Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-09-11
ARGUMENTS IN EXPRESS CASE
State Bases It's Contention on Testi'
mony of the Company.
CERTIFYING RAILROAD VALUES
Amendments Both Receive the En-
dorsemeut of All Parties mt the
Recent Primaries--Campaign
Expense Bills.
trrom a statt Correspondent,

LINCOLN. Sept. l0.-(Special) lin his ar
gument before Referee Sullivan, appointed
by the supreme court to take testimony in
the case brought by tle attorney general
to force the Adams Express company to
comply with the Sibley 70 per cent reduc-
tion law, Mr.. Thompson made his case out
of the testimony offered by the corporation.
He argued to the court that on the showing
made by the express company rates under
the Sibley law were not only not confisca-
tory, but instead were sufficiently remuner-
ative 10 make a sufficient income for the
company.
The figures introduced by the company
showed that for the month OF June, 1908,
receipts from intrastate business amounted
to s22520.S4. which is 100 per cent of the
business done. Expense of operation on
intrastate business amounted to S22,lSl .13,
or 9S.5 per cent of the gross receipts. This
left net revenue OF $3.50. Il, or 1.5 per cent
of the business.
Business for the entire system for the
year under the old rates was as follows:
Receipts from operation, $27,s 1923, or
100 per cent
Expense for operation. s27,S5 S45. II. or sS 4
per cent
Balance sl66, .Oe, or 1.6 per cent
Thus it is shown. the attorney general
said from the company's testimony
That the net revenue on the gross intra-
state business for the month OF June, 1903,
is 15 per cent, charging to Nebraska 32
per cent too much on general salaries
and general expenses" charging all the
taxes paid in Nebraska to intra-state busi-
ness, and excluding the revenue received
from the money order business and that
the net revenue on gross business, state
the year ending December 81, 1907. was 16
per cent, or only OIL of l per cent more
than the per cent of net revenue under the
new law for the month of June, 1908 on
intrs-state business in the state of Me-
braska.
Terminal Tax Valuations.
Secretary Schavland has completed the
work of certifying out to the various county
clerks the assessed value of railroad prop
| erty as fixed by the State Board of Equal
ization under the provisions OF the terminal
| tax law. The last batch was sent out to-
day, Mr.. Schavland having worked late into
| the night to finish up the work In nearly
every instance the towns of Nebraska
have benefited under the operation OF the
! law and it has worked out just its ad-
| vocates contended in the last legislature.
Amendments Are Popular.
The two constitutional amendments
have been carried by the republicans
| democrats, populists and probably by tht
prohibition and socialist parties In Val
| ley county the democrats cast majority
against the amendments, but so far as
the official returns show this is the only
county which cast an adverse vote in any
party. Eighty counties complete re
turned to the secretary Estate give
Barton s.9SO and Alden 1O.60S for stat,
| auditor. The counties missing are
Brown, Butler Deuel.. Douglas, Hayes
Holt. Polk, Rock, Thayer and Washington
In the eighty counties returned Brophy
has received 1870 and Cowgirl 1l,S7'
for the democratic nomination for rail
way commissioner. For the populist nom
ination Brophy received 1.1S6 and Cow
gill 1887.
Campaign Expenses.
Edgar Howard Of Columbus was the pre-
mier spender OF the campaign, his accoun
reaching the sum of ssOO.1l in the fight 10
the congressional nomination against j. 1
Latta. The Columbus Telegram. Howard
paper, got s25S of these funds. The balanc
was expended In railroad fare, livery, tele
phone calls. etc.
c. II, Aldrich of David City spent 1896
in trying to oust L. II. Hinshaw in tn
Fourth district His largest bill was 81
por postage. In the Second district A. "
Jefferis spent S3l2.s9, a large part Of Il go
ing TO newspapers for advertising. His op
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