The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-10-29
GEN. JAMISON'S
SENSIBLE TALK
(conunued from page -

possibly ten, twenty OF more, anu ii
the meantime you must bear the bur
dens inflicted ly &C.
IL the corporate influences pre-
dominate in the convention. will they
correct. or undertake to correct any
OF the wrongs now in existence? You
know they viii not let me cite an
instance right at your own doors. The
railroads charge from any point in
Oklahoma to Galveston 2S cents per
100 podnds ON wheat while the same
roads charge ON wheat from Kansas
city 10 Galveston. 400 miles farther
only eleven and half cents WIN
they correct that wrong?
Il want. before / close. to call your
attention fer a moment to the assess
ed valuation put upon the railroads tn
Oklahoma for taxation purposes BY
the territorial board of equalization,
and ask any one credulous OF the fig.
nres here given not to take my word
for It. but to 60 to the auditors Of
anime the records for the trlth of
what / here charge The official
record shows that railroad properties
have been invariably assessed at less
than ten per cent OF THEN actual
values The assessed valuation here
given are taken from the records of
the territorial auditor the figures as
TO capitalization and earnings are
taken from Poors Manual Of Rail
roads, and are authentic The Santa
Fe system is assessed for taxation ip
Oklahoma at $500 to $4,000 per mile
for main line: branch lines from
$1,000 to $4,000, the average assess-
ment for all property in the territory
being approximately $4,000 per mile.
II rays interest and dividends upon q
capitalization, from actual figures, OF
S59,676.91 per mile. It's average gross
traffic receipts in 1901 were $S,33i31
per mile. or more than double its as
sessed valuation. It's net traffic earn
ings. during the same year, after pay
ment of all operating expenses We're
$3,17243 for each mile Of road in
operation In other words, its net
earnings We're nearly eighty per cent
Of It's assessed valuation The Rock
Island is capitalized at $39,545.3l per
mile; its traffic receipts in 1904 aver
aged $G24l.31 per mile; assessment
figures are, $5.4OO Per mile for main
line. and t2,5OO to $500 per mile for
branches, the average assessment for
tracks, rolling stock. buildings and
all other property in the territory be
ing about $4,000 per mile. The
Frisco system is capitalized at So.
25675 per mile; its gross traffic re-
ceipts in 1905 were $6.S2AO0 per mile,
and the Republican board of railroad
assessors yahHS it's property for tax
alton at from $2SOO to 5000 per mile,
the average being less than $3,500,
The NJ. X & T. with capitalization
OF S59.G30 peg mile, and gross traffic
receipts If s6.5S797 per mile. was let
on with an ca y assessment Of less
than $4,000 per mile
DO You believe. fellow citizens.
that any uan connected with the rail
roads or In anyway lnder their iu-
nuence. will take away from them the
power now enjoyed by them IN rob
bling you by their eNorbitant and uu-
fair freight rates. or tor than 10 pay
different and just taxation upon
their property FOR the privileges they
enjoy ] do not want them taxed un-
Justly. bat DO want them 20 pay
what Is just and equitable In an the
surrounding states these same rail-
roads are as essed for taxation pgr-
poses double and in some instances
more than three times Of what tneS
are assessed in Oklahoma. For I'M
stance. in Arkansas they are sessed
on their main lines $4,000 Ter mile
Missouri. $4,000; Kansas, more than
$4,000, and in Texas where the tax
rate is less than any state in the
Union $4,000.
Let me tep you one other thing, my
friends. the railroads are not the only
lax dodger we have 10 deal with
The express ccrpanies in this terri
tory are practically immune iron
bearing any Of the burdens Of taxation
and so are ether franchises such al
telegraph companies, telephones, etc
AN these should by law be compene,
10 give in their property tairly TO th'
as SCISSORS and be made 10 bear thei
jist proportion OF taxation. and wher'
this is done y0ur taxes and my taxel
viii noi be such a grieyqus burden
upon as ICON the subject of pro
hibition disposal OF our school lands
separate chool for the races militia
tive ana referendum and the othe