The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-22
Taxation a Hard Nut for Rail
Lines to Crack.
N. H. LOOmis Tells of Situation
on Union Pacific.
TALE OF KEITH COUNTY
in Nebraska Sounds
Familiar to Officers.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

The tax problem is a constant worry
TO railway officers. N. H Loomis, gen.
eral solicitor of the Union Pacific, was
in Topeka a few minutes last evening
lust long enough to unburden MS
heavily laden mind on the tax ques-
ton that confronts his railroad every
year.
of railroad rate regulation seems 10 pc
it is no more perplexing and uncertain
particularly to many western railroads.
than the question of railroad taxa
ton" said Mr.. Loomis. This mater
has for years agitated the minds OF
public officials and therefore those o.
railroad officials continuously and YET
without satisfactory results. Many
railroad executive would feel that his
most difficult task had been perform
ed If he could be assured that ms roau
had finally reached a point where
malt would be called to the heretoIore
constantly increasing demands OF the
state. county, municipal ana school as
trict authorities for heavier tax pay
ments.
an no state has railroad tax reform
been more conspicuous in the last oe-
cade than in Nebraska and some oe
cided advance has been made. 1nuSeu;
Nebraska has every right to be caileo
progressive state when it comes 10
the matter of railroad taxation. fSt
not all of Nebraska is content Will
the progress achieved. There Is STU
alton in Keith county, that state, winch
seems conelusively to pear OUT Lis 80
sertion and it is barely posslD!e tnae
the Keith county case is typical u
rnany with which western railroads are
today trying to grapple
ssKeith county, to begin with is one
of the western counties OF NeprfASA@
and is a fairly representative county Oh
that locality. 1t is now in process OF
DEVELOPMENT. Some day, no DOUBT, lts
fertile acres will be in high state %
cultivation, for the soil is r1ch Will
natural resources and the climate while
NOT altogether salubrious is yet con-
511cive to profitable agriculture. Indus
try but halts upon keith county
promising threshold. The 1910 census
gave the county a population OF S'OSz.
1.-The Union Pacific Railroad COM
pany operated 41.52 miles OF main nne
and 42.53 miles of branch line in keith
county. .,oz zoo
cts main line is assessed at $1O7,
a mile IN that county. The gross earn
ings of the Union Pacific from It's IA
stations throughout Keith county ~
1911 were $191,30014. Its net earnlnss
were SIG, .O5, including both in ana
ont business All the property in keith
county in 1910 was given an assessed
valuation of $2,02, 237. The Union IA
cific's property in the county was as
sessed at $1,1O5,3So. being 54-66 per cent
of all the property IA IAAS NOANS'
'sNow, this road, whose gross earnlnss
for an entire year in that county Were
not near double the assessors VaIue oi
one mile of its track there, yet palo
into the public treasury 22.15 per cent
of it's gross earnings for taxes and oo.oe
ner cent of it's net earnings for taxes
r. is interesting to recall, in this con-
nection. Minnesotas organic law levy
ing a per cent gross earnings TAX Oh
certain of it's railroads.
From another viewpoint 1t IS Ioulu
that the Union Pacific not only Is as
sessed proportionately and actually
higher and pays proportionately ana
actually higher taxes than all otner
nroperty in Keith county, but that II
nays taxes at the rate of $l1.4S per
capita of population, while all otneI
property of the county in its entlrety
navs taxes at the rate of only 500
ne- capita These were the figures Ior
1910. and they still obtain.
s"The Union Pacific, that year, palo
Keith county the respectable sum OF
s42, 37S9 90 for taxes.
yet Keith county is not conlenl-
And here is the situation the Union
Pacific is up against there and which.
undoubtedly, is but a counterpart o.
conditions this and other railroads are
contending with in many, II not all,
western states as well, perhaps, as
other states.