Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-27
No Comment on Decision.

We have taken steps to speedily obtain the
fun text OF the decision.
No Comment on Decision.
Il do not care at this time to make any
comment concerning the decision. 1 have
been taught 10 believe that when the SUI
preme court of the United States made q
decision a lawyer was bound to believe
that It was a correct conclusion as to the
law. and while 30 feeling and sustaining
from adverse comment, cannot resist the
temptation to say that IL other property.
real and personal, in the state of Ne
braska was held TO the same ratio of
valuation is placed upon railroad prop
erty, the rate Of taxation In this state
could be greatly reduced. do not mean
by that to say that the one-fifth valuation.
which is the ratio recognized by the Law.
obt@ins as 20 other property and does not
obtain as TO railroad property, but / dn
mean TO say that in forming the basis of
the conclusion railroad property is taken
at its full valuation per mile, and some
times far more than at its full valuation
per mile. and one-fifth of that fun. or
generalization, forms the basis OF the as
sessment. but It is notorious that as to
real estate. merchandise, stocks in trade,
live stock and personal property of what
soeYer description owned by private indi-
NlOudls NDo NdIOeS uNeO are frequently Nd
surd and sometimes but a small fraction
of the actual value. and one-fifth of that
absurd low valuation is taken as the as
sessment.
Says Railroads Pay Excess.
TN other words. the railroads OF
this date being unable, or unwilling. as
you please. to hide away their property
ownership as private individuals do. pay.
and hon .Ir far thnsr
fair proportion OF the taxation OF this
state. II to citizens generally the same rule
OF valuation could obtain as obtains TO
railroad companies the tax rxed would be
; on a very different basis both as to cor
I poratons and individuals. In other words
We can hide nothing and can conceal moth
I ing and that what we have is open and ex-
hibited 90 the world, the reports required
! to be made by us under the federal and
state law making full showing of prop
erty ownership.
! 'If this rule OF fun and honest showing
could be applied 20 private corporations
| and individuals the tax assessment OF this
state would be enormously increased and
the burden of government support would
not fall. as does now, upon those who
I are so unfortunate as to own railroad
stock
Honest Purpose OF suits.
Notwithstanding the clamor OF the
press these suits were instituted TO en-
I deavor to obtain fair adjustment and
consideration OF the tax assessment in the
I state Of Nebraska, and the effort to bring
about such fair assessment and honest re-
Turns will be continued. No one connected
with this railroad corporation. from its
president down TO its least official. has any
desire 20 evade or avoid the payment OF
| taxes honestly due. but we feel that these
corporations that have been and are con-
stantly doing 50 much 10 advance the ma
I terisl interests of this state should not he
bounded AT every turn and held 10 a rule
that does not obtain as to other taxpayers
Our Information is that the. decision in
this case is not that of unanimous court
/ but that Justices MeKenna and Peckham
dissented. I win await with very great
interest the fun text Of the decision and tc
see the ground upon which the majority
: OF the court determines the controversy
and the reasons assigned by the dissenting
justices for their difference IN opinion WITH
the majority of the court Frequently wis
dom is found with minority and the his
tory OF the past has shown that when
truth Is evidenced by the minority that fire.
Quently the majority comes 70 recognizs
the sact."