The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-06-26
TAX INJUNCTION SUIT
MERELY 4 SUDTERFUGE
Declaration Is Made By Gov
Haskell and Attorney
General West

Governor Haskell and Attorney
General Charles West, in speeches
before the County Commissioners
convention this morning upon the re.
cent action brought by the railroads
operating IN the state to enloln the
COLLECTION Of the last half OF taxes OF
1903 In the Federal courts, declared
that there had been a conspiracy
formed by the railroads, except the
Rock Island and Frisco, to overturn
the government OF the state and that
the tax injunction suits are but one
OF the many tactics they will resort
TO TO defeat the state In its attempt
70 regulate the corporate interests
operating within lis bounds
Attorney General Charles West
charged the Santa Fe with being the
arch consplrat0r and stated he had
positive proof that there was O gem
eral meeting OF the railroad interests
IN the state at Kansas City last May
TO determine the tax Injunction and
other obstacles to emharrass the.
state.
Tho governor and attorney general
asserted they had anticipated the
filing 0f the injunction SUITS since
last May and that theg knew then
conspiracy had been formed hy the
railroads and the Western Union
Telegraph and Pullman Car com.
panies to fight the state upon every
conceivable ground Governor Has
kell and Attorney General West.
with q great array Of figures showed
shat the railroad property WAS not
assessed higher IN proportion to
other properties IN the state. declar.
ing that the railroads were not as.
sessed az what they were actually
worth and that the railroad assess.
meni would NOT be more ihan &C per
cent Of the average daily sale price
Of their stock on The New York
Stock exchange.
The attorney general stated that
President Ripley of the Santa ne
has testified before the Interstate
Commerce commission, under oath,
that the main line OF the Santa Fe
in Kansas was worth $4,000 mile
and that the Oklahoma board had
assessed n at only $32 .0e0 per mile.
Governor Haskell stated that the
railroads and trust corporations were
using the tax Injunction suits to as.
elst them before the Corporation
commission IN their freight rate
fights Governor Haskell asserted
that II the railroads were satisfied
with the taxes they would be kick.
ing on something else He slowed
that the railroads had not paid a
cent Of tax IN the state willingly,
that lhe first half of the taxes for
1908 was paid with string 10 Il
and that they now wanted the money
back, according 70 the Injunction
suit filed In lAe Federal court
Attorney General West cited the
Denver, Enid and Gulf purchase by
The Santa Re as an example of q
fair assessment by the board. The
Fanta Re purchased the road at S2l. !.
900 per mile and the board assessed
II at $4,000 per mile. The Rove..
nor and attorney general showed by
Figures that the assessments Of rail-
road properties III Kansas and Texas
We're higher or equal 10 those made
by the Oklahoma board and declared
that the corporations were not be
ing taxed 10 DEATH as was the
common report The attorney gen
eral declared that he had positive
proof that at a meeting Of the rail
4ads In Kansas City last monW
Dorset Cauers road was threatened
10 be made an outlaw road BY ths
big railroads n Il did not come II
with the other railroads on The IN
junction suits and agree TO DO wha'
the big companies wanted in freigh
matters.
Attorney General West announced
that his department would interven,
IN the Federal court In these suit,
In behalf of tfe taxpayers OF IN,
state, and thai he would fight thes,
cases 20 the end. with no c0mprOmia.
IN the matter. He asked the coop
erasion Of an the county attorneys
county commissioners and citizona o
the state IN gonel1I TO secure cyi
| dence Immediately and send TO hin
showing that tee assessments made
IN The various counties were iustl
fahle and rs high In proportion Al
the railroad assegameffs He snls
sae cases world Je determined larve
+ 0s facts and figures and that NJ
wanted al the statistics ne could Oh
tain fnF the rtate.
| lust prior % adjournment ni
osl9k the ATTORNEY General suggest
e iilat lte commissioners confer a