Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-15
OF MANDFOR EQUAL TAXATION
Resolutions Adopted by Commissioners Be-
curing Railroads.&c. Pay Up.
SECRETARY BEACH MAKES THE MOTION
Convention Goes on Record ns EN-
phsticaIIy DEMANDING that Rig
Eert Property Owners Come
to Time with Taxes.

The county commissioners ana supervis-
ors of Nebraska, in annual convention at
the Willard hotel. went on record Just be-
fore adjournment Thursday. with a strong
resolution demanding that the railroads OF
Nebraska be compelled to pay their Just
share Of taxes. r. u. Beach, commissioner
and secretary OF the association from Fill
more county. initiated this action by max
ing a motion at the session Thursday
morning that a committee OF three be APP
pointed 70 draw up a resolution of this
character. That motion met prompt acc
ion and Beach. Tom Arthur of Buffalo
county and former Commissioner Dick
O'Keeffe OF Douglas county were named as
The committee. This committee. during
The noon recess. drew up the following
resolutions, which were endorsed at the
afternoon session with great enthusiasm
md. on motion Of former President Gal
lagher Of Grand Island. made part Of
the minutes of the meeting:
Whereas. The refusal OF the Burlington
and Union Pacific to pay their taxes i'm
posed upon them under the assessment
made by the State Board of Equalization
has caused serious embarrassment and in
some instances great hardships to the peo-
ple of the various counties of the state.
Whereas, Their attempt to coerce the
various counties into accepting % per cent
hem would be subversive of the funda-
mental principles of equity and Justice
enunciated In our CONSTITUTION that az lax AK
proportion of the burdens of government
and,
Whereas. The people of Nebraska have
for many years submitted to the under
valuation of railroad property and pay
more than their Just proportion Of state
md county taxes; therefore be 1t
Resolved That we remonstrate against
he policy pursued by the above named
he he people demand that they desist from
he further obstruction OF the collection or
9xes and demand a .vithdrawaI or tne IN m
cral court to restrain the collection or
taxes that have been levied upon these
Resolved Further That we declare it to
he the sense OF this convention that no
compromise should be made and no pro,
posal of compromise should be entertained
Ivy the county commissioners or other
county officers charged under the law with
tho collection of taxes.
Convention n strong One.
The convention was well attended from
Hrst to last and from the outset the COM
nissioners showed an earnestness and zeal
in their deliberations which really was
unusual in similar conventions. The SEN
timent for an equal distribution of the
burden OF taxation was intelligently ex-
dressed. but with great determination.
showing these brawny men of the wealth
producing districts OF Nebraska meant
what they said when they declared that
the farmers and small taxpayers in the
towns must cease bearing the onerous load
Of taxation which rightly falls upon the
powerful railroads, richest property own
vrs OF the state.
At the morning session the convention
went on record as opposed to junket trips
until after all business had been transacted
This came about over the proposed triI
% South Omaha. which had been set fol
10 o'clock. When the delegates assembled
Secretary Beach and ex-President Gala
CHER proposed that the program be car
ried out first and then the pleasure trips
lie taken. At this time few delegates were
in the room, wfich caused President Ken
nedy to get off this bit of witticsm: "Sev
eral members are present who are no
here. ! will appoint Henry Schmidt o.
Fillmore county and Jack Gallagher o.
Hall county to bring them in" The twt
lid so and soon a full convention had as
sembled.
Question of Deputy Assessor.
The remainder of the morning was spen
in a discussion OF subjects on the program
though most Of the time was given owe
to the subject. "Is 1t necessary to have
deputy assessor to each county precinc
and is It advisable that a deputy assesso
a resident Of a precinct which he as
assesses"
There were as many opinions expresse,
there were men present almost 70
nearly all OF them talked on this subject
II seemed that a majority, however, be
lieved that each precinct should be as
sessed by a resident Of the precinct. Pres