardson County Takes
Action on Tax Litigation.
RESOLVES TO BOYCOTT BURLINGTON
Railroad Domination in Politics is
Denounced and Notice Served
on Aspirants for the
- Legislature.

FALLS CITY. Neb., Dec. l2.-(Special.) y
A large crowd gathered at the court house
Monday evening to discuss the matter of
the non payment of taxes by the Burling-
ton road and the best thing to do to secure
a speedy termination of the litigation and
the payment of the taxes. Speeches were
made by numerous parties and a committee
was appointed to draw up resolutions which
were unanimously adopted The resolutions
were as follows;
The citizens and taxpayers of Falls City
ana Richardson county, In mass convention
assembled at the court house, Falls City,
Neb, December IL, resolve:
whereas, The Burlington railroad has
repudlated its taxes in Richardson county
Dy refusing to pay the same for the years
S09.14, and
Whereas. Said railroad has rendered to
the county treasurer only 10 per cent or
Its taxes for these two years and have en-
Joined the collection of the taxes for the
year 1904 and have declared their intention
1906 and
Whereas. The tax assessed and due from
the Burlington railroad for the year 1904
was only 81 per cent over the tax of 1888
while the tax of the people of this county
had been increased for the year 1904 over
| 1913 16.ll per cent, and about the same ratio
! for the year 1906, therefore
Resolved, By the citizens and taxpayers
| of Richardson county, in mass convention
assembled, that we condemn the action of
| said Burlington railroad as arbitrary, un-
| just and unfair in refusing to pay the tax
assessed against the property of said conf
| pany, and
Resolved. That we condemn the said rail-
| road company in refusing to bear their
| just share OF the expense of this govern
ment, from which they are reaping a great
| harvest every year, and be 1t further
ond tar n9t we ndan nhf the
road for refusing to pay their taxes, which
were levied and assessed under law passed
by their own solicitation which has in
| creased the burdens of the taxes upon the
! farmers and other producers of this county
and state from II to 100 per cent, while the
| tax on the property of the railroad, in many
! instances, was reduced.
! Resolved, We condemn the action OF the
Burlington road In attempting to manlpu-
arbitrarily dictate and control candidates
for state Offices, Legislature, state board OF
equalization and the judiciary, and
! Resolved, That we, as citizens and tax
payers of Richardson county, desire our
legislature, state officers. judges and other
officers to be free and unhampered from
ali railroad Influences; we most earnestly
recommend and resolve that II is the sense
of this meeting that no man shall be nom
mated from this county next fall FOR the
| legislature by any political party who Il
not known to be absolutely free from al
railroad influences of whatsoever nature
and will pledge himself not TO accept OF
use a railroad pass or other favoTs from q
railroad of this state, and who is pledged
10 stand for square deal between tht
of the state, and who favors a reasonable
rate regulation and control.
Resolved. That inasmuch as the Missouri
Pacific railroad has paid their taxes in full
to the county treasurer of this county FOL
the years 1904 and l5J5, that 1t is the sense
of this meeting, every citizen, taxpayer anC
shipper of this county, so far as possible
to give all their business going out Of
coming into the county TO the Missouri IA
cific railroad; and you are hereby requested
when practicable, to buy your tickets anC
see that your freight is billed over thu
Missouri Pacific railroad until the Burllng
ton pays its taxes and ceases 10 be al
outlaw.
Resolved, We are in favor of a stat
: railroad commission, elected by direct yot
of the people, which shall be empowered Il
; fix railroad rates, provided, however Una
, President Roosevelt, assisted by the La
Toilette republicans and the Bryan demo
Gratis, does not give us this railroad resula
ton in this session Of congress-
, Resolved, This convention and the citizen
: of Richardson county hereby tender thei
, , services to the attorney general OF tn
state of Nebraska in prosecuting the sui
, of the Burlington against the several coun
ties, and they request that he give nj
, earnest efforts to speedy termination o
the same.
Resolved That we hereby, condemn III
action OF Judge Munger, federal Judge Q
T Nebraska, In granting the injunction
I these railroads prohibiting the countie
from enforcing the collection of the JUS
Resolved That we favor the LaFollett
, idea, that is. corporation should be com
pelleu, like llOlNluudlSs W pay Aht NaAc
! when cue or suffer attachment OF thei
! property. and we ask for law that auth
orizes the attachment OF engines and othe
I rolling stock wherever found for the pay
ment OF delinquent taxes, unhindered b
the injunction of any court and If the take
paid wrongfully the whole controvers
: to be settled afterwards and the overcharg
: refunded as any competent court may SC
NJ to order. We submit the federal ju
: dietary is too free in granting injunction
asked by corporations even when they eIn
baIrass the state government, and II wi
. be so until the constitution of the Unite
} States is amended and federal judges ar
r elected by the people for term of years
, and we respectfully ask all the city govern
. ments in Nebraska not TO sell water for us
in Burlington engines at any price 20 Ion
as the said railroad Is in open rebellio
! against the revenue law OF Nebraska.
) Resolved. A copy Of these resolutions
furniahed the papers Of Richardson count