Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-23
Executive Council Has Set the
Date For Hearing on the
Annual Assessment
FARMERS ARE INTERESTED
Increased Earnings of tho Roads May
Be Made tho Basis for an Increase
in the
Speech Pleased the Danes of Audu-
bon County.
Special to Times Republican.

Des Moines, June 23.-1ndications
| farmers and prominent citizens of the
state al the hearing of the executive
council to fix railroad assessments
which will be opened July at 10 o.
clock and continue for three days.
Since the present members of the eX-
ecutve council have beer in office
and since the close of the last term
OF Shaw, during whose administration
it was customary to so To some room
road assessments. 1t has been the Gus
tom to hold open hearings in the office
of the governor before all the members
of the executive council. Railroad at
torneys and tax agents were there al
lowed TO say what they had to say
openly and citizens of the state We're
allowed the same privilege. Last year
was the first year in which citizens
availed themselves of the opportunity
In very great numbers. Secretary
Ryan of the Corn Belt Meat Producers
Association was there and a number OF
prominent farmers over the state.
There are Indications that there will
be a much greater representation of
farmers at the hearings this year and
indications that there will be other
prominent citizens of the state who
will address the council.
The very fattering reports that the
railroads have made in the matter of
earnings for the year 1905 and facts
that have been disclosed during the
past campaign lead to the assumption
that the public may expect some in
crease in the assessment this year. The
executive council has been adding to
the assessment each year for the past
five years. The agitation that the sub
ject of railroad assessments has had
during the campaign now drawing to a
close has at times attracted great at
tention to the subject of railroad as
sessments. Those who in years past
have argued that the railroad assess
ments We're being put too high have
been arguing that in reality there has
been no real increase because of the
increase in the farm assessments.
This subject will be gone into
very thoroughly by the executive
council this year, tho 1t is known that
the assessment OF the railroads has
been raised a greater per cent than farm
assessments. 1t has been recognized in
past years when the assessments have
been fixed that they We're not high
enough. Under Shaw there was de-
crease In the assessment of most of the
roads till the last year when Martin
and Gilbertson forced 1t up, but were
able to get only $1.00O,O00 added to the
total. Since then IT has been increased
each year with the exception of getting
it up to where 1t belongs, but it was
recognized that not all the addition
could well be made in one year. The
substantial showing of the railroads in
their reports of millions of increase in
the net earnings will be the
greatest argument for the increase.
At the hearing last year Secretary
Ryan of the Corn Belt Meat Producers
Association and other farmers showed
that the profit to be made in farming
had been decreasing of late years
largely because American cattle and
other farm products We're being shut
out of the European marke. and these
same men expect to be able to show
this year that while the profit from
farming has been decreasing the profit
to the railroads shows an increase
and expect to make their argument
more forcible than last year.
Recently Governor Cummins was
fnl e
Audubon county at a picnic or other
gathering held in that county George
D. Perkins went there the other day in
the interests of his candidacy and
spent the entire time in attacks on
Cummins. The results in the county
only partly tell the story. The inter-
esting part is in the difference in the
two speeches. Governor Cummins' we'll
versed in historical matters, gave the
Danes an address calculated to stir the
blood of any Dane. He gave them |
facts on Danish history and Danish
heroes that We're new to many of the
pest posted Danes themselves. He told |
hem of the part the Danes had play
I'd in the worlds history and in the
great struggles for liberty of speech |
and of person and said not one word
about politics. But the address touch
I'd the warm spot in the heart of the
Audubon county Danes Danish cit
zens are not of the class easily stirred.
they have the credit of being level
headed people who do not go wide
EASILY and are not easily led astray.
The address by Governor Cummins
showed them the depth and broad
minded spirit of the man and they We're
pleased and we'll taken with
he address.
The other day George D. Perkins
If Sioux City went to the county just
before the primaries to make an adj
lress in his interests as a candidate
or governor and he spent the entire
ime in making his characteristic at
ack on the governor, the same address
hat he has made everywhere in the
tate Audubon Danes say that the
address, of Perkins following the dig
lified address of the governor did more
o put Audubon county in the Cummins
column than anything else during the
ntire campaign.
Ben Salinger Of Carroll and Scott
ounties declared that the caucuses in
,arroll were being conducted absolute
Y fair and that the central commit
ee had no motive but to be absolutely
air to all parties in the county. He
made this statement to State Phar-
macy Commissioner B. f. Keltz. Then
ell me the day and hour when the