Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-10-19

Tie present administration more CudN Sl.oV
in general taxes In Iowa
Cummins VS.. Porter.
A 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 SIS, O32. The taxable value,
which under the law Is one-fourth the &C
tual value, was SAT ,071.25S. 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, 3S7 1879. During my admin
istrations, therefore, the actual value Of
the railway property has been increased
SCI, oG3. 764. and the taxable value $l5,26j,yil.
This means that the various taxing dis
tricts Of the state are now levying their
taxes on S15.265.941 more than they were
in 1901. and as the average rate of taxa
ton is substantially 4 per cent it further
means that the railway comp les 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,S24 with a taxable value of
s2.OT,956. We therefore have Increased
the taxable value of the mileage as 1t
existed in 1901, sl3,1S,9S5. 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 If 1t is to be fouted
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.
l take the liberty of asking him ques-
ton. Do you think. Mr.. Porter, that the
railway property Of this state is worth
more than s249,34s796, and If more, how
much more? I must PROFOUND one fur
Their query. The average actual value OF
the farms in the state for the purposes of
taxation Is S4O.E 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 $35.SS per
acre. That value Is now $4O.47 per acre
an increase Of 1913 per cent The increase
In the assessment Of railway property has
been S2.4 per cent
This generous rival, who finds nothing
whatsoever to commend in anything l
ever did or said, suggests that my zeal
for an increase In the assessment Of rail-
way property began only when ] became
q candidate for another nomination. 70
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
l became member resulted in taxable
value Of $5l .307 90-an Increase Of more
than $4,00O,OO0 above the assessment Of the
previous year. The assessment Of the
second year Of my administration was
$56.54l 513. an Increase Of more than $5.0UU.-
900 over the preceding year. The assess
ment Of my third year In office was $751;
535. 160, an increase of 100000 over the
preceding year. The assessment OF the
fourth year was s5s.l9o.1S9. an increase Of
more than half milNon over the pre-
ceding year. The assessment OF my fifth
year was ST., 337. 199, an Increase of more
than 100000 over the preceding year.
submit this record for the calm con-
sideration OF the people fthe state to
show that progress began early and has
continued with fair persistency and ef-
ficiency.
l hope 1 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 s4S,S3S.7Sl.
In 1905 the taxable value as fixed by the
executive council was $65910.S25-an In
crease Of $17.072,04I