Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-08-03
DOUGLAS DRAWS A RAISE
Merchandise Valuations Are Increased
Fifteen Per Cent
TOTAL STATE LEVY is SEVEN MILLS
Chairman Allen of Democrat Com
mittee Calls state Convention 20
Meet at Lincoln wednes-
day, September 20.

CFrom a stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, Aug. Especial To-day the
State Board OF Equalization and Assess
ment on the motion Of Land Commissioner
Eaton ordered an increase Of Is per cent
in the Douglas county merchandise assess
ment, raising the total assessed valuation
from s1.774314 10 300. 461 on that species
OF property. This action was taken as a
result Of a complaint OF President John f.
Miller Of the Commercial club Of this city
which led to a two days hearing at which
much testimony was introduced by the
| Lincoln merchants in an attempt TO prove
their charges that Douglas county merchan-
| disc was assessed at only so per cent or
its true value. There was but little dis
\ cussion among the members Of the board
as to the action taken. although Secretary
OF State Galusha stated that he felt he
could vote for 50 per cent increase If it
were not for the fact that many of the
small dealers had been assessed high
| enough.
! County Assessor Miller Of Douglas county,
| who was present when the announcement
was made, said that he thought 1t would
do, although ne had felt that a larger in
| crease would have a salutary effect
| throughout the state and especially in the
two larger counties to compel merchants
TO list their stocks at their full values.
The Lancaster county officials admitted
that the assessment of the small merchants
| at their full value made It impossible for
the board to make larger increase.
Among the Lancaster county merchants
there is evidence Of some dissatisfaction,
since the belief has been inculcated that
the larger dealers in Douglas county are
grossly under assessed. According to the
statement Of County Assessor Reed before
the board the total value of Omaha mer-
chandise now on the assessment rolls, in
Guiding the increase ordered today is
Sl25O7,3O5 compared with a total valua-
ton of S3,3O2,2 30 in Lancaster county. Reed
attained this result by including the items.
goods In process OF manufacture" amount.
ing to $685. 900, and "all other property"
with total of 1896, 600. He stated that
nearly everything under these two SEIZED
ules might have been classed as merchan-
disc. In making the increase the board
took into consideration the admission of
Reed that small increase might, with
justice, be ordered.
Reviews Land Values.
Today the board reviewed land assess
ments for the last time and after some dis
cussion concluded to leave the tax rolls
with increases in eight counties, six Of
which had already been acted on. In al
cases the realty values have been restored
to the figures of 1904 as equalized by the
state board, and the eight counties are in
+ creased above the assessed valuations OF
last year. The following counties were in
ere ased:
4 Colfax, 2 per cent; Hitchcock, TO- Ian
caster, 8; Richardson, s. Saline 5; Sherman
. | 10; Sheridan, 10.
The board had considered the feasibilit!
: of making an increase of per cent II
Hamilton county to bring it up to the aver
E age in Polk county, but on the showing
made by the officials of that county tn
project was abandoned Today Governo
Mickey suggested a 10 per cent raise o.
Phelps county land but 1t failed TO carry
n Auditor Searle advising against it, and
L. per cent increase in Gosper county faile
r. for the same reason. There was some tail
# of increasing Banner and Box Butte coun
> ties, but nothing was done.
Is State Levy of seven Mills.
U" Today the State Board of Equalizatio
and Assessment practically closed its labor
by fixing the levy for the current year
\ mills. This total includes A mills for tn
general fund, / mill under the Sheldon &C
u for the payment of the floating debt of tn
state, mill for the university, and II mi
for the common school fund. Last yea
the total levy was mills. The increas
is accounted for by the additional mill re
qulred under the Sheldon act. since tn
general fund levy of AZ mills is the sam
>. as that imposed last year.
- With the various increases ordere
throughout the ninety counties the gran
assessment roll of the state, as eqUalize,
;" will reach close to 1904, 10000, as compare
-, with $294,OOO,OOO last year. an increase of $40
100000, a little more than half of which wa
. returned by the assessors. 1t is stated this
- not a county escaped an increase in or
classification or another.
The members OF the board are unanimou
" in their expression of satisfaction with II
In work accomplished. They say that II
ee schedule have undergone a thorough r.
q; vision wherever there was any data to woI
81 with, and 1t is claimed that the result he
70 been to put the new amendment to Il
US revenue law, granting the power of class
l. ication, on a sound basis. Governor Mickt
has taken the lead in the demand for Il
% strict application Of the law this year, b
5S lieving that any laxness now would rend
the statute ineffective in the future
Secretary Bennett of the board, has bee
es instructed to spare no pains to have Il
es certificates ready for issuance to the cou
es ties by August 8, the date. when under Il
statute. they must be completed. Benne
n today expressed some doubt as to h
~ ability to do the work in that time. tt
90 formal minutes have yet TO be approved.
InvOkes civil Rights Act.
90 Game Warden Carter said today that
90 intended to invoke the civil rights a
"a against an Ainsworth liveryman who 7
.O4 fused to hire a rig to Deputy Smith
90 the ground that he intended to use It
~ the pursuit OF hunters who were violati
90 the law. Carter mas requested County A
90 torney Eli of Brown county to proce
~ against the liveryman il sufficient eviden
Nv can be secured. 1t is claimed that Z
/. liveryman stated to a witness that he hi
. the rig. but did not intend to let ward
have it.
, Hunger Has Merry Time,
Deputy Warden Hunger who has be
at work in Madison and Brown count,
brought hack a report of two convictio
at Johnstown, Brown county. He sa
that he played the sleuth TO catch the
tenders holding out his willingness to b