Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-16
FACTS ABOUT ASSESSMENT
Governor Mickey Calls Attention to Mis-
Statement by anderson.
ATTEMPT TO STEM PUBLIC SENTIMENT
BurIington Representative Himself
Responsible for Apparent High
Valuation of Company's
Line I'm Butler County.
From a stan Correspondent,

From a Stan Correspondent
LINCOLN, Neb., Dec. 15-(Special)-
Governor Mickey said today that General
Solicitor Henderson of the Burlington,
mis-states the facts with reference TO the
assessment Of the Burlington railway in
Butler county. The complaint of Mander-
son is that the Omaha & North Platte
branch of the road is over-assessed in that
county, but the governor points out that
the alleged over assessment is due to the
fact that the state board was forced to
adopt the unit rule and the valuation of
the mileage in Butler county represents
portion OF the distributed value of the
much better track between Ashland and
Omaha. The unit theory. the results of
which are now made the basis of Mander-
sons protest, was adopted by the board at
the Urgent solicitation OF Henderson. who
appeared before that body in 1904. when at
the suggestion of Governor Mickey II was
proposed to value these widely variant
portions Of the same line according to their
true value, The question arose out OF the
controversy over the alleged unfairness in
the distribution of railway valuations to
the various counties.
Trying to Head on Movement.
Governor Mickey belves that the rail-
ways are trying to make test case in
NeDTAHkh lot Nne phTpbSe VI SNoBfihb 'hS
spread of the sentiment for a higher
assessment Of railways to other states. He
believes that Nebraska has set the pace
for other western states and the railways
are anxious to quiet the agitation here,
while blocking the assessment. With the
prevailing temper Of the taxpayers OF the
state the example is likely to be contagious
and II Is supposed that IL is with a view
Of reassuring the people and quieting the
agitation that the railway lawyers have
gone outside of the regular channels Of
litigation to fight their battles with news
paper broadsides. The publication OF news
paper appeals intended to calm the tax
payers is regarded as evidence that the
railway men have at last reached a realiza-
,tion that the agitation is deep-seated and
likely to attain a greater development The
Butler county resolution. followed by the
still more drastic and clear cut demands
OF Richardson county established the fact
but more convincing than anything so far
was the declaration of the county commits
sioners' association calling upon the cor
porations to pay their taxes and condemn
ing them for their effort to evade their fair
share Of the public burdens
Governor Mickey challenges the allega-
ton of Henderson that property, other
than that of the railways. has been under
assessed. He is satisfied that the Land In
Butler county, concerning which complaint
Is made by General Henderson, is assessed
high enough. Taking the state over, the
real estate assessment is on a fair, con-
seryative basis Many owners OF real prop
erty have had their assessments more than
doubled The governor calls attention TO
an instance in his home county. His home
farm near Osceola was assessed at $3s an
acre under the old law. The assessment
under the act of 1908 was SIS and the Board
OF Euualization raised II to 500. Many other
land owners were raised in the same ratio
and they walked up to pay their taxes
without hesitancy. while the railways have
resorted to the most dilatory tactics.
Checked by Actual Sales.
In 1904 the board checked the assessments
by the figures to actual sales values
secured through the agency of former Land
Commissioner Follmer, and those figures in
dictated that farms had been assessed pretty
close to the proper level. Last year the
board did not have the power TO classify
but this year under the amendment adopted
by the recent legislature, It did have that
power and used II. last year twenty-four
counties were raised generally and this
year the board made further increases un-
der the new power to classify. Every effort
erty is assessed at the proper figure.
On the other hand. the governor is con-
WINGED that the Burlington and Union
Pacific have no reason to complain OF their
assessments. The Burlington is not as
sessed higher than some OF the minor roads
which paid their taxes without demurring.
The road has nearly loo miles Of track
which could be classed as main line. II
does an enormously profitable through bust-
ness The Union Pacific, he thinks, got
of with an assessment which was much
lower than il could properly have been
made. The latest report shows net earn
ings of over $500 q mile. which win pay
10 per cent on a valuation of $4,000, the
value adopted by the board as the basis
for the assessment
Roads Had Recourse I'm State Courts.
He believes that the railways which sre
fighting their taxes could have gone before
the county boards OF equalization and com
planned of the Under-sssessmeut of prop
erty. II they had the evidences which they
have constantly claimed as to evasions Of
the law. That was the proper and orderly
course of procedure and a refusal of the
county board to act could have been fol-
lowed by an appeal to the district and
thence TO the supreme court The claim
OF under-assessment is not new and the
railways have attorneys in each county
through whom they could have acted.
Corn Growers at state Fair.
Today the boys aud girls who are attend
ng the corn growing and corn cooking con-