Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-10-18
RAILROAD ASSESSMENT.

RAILROAD ASSESSMENT.
One of the principal arguments be
ing made on the stump by'the Demo
cratic orators in favor of the election
of Democratic candidates is that the
governor as a member of the state
board of equalization, wanted to in
crease the assessment Of railroad by
an additional $500 mile to the sum
finally agreed upon, and that for this
reason the governor is shown to be
the friend of the people and the en-
envy of the wicked corporations such
as the railroads. e. Il
Mo attempt is made in these speech
es on the subject of railroad taxa
tion to show that the figures before
the board justified an additional $500
urged to believe that the men best
entitled to Office Is the man who
stands for the biggest taxation ofscor--
porate property, irrespective of the
justice of the matter. Railroad prop
erty was about the only class of
property that was substantially rails
ed by the last state board of equal
ization. There was no concerted eff
fort to increase other classes of
property, and increases of property,
aside from that of railroads was in
cidental and made for the purpose of
equalizing values and not for the
purpose of raising the sums to be
paid by the classes or property rep
resented. So it is not necessarily an
argument in favor of any member OF
the board that he stood for a greatly
increased assessment of railroads,
The test of the matter is--What was
the fair sum at which to assess rail-
roads as compared with the assess
ment of other classes of property?
And was that the standard of the
members of the board? And were
motions further to increase the val
uation of railroads made with poll
cies in view or because the figures
before the board actually proved
that railroads were not paying on
the same basis as other property?
This matter of railroad assessment
ought not to be political matter at
all, but If the matter of party record
on the question is to be accepted as
conclusive, the following from the
Pembina Pioneer Express is enlight-
ening:
Governor Burke in his public adj
dresses would give out the implica-
ton that because of the Republican
oficlals with whom he has been as
seciated that it has been impossible
for him to carry out his noisely pro-
posed increase in the assessment and
valuation of railroads, as well as en-
forcing the provisions of the prohib-
1tion law. The inference from these
board of equalization was made up
party are against these provisions
and that the Democratic party favors
them OF course this is absurd to
every person who knows anything
about state politics. But some years
ago in 1893 and 1894 we had a full
fIsdged Democratic administration,
governor and all. It was the Cover.
nor Shortridge epoch. Then the state
boadd of equalization was made up
Of the governor, Auditor Porter, At
torney Standish, and six appointees
OF the governor, w. E. belong, os.
nabruck, Thos. Hasketh, Ro1la; A. b.
GuptiI, Fargo: M. T.. Stevens, Wahpe.
ton: William Dwyer, Napoleon; Lew
is Connolly of the Sixth district.
On the question of the assessment
OF the main line Of the N. P.. the Re
publican board of the previous veal
had fixed the amount as $1,000 1
mile but added that while they die
not believe this enough that the press
ing and immediate needs of the state
were SO great that it was better II
compromise with the railway com
pany rather than wait the outcom,
OF probable law suit which wa
threatened II they made it more.
In 1893 in the Democratic board
Attorney Gtandish, moved that th,
valuation be the same, $4,000. Sec
Rotary Porter moved an increase o
$500. The amendment was yotet
down by vote of two to seven ant
the original motion for $1,000 car
ried by a similar vote.
In 1894, with the same board o
equalization, the assessment 81 mai