Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-07-20

A ,o92.9l whereas the year DelOfe
they amounted to $17. 9,211. The
net earnings were cut down, it was
generally claimed by the railroad
representatives, because of the in
creased cost of operating. w. W.
Baldwin, counsel for the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy, stated that
during the last year the cost of
operating was $6797.S2 per mile,
whereas during the preceding year
vas hut S5,624.77 per mi'e. The
hz~ 'itable taxation of railroads as
cohe ed with other taxable prop
erty -. 'owa, he said, is responsible
for the|xNt that the mileage Of
steam ra>%< Ids has not increased in
Iowa one 4, q during the past seven
years. The\! es1 against his roal
he stated are : double what they
were twenty-five ars ago and he
expressed the belief we will not see
another mile of steam railroad built
in Iowa until the matter of taxation
is adjusted. Twenty-Five years ago
he said the taxes were five per cent
of the net earnings, last year they
were IL per cent and this year, he
said they will amount to IA per
cent.
A. S. Dudley of Milwaukee repre-
senting the Chicago, Milwaukee and
ST. Paul Railway Co., explained to
the executive council the injustice
of the practice hitherto employed OF
fixing railroad valuations on gross
earnings of railroad instead of on
net earnings. He explained that in
Iproportioning the gross earnings
among states the roads take the
track mileage as a basis. So if
road has ten miles trackage in
Iowa ard ten miles in Minnesota
the gross earnings are divided
equally between those states, re-
gardless of the cost of operation and
the amount of business over each.
Hence he stated the gross earnings
are not fair basis for fixing valua-
tions as in one case the operating
expenses would be much greater
and the net earnings smaller. He
suggested that Iowa is given as
large an allotment of gross earn
,ryhn 0f
operation in Illinois Is much great
er because of the big terminals
maintained there. When asked by
Governor Carroll if such an allot-
ment would not benefit the company
in the matter of paying taxes it was
explained it would not as the levy
is the same in Iowa and Illinois.
Representatives of the various
roads did not ask reduction in
valuation assessments but claimed
that there should be no increase.
because of the falling off of net
earnings and the increased expense
of maintaining and operating the
roads.
The auditor of state has just CON-
piled the totals of assessable prop
erty in Iowa from the reports of the
ninety-nine county auditors. This
is now in the hands of the executive
council, which may make some ad-
justments. With respect to person
al property the report shows the
Following noted for assessment:
Moneys and credits ..$l9,419,S62
Merchandise 80. 80. S2,743,S43
Corporation stocks -. 35,019.72s
Capitai employed III mis Z'o' 'o'o'f
Vehic'es 49,. .'.''' o'Sos'o9o
FURNITURE go. ''''' 7'9'o'oos
Other personal property l''foo' 40
1t is interesting 10 note the
amount or moneys ana credits re-
ported for taxation and TO compare
with that figure the total amount
OF money actually deposited In Iowa
banks by depositors on the last bank
call last February which was
$25O,64S,32S.92. 1t Is very appar-
ent that over $3.50, 900, 900 was not