Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-18
THE RAILROADS AND THE PEOPLE


Newman Grove Reporters Gentlemen Of
the Nebraska legislature. we are very much
obliged to YOU. for the good thing YOU have
given us outside OF the regular program
You are doing splendidly; but, Of course
you understand that that does not release
you from a single one OF the pledges that
you made us before election.
Hastings Tribune: The Omaha Bee shows
up the reason why the railroads are fight
ing the proposed terminal taxation law by
publishing the total assessment and amount
Of taxes the railroads now pay in each
county in this state The amount Of taxes
paid by the railroads is very small COM
pared to the valuation of the property.
The railroads must be compelled to pay on
the same basis as other property Is taxed.
Fremont Tribune: Governor Sheldon was
elected on a platform that stands for the
terminal taxation Of railroads He is a
man who stays put. He is not the one to
repudiate a campaign pledge any more
than any other pledge and he is the soul
OF honor Representative Knowles ana Sen
ator Holbrook subscribed to the same plat
form and It Is not probable that they will
repudiate its declaration at the behest OF
the railroad lobbyists who are making
strenuous efforts to defeat the measure.
Sheldon Clipper: The fact that the rail-
roads have been sending agents out over
the state the last week to protest to che
people against the terminal taxation bill
before the legislature, and asking them to
write their representatives at Lincoln to
vote against the measure, ought to be suf-
hcient evidence to the ordinary fellow that
the terminal taxation law Is just what the
people want The railroads are not want
ing laws passed that are favorable to the
people as against the railroads-no, not in
Nebraska
Fremont Herald (dem.): The Herald, like
any other newspaper devoted to the inter-
ests of the taxpayers, would be recreant to
its duty should 1t fail to say a word In
favor Of the terminal taxation bill. Term
inal taxation is right. The railroads should
pay taxes for local purposes on railroad
property in cities and villages just the same
as other property owners in cities and viii
lagos MIR. ClarlSe's terminal taxation bill
Is a bill which would mean many thou
sands OF dollars TO the cities and towns
from the railroads which now escape this
taxation.
Lyons Mirror; When the people rise up
as one giant man and assert their rights
as in the 2-cent victory the railroad man
| ageis see the handwriting on the wall and
recol Their threats of poorer services,
no more excursion rates, etc, is all rot.
This is a game that the people can play
at as well as the railroads. A poorer serv-
ice would mean less patronage and no ex-
cursion rates will mean that lots more
people will travel by team as in case OF
local gatherings such as the old settlers
reunions, etc, Hundreds Of people can lust
as well drive to Tekamah to the old set
tiers reunion, race meeting. etc.. as to
drive to the towns and take the train, Bet.
ter go slow, Mr.. Railroads.
Central City Nonparell: 1t now develops
that the Nebraska railroads have deter
mined upon a campaign OF retaliation to
punish the people for the reform legisla-
ton recently enacted. In connection with
the order putting into effect the 2-cent
fare, all the railroads have annulled all
clergymen's half fare permits and will nc
longer grant reduced rates to disabled sol,
diers and excursion rates to conventions
assemblies etc. The railroads need not
think to frighter the people with tactics
like these. They have been extortioners
and unjust for g long time. They have
evaded their taxes and charged exorbitant
rates and made unfair determinations.
Now that they have been halted in their
wrong-doing they are showing ill-temper
and bad judgment The railroads would
do we'll to seek the favor rather than the
enmity Of the people, for they can no
longer subvert and defeat the popular will.
Fremont Tribune: There is no reason to
believe the roads have ever paid any tax
to speak OF on their terminal property. This
is why they are so stubbornly resisting and
why they are hiring lobbyists TO befudde
members of county boards and Of the leg
islature. They don't even want their term
inal values to be distributed" or taxed in
any way. The Tribune on February Z wrote
to Secretary Bennett of the State Board of
Assessment, requesting him TO give "the
total valuation OF railroad terminals as
taken into account In the assessment OF
their property in this state" To this Mr..
Bennett replied: This has never been sep
arately figured as terminal property, but
taken as a whole with NIL the other ele-
ments" In other words, the board never
had any figures submitted to II. 1t only
in theory is supposed TO have in mind that
the terminals are worth something when
II fixes a valuation on railroad property for
tax purposes, though no member can give
any definite idea OF what he allowed, II
anything, for that Item. The S0O0O,OOO or
100000 OF this kind of property IN Ne
braska now practically escaping all taxa
ton Is saving the roads enough to hire
lobbyists to pull the wool over the eyes OF
those I'm authority.
York Republican: There is no ground in
Justice for the assertion that the people
Of the west are on a crusade against the
railroads They would not see the property
Of the roads injured or conhscated a bit
easier than they would see the property OF
their friends or neighbors injured or con
hscated. They have been wronged by the
railroads. They are charged nearly four
times the amount for the same service that
the people east OF Chicago are charged
Their railroads are capitalized for double
their actual value, and this inflated stock
is at premium. because the people OF the
| ,yast n ave been uuiet and allowed the road