Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-22

state nn'l not enough burden upon
other classes Of property.
Governor Hawley took me to task
for making comparisons between the
values placed upon railroad properties
Of this state and the properties OF the
same railroad companies. In adjoining
states. and I want to notice briefly. just
~ briefly a. I may. some OF his argu-
ments. I want to call your attention
first to his statement that my COM
PARSONS were not good because of
the fact that over in the state Of
Washington. In the city of Seattle, the
great terminal properties Of the Great
Northern and the Northern Pacific
were included in the valuation Of those
, railroads In the state Of Washington.
And he put a valuation on those ter
minal properties Of $4,000. 900. I don't
know how he arrived at It. because
after his speech. I wired the tax com.
| mission Of the state Of Washington
and l have their reply in which they
, say that they do not know what the
value Of those terminal properties is
that the tax commission has never
placed separate value upon them
But we'll take the governors state
ment on that question, that they are
| worth $40.Q00.000 and he would have
had you believe that because Of the
inclusion Of that $40,000.o00 in the val
luation Of those two railroad lines
that those two railroads in Washing
ton were valued at no more per mile
proportionately than those same
railroads in the state Of Idaho.
But that isn't true. have with
me the report OF the board Of
equalization Of the state Of Washing
ton. which. like our state board Of
equalization. values such properties,
and l find that the main track Of the
Great Northern Is valued at $47.917.-
900 and the second track at 1886, 900
and the sidings at $4,6s4,0 900; and that
the Northern Pacific main track, 696
miles. Is valued at $71.b00,0o0, the Sec
ond track at $3.46o,000. and the sidings
at $9,4S6,0O0. use the main track,
! the sidings and the second track be-
cause in our state those are all in
cluded In n blanket assessment. There
is included in these ssums also the
equipment Of those railroads because
in the state Of Idaho, the equipment
Is included in the blanket assessment.
That makes q total valuation by the
board Of equalization OF the state OF
Washington Of those two lines Of
$137.919.000. or whereabouts. Now II we
deduct the valuation which the gov.
ernor placed upon the terminals of
those two roads in Seattle IN the state
Of Washington. s40.000.000. we still
have left as the valuation Of those
railroad lines in that state $97.919. 900.
/ hot is ,o<t will
OF $4,000. These same roads were
valued by the state board Of equaliz-
alton in Idaho, In 1911, because these
are 1911 figures that am giving you.
they being the last available. the
Great Northern at 100000 a mile, and
the Northern Pacific at $4,000 per
mile
Difference In Assessment.
1.-THE Great Northern in this state
was valued at II per cent of what 1t
| was IN Washington and the Northern
Pacific at approximately ~ per cent
of what 1t was in Washington. DIFF
ference OF from $4,000 to $4,000 a
mile between the two states after
eliminating the terminals at the valu-
alton which Governor Hawley put
upon them. and l submit to you, and
will continue to submit MS l go along
| that that conclusively disproves the
governors contention and conclusiveiy
establishes that our state board of
equalization has not been valuinE those
properties at full cash value
Nov, my friends. our laws require
all properties subject to taxation to
be valued at full cash value. There
isn't any distinction between railroads
and farm land and cattle and hogs
and sheep. All are to be valued at
what they will sell for In the mark ct
at full cash value and there Is no Diff
ference In the rule which should be
used by the state board of equaliza-
| ton from the rule which should be
used by your local assessor Each as
sessing power is required to use the
same yard%ick.
Lets see II we can get at this ques-
! ton of what is full cash value on these
railroads In another way. because I
purpose to deal ra Their extensively with
the valuation OF these railroads before
l get through. Take the Great North =
ern: its stock and bonds average near
ly $4,000 a mile for the whole sys-
tenn. main lines and branch lines. If
the state board OF equalization OF this
state had valued the mileage of the
Great Northern In this state upon the
stock and bond basis. it would have
valued 1T in 1911 at $2,S43.000. more
than It did This railroad company
| paid interest on its bonds and per
cent dividends on It's stock and laid
away for additional construction. ST.
$751; out OF It's 1911 net income. And
| Alx.A . q. la ~