Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1910-10-06
WATCH OUT FOR TIL
REPUBLICAN JOKERS


It's q suave and innocent looking
little bit OF literature. that Republi-
can State platform. full OF sparkling
bits OF humor, scintillant with a
sort OF dry wit and underlaid with
things that to be revealed and appre-
ciated require a several-time reading.
For instance, says the platform:
I'VE recommend that the Act Gre
ating the State Board of Assessors
be repealed"
Watch sharp. Up to the time OF
the last meeting OF the State Board
OF Assessors, which is composed of
the various county sheriffs Of the
state, plus the Governor, the South
ern Pacific had been paying taxes on
AN average assessed valuation for its
trackage but $ll.4OO per mile..lt had
sworn, when wanting to raise money
on this trackage, that it was worth
$4,000 per mile. Thus it was pay
ing taxes upon less than IS per CEN
OF the valuation OF its property, while
the private citizen paid taxes on
about 90 per cent OF the valuation OF
fighting Governor could exercise
some power over the State Board of
Assessors, for the last meeting of
the Board Governor Dickerson, sin
gle-nanded, forced the Assessors to
tax the S. p. trackage at the rate OF
$4,000 per mile, thereby reducing the
tax rate OF the state some ID per cent.
With no State Board of Assessors,
no Governor could "bulldoze" them
into a fair assessment of corporate
holdings.
Now. watch here again. The plat
form continues:
I'VE recommend that the Legisla-
ture provide for the election of the
Railroad Commission by the people
= " that they be authorized and
empowered t. perform the duties OF
a State Tax Commission, with SINH
lar authority. duties and powers as
that o vested in the State Board of
Assessors"
Is not that a dainty little package
that Senator Nixon (who say he is
not working for the Espee) is trying
I slip over? 1t would mean that the
corporate interests would only lave
to bother themselves about the cleo
ton OF the Railroad Commissioners.
The railroad elected commission
would see that the railroad property
was not asse ssed too high. 1t would
not be appointed by the Governor,
nor would it be ruled by him. The
recent Railroad Commission OF Ne
vada- has been fair. The companies
have been unable to defend rates
which have been ordered lowered.
The result has reduced the taxes the
people pay the common carriers. The
Commission is working on a basis
which is reasonable; it is securing in
formation that is accurate; it is adj
sc$dttus ~ ShS~hAhe o.
How much different it would be if
the Railroad Commission were COM
posed OF men who owed their cleo
ton to the assistance, moral and fl
napcial, OF the common carriers. In
SUCH a case the commissioners would
necessarily be favorably inclined to
that power which gave them Office.
They would be lenient. They
would not move until public clamor
compelled them to do So, and when
they did have a hearing or investiga-
ton it is reasonable to suppose that
the railroads and other common car
riers would receive a little more than
the benefit OF all doubts. When it
came 10 a time when it was a ques-
ton whether the railroads would save
a large mount OF money or that each
individual citizen should save a large
amount of money, equal in the aggre-
gate, the Commission would nc doubt
be inclined to consider the railroads
need as greater than that oil each cit
izen.-Goldheld News.