The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1910-10-08
Watch Out for the Republican Jokers

nc 4 - and innocent looking little bit of literature, that Re-
publican state platform, full of sparkling bits of humor' sclntl-
L liant with a sort of dry wit and underlaid with things that TO Dc
revealed and appreciated require a severaiume reaoihs- !"
stance, says the platform:
sWe recommend that the act creating the state board of assessors
be repealed s.
Watch sharp. Up to the time of the last meeting OF the sut
board of assessors, which is composed of the various county snerms
lof the state, plus the governor, the Southern Pacific had been paying
taxes upon an average assessed valuation for its trackage OF Ut Pill
40 per mile. 1t had sworn, when wanting to raise money 0 .s
trackage, that it was worth $146,OO0 per mile. Thus it was paying
taxes upon less than l3 per cent of the valuation OF Its properly
while the private citizen paid taxes on about 60 per cent Of the 'aua
ton of his property. 1t was found that a fighting governor co"a
exercise some power over the state board Of assessors, 0 u 'e 100"
meeting of the board Governor Dickerson, singlehanded, forced Ie
assessors to tax the S. P. trackage at the rate OF $2SOW per ms
thereby reducing the tax rate of the state some IA per cent. VIII
no state board of assessors, no governor could "buldoze tnen INV
a fair assessment of corporate holdings.
Now, watch here again. The platform continues: !,
eve recommend that the legislature provide for the election Oh
the railroad commission by the people = : : that they be author
lied and empowered to perform the duties of a state tax commission
with similar authority, duties and powers as that now vested IN ''
state board of assessors
Is not that a dainty little package that Senator Nixon (who sas
he is not working for the Espee) is trying to slip over7 ~
mean that the corporate interests would only have to bother them
selves about the election of the railroad commissioners. The ranro'I
elected commission would see that the railroad property was ~ -
sessed too high. 1t would not be appointed by the governor, "a
would it be ruled by him. The recent railroad commission u -
has been fair. The companies have been unable to defend rates" nN'
have been ordered lowered. The result has reduced the taxes 'he ~
pie pay to common carriers. The commission is working on a os
which is reasonable; it is securing information that is accura'''
and efecting reforms daily.
How much different it would be if the railroad commission "m
composed of men who owed their election to the assistance mo'a
financial, of the common carriers. In such a case the commis 3 ars
would necessarily be favorably inclined to that power when asn nha
office. They would be lenient. They would not nov Ave 4
public clamor compelled them to do @, and when they did nases
hearing or investigation it is reasonable to suppose that the rah, 1aa
and other common carriers would receive a little more tnan - Question
fit of all doubts. When it came to a time when it was a que' that
the railroads would save a large amount OF money u .c nal
individual citizen should save a large amount OF money none - 's con
n the aggregate, the commission would no doubt be ncnne I"
the railroad need as greater than that of each clrzen-