The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-09

Z ana &NuON Nne paper.
Hocus-PoCus Assessment
Soon after the session had opened
I Senator Ivendsnburg arose and offered
his resolution, having the document
( read from the clerks desk while he
/ stood at his seat ready TO begin the
| remarks which he had to make on
/ the subject. Senator Holt had moved
! ~ refer the resolution 20 the Com
uvittce on Finance, but before he
could get his motion adopted Sena-
tor wenedenburg opened MP in favor
OF prompt action on resolution and
against its reference 20 any commit
tee. He said that II was notorious
that the assessements on property OF
railroads was ridiculously low that
for some years after the new constt-
tuition the roads had things their own
WAY but that since 1918 the assese-
n1ents had been made by some sort
of hocus- pocus method. He declared
that under the terms Of the cunstitu- /
zion the shackles had been Off since
1913, and vet the same rule had been !
followed in the making Of assess (
monts. When attention was called to
the matter there had been tho ever
ready hue and cry Of following the
example Of some other state, such as
the railroad-ridden state of Pennsyl- F,
vania, or some other State equally as
controlled as was Pennsylvania by the
railroad interests
Tho Text OF the Resolution.
Tho full text OF the resolution Of 4
Tered by Senator Wendenburg and
which lie being printed and embel-
lished with mass of figures showing
IN detail the figures referred To be-
low, Ia as follows:
Whereas the Atlantic Coast Line
Railroad, Chesapeake and Ohio Rail |
way New York, Philadelphia and
Norfolk Railroad. Norfolk and
Western Railway Richmond, Frcder-
icksburg and Potomac Railroad, Sea-
board Air Line Railway, Southern !
Railway. Vireiniar Railway. Washing /
ton Southern Railway. known as the .
largo steam railroads, operating In
Virginia. reported the cost Of their
roads. equipment. etc. for tho state
Of virginia for the year ending June
the 30. 1916, at &36S, 3s6.119; and,
whereas, the average value OF the
stocks and bonds Of said railroad,
made for the year 19f2-iSls by the .
Virginia Joint Committee on Tax Re
vision, was 1897. 100000; and. /
Whereas. these railroads earned on
an. average for each year on their
mileage, operated in Virginia, for the
period Of FIVE years, from 1909 70
1914, inclusive, per centum net on
lv appear by n detailed statement at .
tached TO this resolution; and.
Whereas. all the property OF SAID I
as well as Of all other
steam railroads within the State, Is
q ssessed, as Of June the 40, 1915. only .
1S121 col. the same being rs
sessed at only $40. 900 per mfte for
single tracks and $4,000 per mile for
double. tracks; and,
Whereas. such An assessment is not
in accordance with the express pro-
vision OF the Constitution, that said
property must be assessed at It's value,
and.
Whereas. the steam railroads OPP
Grating in Virginia are not bearing
their Just and equitable share Of the
expenses OF the State and local gov /
eminent because of said assessment:
and
Whereas, II becomes necessary, in
justice OF the other taxpayers TO pro- /
vide a method for asoertaining and ,
assessing the value OF the roadbed ,
and other real estate. rolling stock 7
and all other personal property what
eoever Of said steam railroads, owned
and used in business transacted IN /
this state; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Sen&ts. the House
of Delegates concurring, That the
state Corporation Commission are al
vised that. in the opinion OF the Leg
islature OF Virginia, the method OF
assessment of railroad property Is not
in accordance with the spirit and let |
ter Of the Constitution. and Is, there
fore, unjust and unequal. and that
hereafter, in making the assessment
Of said property, the value Of said
property OF each railroad be assessed
as a whole, and that I'm determining
this value the average value OF the
stocks and bonds Of each railroad for
thu preceding fiscal year ending june
the 3oth, and the propoHtionate snare
thereof. according TO the mileage or
road IN Virginia, be ascertained, as
near az possible. az we'll as the net
earnings OF each railroad In Virginia,
according to such mileage OF road.
Ind that these net earnings be capt.
taitzed AT 6 per csntum as basis
for vaiung said railroads; that these
valuations Or the one that more near
" approaches equality of assessment,
be used as the guide or method for
escertAining the value OF said prop
erty for the purpose OF taxation. and
that the State Corporation Commfs-
sion shall hereafter, with all con-
venient speed, report TO the Cover
nor OF Virginia ana 10 esch Legisla-
ture the assessment OF said property
OF each railroad, as wefi as the value
and II neither of these methods be
adopted in making said assessment.
then the State Corporation Commits
siou shall. In its said reports, give It's
reasons in full, showing why these
methods we're not the value OF said
property"
Makes His Language Plain.
Senator Wendenburg followed up
his line of attack on the assessment
of the railroads by declaring that
they were assessed at less than one
third OF their admitted value; that
they were assessed at $4,000 mile
for single track and $4,000 for
double track Dads. He said that the
earnings OF these same roads, based
on the per cent basis. ranged up to
more than $500. 600. He said that the
reports of the real estate assessors
for the last Ave years and that OF
the commissioners of the revenue for
the last year showed an increase of
~ per cent Of railroads In that time
property OF the railroads In that time
had not increased single dollar. as
shown by tho reports OF the State Cor
poration Commission.
He did not care Ehat sort of basis
was reached IN making the assess
ments--whether on the earning basis
hn Ina