Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-08
WORK FOR THE MODEL CITY
Aim Of the Real Estate Exchange in Its
Modern Activity.
PROBLEMS THAT ARE TO Be SOLVED
r. u. wead Tells OF what L. 20
BE Done by the Body
and How IL May he
Accomplished.

The problems before the Real Estate
exchange are numerous and considerably
different than they were when the exchange
was first organized" said F. ID. wead ore
OF omaha's leading real estate men. For
instance, clause in the constitution Of
the exchange says to restore business
confidence This is no longer needed. for
the confidence in Omaha Is here and here
to stay. The problems before the exchange
at present are, first Of all. the general vel
fare Of the community, and, second, the
real estate interests, which are in reality
linked with the general welfare.
THE Real Estate exchange was organised
for the purpose OF promoting the particular
interests Of the real estate owners and the
general welfare Of the city Of Omaha. That
It has done effective work along these lines
lie well known, for It has acquired a reputa-
| ton for doing good work. and It Yields
such an influence in this community that
at this period Of business awakenink ia
Omaha It is wise to anticipate and con-
slider what problems may come before the
exchange for solution. With the growth
Of the city will naturally come a growth
in the membership, which is hoped will not
be so rapid as to change the present har-
mony and conservative policy which charRc-
terizes the exchange today. For the good
OF the real estate business everything
which tends toward a boom should be dis
couraged. Values Of property generally
should be based upon the earning capacity,
rather than on futures. Permanent invest
ments In real estate should be encouraged
by reducing the carrying charges, thereby
increasing the net earnings or permitting
lower rates of rent. Many things may be
accomplished by a concerted effort on the
part of the members Of the exchange
which cannot be done by individual effort
General Welfare Problems.
Under the head of general welfare, we
should study to see how we can obtain
better class Of citizens in the great
growth which we are anticipating, for
| the best attracts the best, and when the
report goes abroad that this is a good
| community to live in the better class from
the outside will be attracted
Not that we should shirk our RESPONSE
bility for caring for our share of the
unfortunate, for we must do that from a
moral standpoint, but from the city's
standpoint we should have good govern
ment, for that is what people first inquire
! concerning. We should have clean
streets and streets that are not filed
with holes, for the first impression is often
! lasting and newcomer to the city should
see the streets cleaned and we'll paved.
We should encourage the Park board in
identifying the parks and should have
good laws and see that they are enforced.
Conserving Real Estate Interest.
'The real estate interests may be best
subserved by making real estate invest
ments attractive and seeing that property
is in condition to bring fair rates of income
on the investment. Prices should be stable
| instead of huctuating. People holding
leases on property should be more careful
in the care Of the property under their
charge, and the real estate men should
do all possible to make property more at
tractive.
1.-THE railroads should be made to pay
their share of taxation and this matter
should be the especial work of the ex.
change The railroads only pay about
5000 for taxes at present for all the val
liable property they own and use in this
city. Things are in such a state thai
when a railroad buys a piece Of propert,
for $4,000, on which the owner has beer
paying a just tax, that much taxabl,
property is Immediately taken away from
the city and the treasurer might as wei
draw red ink through 1t.
Limit to Bonded Indebtedness.
"A stop should be put to the practice o
perpetually bonding the city to the limit
The argument that It is a bill which futur
generations will have to pay when the cit!
is larger and can better afford TO pa!
does not hold. When eastern capital 4
looking for an investment It does not seel
! city which is bonded to the limit. It 1
. Just like man moving TO town and wish
ing to join a church. He will not seek tn
Church that is head over heels in debt, blu
seeks the prosperous church with no deb
to carry.
THE exchange should discourage tn
erection Of cheap tenements, for these d
/ not give the proper facilities for leading
! good lives and has tendency to bring
, lower class Of people to the city Tn
exchange should encourage good men {
) stand for the Offices Of the city. The repu
= tation of the city should always be horn
: in mind and all these things help to Civ
} the investor a good impression of a plac
where he wishes TO place his money.
1.-THE problem OF cheap power and chea