The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-02-21
A FAVORED

The Watertown Public Opinion
has an interesting study on the
question Of railroad assessments In
this state, and in connection with
the aticle printed below, the paper
published a statement complied from
the records of the state showing the
difference In railroad assessme,i is as
compared between the Chicago g.
Northwestern road and the other
roads Of the state. wh.rsin the
former roa is clearly shown to have
much the best Of the argument i'm
the lower assessment. OF all the
railroad assessments that have been
made In this state for years that of
1907 carries off the plan for lnconsis-
tencies. Commenting on this stu
alton the Public-Opinion has the
following to say:
Public Opinion today prints a Ia lie
OF figures showing the r abroad assess
ment at various points in the state
The table shows plaring discrimin-
alton In favor of the Northwestern
railroad at every point where COM
parison is u.ade. Had the No1th-
western been assessed in Watertown.
for instance. at the same rate Us the
Rock Island or the Minneapolis &
st. Louis, the Northwestern would
be required to pay about sixteen
hundred dollars more into the county
treasury, and about three-fourths Of
this sum would go direct to the city
OF Watertown-that is TO saw.
Through the favoritism extended to
the Northwestern company the city
OF Watertown loses, net. about
twelve hundred dollars.
But that Is not all. In the village
OF Henry, to carry the comparison
further. which has one and one-half
miles Of Northwestern tracks, the
assessment of the company is
go, 716. 60. while the Great Northern
assessment In the village Of South
Shore, with less than one-tfth Of a
mile more than the Northwestern
has at Henry. is 8l6, 230. 90.
Had the Northwestern been as
sessed at Henry at the same ratio Of
valuation as the Great Northern at
South Store. the Northwestern
would be required to pay no incon-
siderable sum more into the county
treasury for the benefit OF the tax
payers at Henry.
II 10 c%ontended. in answer to these
facts, that the Northwestern assess
ment Is substantially as much per
mile as that OF the other railroads OF
the slate This may be trne, but it
ls we'll known that the levies In the
municipal corporations is much
greater than the levies In the rural
d%istficts,. and, therefore. the favor
ttlsm extended to the Northwestern
by the state toard, OF which the
present governor Is the head, is
equivalent to making the North
western = present Of many thousands
Of dollars. taking the state as =
whole, comparing its total taxes
With the total paid by other COM
panies which must pay the high
It may not De generally known.
but 1t is q fact, nevertheless,
susceptible Of proof, we think, that
one Of tho Northwestern officials.
who looks after the tax business fol
the company in this section of the
state. was long ago advocating the
present system Of assessing failroad
property-that is, the assessing Of
the terminals. If it be true. as
alleged, that the present governor
has a s'stand in'' with the North
western, the company forsaw that it
would get the best end Of the deal
as far as Municipal assessments are
concerned.
As a matter of fact, . James j.
Hill of the Great Nosshern has
declared, it matters llttJe to the
railroad companies what thvy are
required TO pay in the way of taxes,
for the shipping public pays the
taxes anyway, charming It up as a
part Of the expenses.