Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-22
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WILL
NEITHER LOWER NOR RAISE
ASSESSMENTS OF ROADS.
FARM LAND VALUES
WILL BE EQUALlzED
Discrepancies Between Counties All
That Will Be eadjusted-RaiIroad
Commission Confronted by Fine
Law neutrality-suspicious. Become
Continued Litigation.
Special to Times-Republican.

t'NNieti
Des Moines, July 22.-There will be
practically no change in the assess
ment of the railroads. The executive
council is not thru with its work as
yet. There will be some minor changes
due to the changes that have come to
the railroads but the total assessment
on the railroad property of the state
will be about what it was last year
There will be some changes in the farm
values as between the counties but
other than this there will be no change
in the farm assessment either
The balance between the railroads
and real estate wherein the railroads
pay taxes on a valuation of $50, 527,616
and the real estate on valuation of
$475S95, 422 will be maintained by the
executive council. The figures given
are those of last year. The total fig
ures for this year have not yet been
reached but they will be approximately
those of last year. Last year the coun-
ell lowered the assessment of the rail-
roads nearly a million dollars because
it was shown that there was falling
off in the earnings. There will be no
material reduction however, this year,
the council being of the opinion that
the assessment is at present about
right. The assessment on individual
lines will be changed somewhat but the
total assessment will be left unchanged.
A fine question of law was put up to
the members Of the railroad commits
sion yesterday at the hearing when the
railroads thru their attorneys submit
ted briefs and arguments to prove that
the commission has authority to raise
rates The question was limited at one
time by Commissioner Eaton who dis
covered that section 2141 of the code
says that the commission after proper
hearings can fix maximum rate charges
which charge shall in no event ex-
eeed the one now or hereafter fixed by
law" ON the face of it this prohibited
the commission from raising rates
Section 213S says but the rates fixed
shall not be higher than established by
a~, which vas about 10 the same
purpose.
Commissioner Eaton at the hearing
Informed the attorneys that the COM
mission did not propose to shear it,
self Of power unless it had TO. The
attorneys for the railroads, in which
J. G. Davis for the Northwestern and
+. Carroll Wright for the Rock Island
carried the burden of the argument
contended that the term fixed by law
meant fixed by statute. They submit
TED briefs to prove this contention.
Carroll Wright argued that if the
term fixed by law" meant the railroad
commission it could be shown to be an
absurditN by substituting the words
commission for law making ii read
shall in no event exceed the one now
or hereafter fixed By the commission y
He pointed out then that the comm )
sion could never FIX a rate at any fig
ure since at some future date here
after it might fix a rate that would be
lower That is the commission could
never fix a rare that would be higher
than one which it might thereafter
fix and of course not knowing VIVA
rate it might fix hereafter" 1T coul5
fix none at all He argued that the
provision in the code was a reservation
on the part of the legislature itself Il
fix rates if it so chose and that if i
should fix such a rate the commission
could not raise 1t tho it could lowe
it.
| When the board of education which
met yesterday got down to work it dix
4 not go into the duties of the flnanc
1 committee in wholesale way as wa
intimated. The board is continuing it
| meetings and from time to time will
4 define the duties and authority of tn
| committee on specific questions but vii
not attempt to formulate these mat
tiers in advance.
Politicians are looking to the action
of the Bettendorf Metal Wheel Com
! pany of Davenport, which has an
nounced that the corporation will D
succeeded by a partnership and ar
saying: ri told you So" The partner
ship will be known as French & Hecht
The announcement Of the company US
signs no reason for the change but /
is claimed in political circles that tn
change is forerunner Of many tina
can be expected because of the passag
of the corporation tax amendment t
the tariff bill by congress. They be
ieye the corporations wherever the
can will make the change in order [
Il avoid ,oaviro TOW apd ha,yinor fe}