Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-01
TERMINAL TAX COMES NEXT
Board in Doubt Just When it Will
Take the Question Up.
PRESENT A DIFFICULT PROBLEM
state Railway Commission VIII Now
Commence sitting of Evidence
on Rates Preparatory TO
Making Decision.
CFrom a staff Correspondent)


LINCOLN. May a.-(Special)-The fact
that the State Board of Assessment finished
the valuation of railroad property, except
under the provisions of the terminal tax
law last week was rather a surprise not
only to the representatives Of the railroads
but to others who were watching the pro-
ceedings. The board has learned that the
longer the end is put off, the harder It is
to reach o decision. This year the railroads
had very little to say, and their repre-
sentatives were given only a few shots
at the board and the work was hustled to
completion.
The board has not decided whether to
at once proceed with the assessment of
property under the terminal tax law or
delay this work until some time later. The
most difficult feature of this work VIII
be the separation Of the franchise value
from the total value of the road, so the
same can be apportioned to the various
towns and cities The local assessor, un-
der the terminal tax law. places a value
only on the physical property and the
board must apportion the franchise and the
value Of the rolling stock according to
mileage.
sitting Evidence on Rates.
The state Railway commission will now
in its possession relating to freight rates
in Nebraska, with a view to promulgating
a new schedule of rates. The commission
was impressed with the hard luck stories
of the railroad employees, but 1t has found
no good explanation why the operating ex-
penses OF the roads should have been so
materially increased during the last year
when so many employees were let out.
The strong point made by the Railway
Employees Protestive association represen-
tatives was that even II little reduction
should be ordered on certain commodities
the saving to the people generally would be
small, while they firmly believed the re-
duction in freight rates caused their num-
bers to be reduced. The employees also
placed great stress on the profits made by
the middeman, showing that in many
cases the freight rates had little to do with
the enormous charges made by the local
dealers for such things as stoves, shoes and
clothing.
on the other hand. the commission can
see no reason why Nebraska people should
pay higher freight rates than the people
of Iowa. or other adjoining states, which
| the evidence shows to be fact.
Anti-Saloon League Meeting.
The Nebraska Anti-Saloon league has
called meeting for June and at Hast
ings. to discuss the temperance situation
| In Nebraska. and plans to offset the work
being done by the saloon men of the state.
/ In letter sent out by Rev. Samuel q.
Batten. II is set out that the liquor men
| have organized to offset the work of the
! temperance organizations, and therefore II
| is necessary for all who are interested in
| the cause of temperance to be represented
| at the Hastings meetings. He asks that
each club whose object is opposition to the
! liquor traffic. send three representatives to
/ that meeting
Supreme Court Tuesday.
The supreme court will meet Tuesday in
/ the first regular session for June. Among
the cases still in the hands of the court
of considerable interest to Omaha, is that
of Howell, convicted in the Coal trust"
cases. on appeal.
"FilipinO Bill" AmerIcanIsed.
"Fiipino Bill" has become thoroughly
Americanized. The finishing touches were
put upon him yesterday when he was
dressed in the uniform OF an American
soldier and placed in the parade to the
cemetery. The Filipino came to Lincoln as
the mascot of the First Nebraska from
Manila and he has been rapidly assimilatlng
the ways OF his white brothers since that
time having gone one round in police court
taken unto himself a sweetheart, stopped
the smoking of cigarettes and adopted the
corn cob. Since coming to Lincoln he has
worked practically every day and has made
his own way. serving a fireman and
janitor for several OF the large apartment
houses 1t is only fair 10 the new American
to say that his police court experience was
due wholly to a Misunderstanding Of the
way thirgs are done over here. It was
brought out at that hearing that Bill hac
become enamored Of a girl at Havelock
and to her he had presented a skirt and q
few other things as a preliminary to taking
her unto himself as his very own. Befor,
the day rolled around, however, the gir
flew the track or something happened tC
change her mind, so Mr.. Bill calmly walkI
In and takes back his present, the skirt
without getting her permission. For thi'
she had him arrested, but Bill explained
the entire case to the court and he wen
his way rejoicing, resulting finally in hin
becoming a full-fledged soldier for the tim,
at least.