Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-10-18

the present administration more than $3.50
in general taxes in Iowa
Cummins VS.. Porter.
further discussion of this matter OF
railway assessment and the corresponding
one of farm valuations was made by
Governor Cummins as follows:
when I became governor, the actual
value of all the railways in the state, as
fixed by the executive council in the year
1901, was s1SS,2S5,OS The taxable value,
which under the law is one-fourth the ac-
tual value, was $47, on, 25S. At the present
time the actual value of all the railways
in the state, as fixed by the executive
council in 1906 is s249, 34S, 796. and the taxa
BILE value $62. 1877 1893. During my admin
istrations, therefore, the actual value of
the railway property has been increased
SCI, 063, 764, and the taxable value $15,265, 94l.
This means that the various taxing dis
tricts of the state are now levying their
taxes on SIS, ,9H more than they were
in 1901, and as the average rate of taxa
ton is substantially per cent, 1t further
means that the railway comp lies are
paying substantially 100000 more in taxes
than they would have paid had the val
uation remained as 1t was In 1901. 1t will
be interesting, / am sure, to note the in
crease upon the railways as they existed
in 1901, for there has been some mileage
added to the railway property of the state
in these years.
1.-The new mileage since 1901 Is of the
actual value, according to the assessment
of $S,311, 1924 with taxable value of
$2,0 1856 We therefore have increased
the taxable value of the mileage as 1t
existed in 1901, $13,1S7,sS5 1t will be re-
membered that the power Of the execu-
tive council is exhausted when the value
of the railway property has been fixed.
1t has nothing whatsoever to do with
the levying of taxes upon the valuation.
1t is obvious, therefore, that If the coun-
Gil has performed its duty with respect
to the valuation, even II 1t is to be fiouted
and sneered at it at least deserves the
truth, and wonder why Mr.. Porter. with
the records open before him, did not avail
himself of the information.
! take the liberty of asking him a ques-
ton. Do you think, Mr.. Porter, that the
railway property of this state Is worth
more than SPAS, 34S, 796, and II more how
much more? / must PROFOUND one fur
Their query. The average actual value Of
the farms in the state for the purposes of
taxation is $40.47 per acre. Do you think
they are worth more, and If so, how
much more?
When / became governor the average
actual value of farms in this state for
the purposes of taxation was s35.8S per
acre. That value is now $40E per acre
an increase of 1928 per cent. The increase
| in the assessment of railway property has
been 32.4 per cent.
This generous rival, who finds nothing
whatsoever to commend in anything /
ever did or said, suggests that my zeal
for an Increase in the assessment of rail-
way property began only when / became
a candidate for another nomination. To
ascertain the truth you have but to again
consult the records of your state.
The first assessment OF railway prop
erty made by the executive council after
became a member resulted in a taxable
value of $5l,307, 950-an increase of more
than 4,0OO.0O0 above the assessment of the
previous year. The assessment of the
second year of my administration was
,513, an increase of more than $780,
600 over the preceding year. The assess
ment Of my third year In office was ST.
5S5,160, an increase of 100000 over the
preceding year. The assessment of the
fourth year was SIS, 100 1S9, an increase of
more than half million over the pre-
ceding year. The assessment Of my fifth
year was $685., 1879. an increase of more
than s4,000,0OO over the preceding year.
I submit this record for the calm con-
sideration of the people O fthe state to
show that progress began early and has
continued with fair persistency and eff
fciency.
I hope l may be permitted, without the
charge of egotism to call attention to
one further fact. In 1901 the taxable value
of all the public properties given to the
executive council to assess was s48, S3S, ISL
In 1906 the taxable value as fixed by the
executive council was s65, go S25-an In
crease of SIT O72044