Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-08-29
ABOUT RAILWAY TAXATION.

Would-Be Governor Burke in a pre-
election speech in Dickinson last fall
stated, among other things, that the
railroads in Montana we're assessed at
$4,000 per mile and those in Minnesota
under the gross EARNINGS law, some
thing like $4,000 while the roads in this
state were only paying on a $4,000 val
uation, and gave as his reasons for this
condition of things that the railroads
W the state administration" and that
if he got to be governor he would see to
it that they would be raised and COM
PEELED to pay their proportion of the
state tax. Governor Burke, as chairman
of the state board of equalization stated
that the railroads were paying their Just
rate of taxation now and that an increase
would work a hardship on them-and
this in the face of the fact that the state
constitution and the state statutes pro-
vide that sail property in the state shall
be assessed at its full money value"
Now, if the governor is the stickler that
he processes to be, for the enforcement
of all the statutes, why did he say that,
though the law required a full value as
sessment, he thought 20 or 80 per cent
about right-a nice example for a reform
executive to set. Again, his talk about
what he is going to do and how he in
tends doing it, with the states attorneys
and sheritfs who fail to make "sleuths''
of themselves is certainly amusing to all
who have taken the trouble to inform
themselves as to the required mode of
procedure in such cases. If, as the wise
ones say, Consistency is a priceless
pearl"-or something like that-our re-
form governor wouldn't bring much in
the public market.-Dickinson Recorder
AS a rule fairness is not a character
istic of either republican politicians or
republican newspapers. For years the
party has been maintained only by fool
ing the people, and the art of deceiving
is part of the business. With reference
to the action of the state board of
equalization which left the railroad as
sessment at about what it was last year
the gang press gleefully points out that
the action of the board twas unanimous
and the gang papers, of which the Dick
enson Recorder is one are reminding
Governor Burke that his attitude as a
member of the board is not in harmony
with his platform speeches made last
fall. The truth of the matter is that the
records of the board show that the az
ton of the board was not Unanimous"
and the attempt to make it appear such
was preventedby Governor Burke. The
governor is chairman of the board. AS
chairman it is his duty to put such
motions as are made. All the members
of the board, except the governor, are
republicans. They fixed the rate of
taxation, made the motions and had
everything their WI way. When an
attempt was made to have the record
show that the action was by ''unanim-
GUS consent the governor protested
because he refused to have his
vote recorded in favor of the proposed
assessment, and the records do not show
that the vote was unanimous, although
all the republican members voted for it.
So far as the republicans are concerned,
however, it was, as the Bismarck CORES
pendent and the republican papers
IldlIlIulu, uldlltllOuS. LII IllS COLI
n%ection it is we'll to remind the voters
now of the campaign last fall. The
democratic party promised the people
reform in the matter of railway taxation
and they were warned that if they de-
sired reform in this particular it would
be necessary not only to elect the COVER
nor but a majority at least of the mem
bers of the state board of equalization,
and the fact was emphasized by every
democratic paper in the state that the
governor would be powerless to do any
thing alone and single handed. In the
matter of railway taxation the expected
has happened. With the machine in
complete control of the board no other
result could be hoped for. Let the
responsibility rest where it belongs.