The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1906-10-18

With this issue we print the cuts
and names Of the candidates who, if
elected, will compose the next state
board Of equalization. It is the duty
Of this board to equalize the taxes on
all taxable property in the state. The
| necessity, therefore, of securing an
equitable body Of men to fill these
places is apparent.
The second plank in the democratic
platform reads as follows:
1--WE demand that all property, both
individual and corporate, be taxed on
an equal basis. 1t is no injustice to
require that corporate property be-
longing to railway, telegraph, tele-
phone, express and sleeping car COM
!! panies shall pay the same proportion
Of taxes that the farmer, merchant
and labOrer pay; and we arraign the
republican party of this state for it's
discrimination in favor OF tese3e COR
porations."
A comparison Of the taxation of the
property belonging to private indi-
viduals with the taxation of railroad
property will show how these COR
porations have been favored by the
present administration.
We take five of the important
classes of property as equalized by the
state board of equalization for 1906
in Nelson, Grand Forks and Walsh
counties, or in fact almost any county
you care to mention. In any given
county the result will not vary ma
| terially from the figures which follow:
Real estate, without improvements,
assessed IS per cent.
City lots and improvements, as
| sessed IS per cent.
Structures on land, improvements,
| assessed Is per cent.
Merchandise, assessed 35 per cent.
| Bank stock, assessed IS per cent.
The total of five classes is 165 per
cent. The average is 33 per cent.
Let us now compare the Great
Northern assessment. The stock of
that road, in normal condition, is
quoted as follows: Minimum quota
ton, $335. The quotation is what the
stock will sell for in cash. We place
the cost of construction per mile at
$17,5O0. which includes the right Of
way, grade, ties. rails, rolling stock,
with its pro rata of the terminals,
complete. We take no account of it's
| bonded Indebtedness. We will let
| that go free of taxation. while the pri-
| vate citizen has to pay full taxes on
his property whether encountered or
| not
Cost of the Great Northern railroad
| s17,5O0 per mile.
Stock increased per market quota
| TONS $685., $5S;625 per mile.
Should be assessed as other prop
erty at $19,350 per mile.
Is assessed, average main line. and
branches, $7.75O per mile.
Assessed at 13A per cent
In corroboration with the above we
take the net earnings per mile of the
Great Northern system. from the
Manual of Statistics Of the Stock Ex-
| change hand book 1905. The value
| per mile on an per cent dividend
| basis. gives it's assessed valuation in
this state at less than 10 per cent.
Then we have the private citizen:
Assessed at 33 per cent.
The Great Northern railroad at 10 "a
per cent.
| Voters! is that equal taxation. or a
square deal for all? Can officers who
permit such Determinations as that,
| be considered true servants of the
people? The Great Northern pays
13A per cent, while the banks pay 33
per cent. You have been lead around
complacently by the corporations and
bosses. All this has been done in the
name or under the guise of party
affiliation.