The Yale expositor., 1906-02-16
MICHIGAN
HAPPENINGS
THE GOVERNOR TALKS TO
TAX COMMISSION
PLAINLY.
HE CHAMPIONS THE PEOPLES
CAUSE IN DIRECT ADVICE
ON RAILROAD TAXES.
INSISTS THAT RAILROADS BE
MADE TO PAY THEIR JUST
SHARE OF THE LEVY.
The Governors Advice.

The railroad tax battle is on before
the state board of assessors. Gov.
Warner, Attorney-General Bird and
their expert witnesses appeared for
the people. The railroads were repre-
sented by their attorneys and commits
sioners. The storm center is the as
sessed valuation of railroads for 1905,
which has been fixed at 100000, 900.
In opening the fight Gov. Warner
said:
"On the 18th day of this month the
tax commissioners must finally de-
termine: First, the value of that class
of corporate property which is direct
ly assessed by said commissioners;
second. the rate at which the tax levy
on such property shall be made.
Regardless of the constitutionality
or unconstitutionality of laws, the
practical question before us here today
is: What proportion of the total tax
levies of the state ought the railroads
and other corporations assessed by
this commission TO pay?
The act creating the tax commits.
sion and state board of assessors pre-
scTibes that after the making public
of the first figures arrived at by said
commissioners, period of 30 days
shall be given to the hearing of argu-
ments as to the correctness of such
figures. This feature of the law direct
ly recognizes the plain fact that full
and complete information cannot De
secured by the commissioners in the
limited time given them to complete
their work to the point of announcing
their first public figures. This is especi-
ally true this year with practically ID
new board.
Il desire to again state plainly, as
have publicly stated several times be-
fore since Jan. 10, the date the first
figures of the commissioners were
given out, that | am firmly of the be-
lief that under the figures given out
January 10 the railroad property
of this state would pay less than its
just proportion of taxes.
1T was because Of this belief that
officially asked the tax commissioners,
under date of Jan. 10, to arrange for
this public hearing. In furtherance of
this plan under date of Jan. 20, | re-
quested Professors Adams and Cooley
10 render all the assistance in their
power toward supplying the tax com
missioners with additional facts and
information with reference to that
class of property to be assessed by
them. From that time until the pres
ent, under the leadership of Attorney
General Bird, every step possible has
been taken toward the preparation of
true schedules of values to be present
ed as evidence IL the commissioners
sitting as board of review at this
time.
Gentlemen of the tax commission,
the only thing 1 ask of you is that in
the final determination of your fig-
ures, the same principle shall be ap-
piled in your valuation of railroad
property that is applied to the valua-
tion of the other property of the state.
If this is done the ratio between the
two will be just ratio, the rate of
taxation as determined by you will be
above criticism, and the railroads and
other corporation property assessed by
you will pay their just and proper pro-
portion towards the support of our in
situtions, and not one dollar more.
AS governor of this state | believe
1t to be not only my legal right and
my legal duty, but my moral right and
my moral duty as well, to insist upon
the complete recognition of this prin-
ciple in the making of your final de-
termination"