Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-17
IOWA LINES TO DEMAND LOWER
ASSESSMENT ON THEIR
STOCK.
PROFITS SHOWN TO BE LESS
ALTHo RECEIPTS ARE LARGER
Roads Paid Two and one-HaIf Millions
in Taxes Last Year-Juven1e Court
Law Filling orphans' Home-Gar-
rett's Appointment Discredits Stand
pat Effort to Defeat Him.

Des Moines, June 17-How much
will the railroad assessment Of Iowa
be reduced by the state officers next
month? It is certain the railroads will
make a plea for reduction and will
show poverty and reduced earnings as
a cause.
The compilation Of reports has just
been completed and printed in the
form of sheets which are useful to the
members Of the executive council and
the railroad representatives when the
annual assessment work is DONE These
tables show that while the railroads
took in more money last year than
ever the profits were less than for five
years.
The mileage Of main track reported
this time is 1874 which is "a miles
less than the year before.
The gross receipts for last year on
Iowa business amounted to $72.169,-
275.7s. or $7.37s.4s per mile. Last year
the gross receipts were $67,767,O32
The net earnings, or profit. on the
Iowa business was last year s16,144,-
592.s7, as against $17,939,211 the year
before. The net earnings per mile
"SAO VS,VAV.O9. V4AA10 lAS ll0L
were lower the past year than in the
reached in 1907 of over $21 100000. In
fact the net earnings last year were
not as great even as in 1902.
The taxes amounted to $2,505, 1851.
This has been steadily increasing, for
ten years ago the taxes paid amounted
to $1,424,134.
ok t..
Iowa to regard gross receipts in fixing
the assessment Of railroads as more
significant than net earnings. The net
earnings vary much moro on different
systems and branches than the gross
nized that. to undertake to consider
net earnings would involve injustice
to many roads. But despite this fact
reduction Of the assessment, or at least
no increase Of assessment.
The interurbans report gross earn
ings Of $1,563,754 and net earnings Of
x57s, 477.s1. The year before they re-
ceived $1.2s5,9s6 and earned $466.914.
Their taxes Increased from $23,881 to-
$49,7S9.
Net earnings of big roads In Iowa
were: Rock Island. $4,519,43s: North
western, s3.537,7s5: Milwaukee. s3,s2a,-
oss; Burlington. $1,515.sso: Illinois
Central, $749.997; Great Western, $685.
312; Iowa Central. $331,525; Mime
apolis, $31s.99e; Omaha, s357,so5:
Atchison. $154,417; st. Paul and Des
tMotnes. 31os.661. =
The Juvenile court law Is responsible
for an increase of seventy three in tho
number Of children at the state or
pfaan home at Davenport in the past
four years. But for that law the popu-
latfon would have shown q slight de-
crease. The reason is, according to
Superintendent Frank J.. Sessions, that
the children sent to the home by order
Of court are in much poorer physical,
mental and moral condition than the
others, hence they must remain longer
at the home before they are sent out
to live in families Mr.. Sessions is
Convinced, however, that the work be-
ing done by the state for the delin-
quent children is Of most excellent
character, that the results obtained
fully Justify the law and that this is
one of the most worthy of the many
charities Of the sctate. To the extent
that the home at Davenport receives
these children from the courts 1t is a
reformatory. or rather 1t is place for
the development Of the child during the
growing period IN an environment such
as will get the best results. Mr.. Ses-
sions presented to the quarterly con
ference this week q paper which tho
Of the conferences declare was
a deeply interesting on on this sub
ject.
Officers Of the national guard who
attended the school OF instruction at
the state. rife range near Des Moines
the. past week agree that it was one
ot the most valuable Innovations in the
guard service for a long time. Tho
officers were taken in
hand BY cdtupsteut regular army
men and treated as prfvates Just
learning. They were formed into COM
pandes, given all kinds OF drills, lee
tured and instructed. "A troop Of the
cava1y regiment from Des Mctnes was
ON hand to assist. The constant
charging Of the officers OF Iowa CONF