Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-12
liNEe 70 SEND BEST TALENT TO
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ASSESS
.MENT HEARINGS.
oavENvFiRsr OPPORTUNITY
TO OBJECT TO INCREASES
Tolophons Interests Prepare to Make
Exhaustive Showins-Probabls That
Farmers Will Be Represented at
Conference For First Time - Two
Weeks Work Ahead.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, July l2.-It is untort-
innate that Governor George w. Clarke
will be forced to absent himself from
the sessions of the state executive
council next week when the very i'm
portant matter Of correlating property
valuations for taxation purposes comes
before that body. There is but one
member of the council who has ever
before gone thru with the trying
ordeal OF handling the assessment ana
adjustment work. The others are new
at the work Secretary Dawson mas
had more experience than any OF the
members and herein is one element OF
his very great value 20 the state on
such an occasion. But while Clarke
has not before handled this business
he is quite familiar with the whole
procedure and he is like the secretary
OF state lawyer and his services Oh
the council at this time would pc
worth q great deal
The hearing Of the representatives
of the railroads commences Monday.
Here will appear the veteran FRED
Crandall, of the Northwestern, who
has been making annual pilgrimases 10
the Iowa state house since he was q
boy. Here, also. will come the Srile
Dudley, of the Milwaukee, tax audi
tor with new ideas and always ready
for scrap. So also will come W. w.
Baldwin. of Burlington. who always
has something good to say 10 the state
officials. The Omaha road has tax
auditor who generally turns UP some
thing new and original at these ses-
sions. The best lawyers representing
the railroads will also be on hand.
After the hearing on the railroads
will come the presentation OF facts
concerning the freight lines and the
telegraph and telephone and express
lines. There may be quite presenta-
ton of matters regarding the telephone
lines of the state.
It will be after all this, that the
council will take up the matter OF ad-
justmens OF valuations as returned
from the various counties Of the state.
These are the totals on the local as
sessment. Real estate and personal
property assessments are considered.
The county boards have made the adj
justment or equalization as between
the townships and the township boards
have equaiized as between individuals
Now it is up to the state board to see
that no one county gets the better OF
another, and tina, no one class OF prop
erty is unduly taxed at the expense OF
another
Farmers May Appear.
In this connection there is promise
that. for the first time in many years,
there will appear before the council
y 70
II. Gillette, former member Of con-
xress from the Seventh district,
prosperous farmer Of this county, liT-
ing near Valley Junction. has indicated
intention to look into the matter and
nee that the council has some light on
taxation matters from the standpoint
of the farmers.
The mem ers o. the council would
be glad if others, also, would appear.
representing different classes Of prop
erty or different interests TO present
facts TO the council IN regard 10 as
sessment matters II is probable that
Frank Pierce, of the League Of NUM-
cipalities. will appear on behalf Of that
body. The state grange should pc
represented and some farmers clubs.
While Judge Of the court in Polk
feet that the council shall pursue q
certain line in making adjustment OF
property values for Iowa, and this case
has been appealed 10 the supreme
court on the claim that court had no
spower to decide matters that are left
wholly to the discretion Of an execu-
tive department: the council will pro-
ceed exactly as If no effort had been
made for court instruction, and all the
facts will be considered just as they
have been considered in the past, and
substantially no new facts will be be-
fore the council.
-ac Council has asked and probably
viii secure some new information in
regard to the railroad property, as
Secretary Dawson has sent out to Sc
cure information as to the capitalize
lion per nile OF the roads and the bond
issues per mile and similar facts. This
will throw some light on railroad val
ues.
The work Of the council usually
takes about two weeks for this assess
inent job.
EIdora axS No&e4.