, 1907-08-14
AS TO TAXATION.

The representatives of the railroads
who appeared before the state board
Of equalization threw a genuine bomb
into the camp of those who are con.
stantly contending that the railroads
do not pay anywhere lear their share
OF the taxes, Some figures were pre-.
sented that were Of the most startling
nature. and some statements were
made that ought to be refuted, II 1t is
possible to do S {. II refutation is
found to be impossible. then the peo-
pie of Wyoming should acknowledge
the corr and remove the beam from
their own eyes. According to the Trib-
une report the railroad representatives
made the following charges:
The legislative committee did not
know what 1t was talking about.
only half Of the land in the state.
which should be taxed, Is or the as.
SCISSORS books.
Laramie county lands and improve,
ments are assessed at not over % per.
cent OF their actual value.
"An kinds Of livestock in enormous
numbers escape taxation every year
in Wyoming.
There is no attempt to tax money
or credits.
The state knows every mile OF rail-
road and the number Of cars, build
ings and other property the railroad
owns in the state 30 that 1t cannot
evade listing its property"
In addition to the foregoing sum
mary of charges made, on the day
previous one railroad agent said he
had made investigation n found that
Mr.. Winkleman, one Of the legislative
committee who made the report advis-
ing an increase in railroad assess
ments, paid nothing but a poll tax, and
that Senator Crumrine was the big
gest tax dodger in Laramie. The Re.
publican does not know to just what
extent our senator lodges the assessor,
nor whether Mr.. Winkleman is shik,
ing his duty 20 the state. If they are
not complying with the law, their
action is reprehensible, but not an ex.
cuse for the railroads to evade their
responsibilities.
The figures presented and the
charges made warrant the closest
scrutiny on the part Of our tax ofic,
ials. If it is true. as stated by rail
road men. that fifty per cent of our
realty is permitted to go %untaxed,
then there is a condition prevailing
that should be remedied without de-
lay. This is what one railroad agent
said:
The government reports show that
there are 1851, 249 acres in private or
corporation ownership in the state,
yet oAIy . little over seven million
acres are found by the county asses
sors."
The Republican cannot believe, with
cut the most positive evidence, that
such a condition exists. In Albany
county. for illustration, the county
has a complete list of all lands patent
ed by the United States. This list has
been compiled in book form and Is
checked up from year to year by the
United States land office for this dis.
trict- 1t Is safe to say that practical,
ly all Of 1t Is assessed to the rightful
owners and taxed. Laramie county
also secures such a list from year to
year and nothing but the grossest kind
of negligence on the part Of the as
essors' ONCE and the board OF equal
ization could permit Of so per cent of
1t going unta1ed. There must be some
great mistake in the figures secured
by the railroad men. 1t is true that
lands In Wyoming are taxed very un-
equally. Agricultural lands vary from
&2-50 to SIS, Big Horn county making
the highest general return. The high
est price placed upon farm lands In
Laramie county In 1906 was IS Per