The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-07-14
TRAMWAY TAX
VALUES FIXED.
Street Railway Representative
Urges Bending Law In
Case to Limit
WILL PROMOTE INVESTMENTS
Governor VIII Follow Economy
Program Even TO Brink
of HadeS

nYa vote Of 4 to the state bonru
- Of equalization this morning hA'u
tn,. nssessment valuation Of properties
or the Oklahoma Street Railway com
pauy at S2,25OOOO, under which the
corporation will this year pay into the
state treasury $4,000 us against ga
OoO lust year.
The motion fixing the valuation was
made by State Auditor +. b, Howard
nud those who voted with him were
+ NJ. Gault. ". l. Alexander ana D.
l.. LYON. Those voting IN opposition
were Governor Williams, $, + Free
ling and Fred Parkinson.
I'm the opinion OF. corporation repre-,
scutauvrs> present and Il majority VI
the members ~ the bOnrd, the ACTION
of the Inter should serve to prom"
the interest NJ eastern capitalists III
Oklahoma Investments
In discussion Of the tentative TAXA
tion figure the principal spoSeslne'
we're Governor Williams, chairman ol
the hoard. nnd John ". ShHrtcl rep
rpsentiug the corporation. The lhtter
urged valuation about S3S,OOO less
than WINS finally fixed by the bonrd'
md adduced statements from 'l'
ouditor and engineer of the corpora
tlon TO prove his contention as to 'i's
status N the compnny's property ana
its financial condition Rather thhh
mike public this condition. he saln'
the compnny had accepted a comprom
isr I'm 1912 which he regarded UNFAIR
10 the corporation.
Asked to Bend the Law.
"You should" said Shartel put
Yourself In the other fellows place
when corporation has It's securities
IN the hands Of practically all 'he
- GanKg or the country these statements
show that q 10 I per cent OF every
dollar taken In goes ont for taxes III
Oklahoma, whereas In other s'h'es
taxes amount to only or per cent
ask YOU 10 bend the law almost 10
the breaking point to save the lnuus
tries I'm this state Almost oil ot theln
have been affected 10y the nHuoh-Wlue
depresslon, aud all ~ them ARE aIte't
ed by antagonlstic public sentiment
have vet to hear OF mn instance
wherein they have been favored by any
judicial body"
Governor Williams here protested
citing case Of lenlency ON the par'
OF the supreme court Thls "a'
promptly acknowledged by Shartel
who modified his assertion. making u
npply To inferior tribunals and muhlcl
pal councils.
Changing Public Sentiment,
There IL change of sentiment II
this state, and It is pretty nearly tm'
when It's public officials should have
the courage of their convictions, con
tInued the railways representative
Here IL property at the turning ol
the ways, n company that IN building
up a city to make It's Investments
profitable"
Governor williams interrupted t'
remark he did not believe there IL an!
property I'm the state but IN being thIet
10 the limit. I'VE ascertalned whn
the state owed and we asked the legis
lnture TO pay its obligations In orde
10 save the honor Of the common
wealth There are two sides TO thi
question" he said.
81 can show YOU rental property II
the heart Of this town that cost NOR
than the property Of the OklnhohI
Railway company In the aggregate
retorted Sharte, "and II IL not payinl
more than n third Of the amount q
taxes paid by the corporation
"'That may be- true" replied Cover
nor williams but we are going Z
get at them also We are going 4
shut our eyes and get the stat
through II II leads to hell"
The governor also referred TO IN
prosperous agricultural outlook In tn
state and expressed the belief that IN
street railway company should prospe
with the balance " the community.
THE sale Of automobiles II fas
enough to overcome probable gains 1
that direction" was the response.
81 am desperately In earnest" sal
Shartel.
$50 am l." replied the governor 81
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