The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-05-04
Assessment on Railroads
Is Increased.
Continued From Page one.)

Continued From Page 0ne.)
terminal facilities and the locomo-
ttves, engines, passenger, sleeping,
freight, parlor, platform, construction
and other cars and appurtenances."
Section l of the act, as above
quoted, states clearly that the prop
erty shall be subject to taxation in
''the manner provided by law" and
Section As specifies, definitely and be-
yond the shadow of doubt, the man
ner in which railroad property shall
be subject to taxation, and clearly
and specifically defines just what
property shall be assessed. In MAX
ing the assessment, which includes
the determination of the valuation at
which the property shall be assessed,
the board-consisting Of the comp
troller, attorney general, and state
treasurer-must necessarily have IN
mind the provisions Of the state con-
stitution and the provisions of the
law. In the exercise of this duty the
board has endeayored in every case to
comply with the constitution and laws
and to see that "just valuation" of
the railroad property is made in &C
cordance with the purpose and in
tent of the provisions of the state
constitution, as above quoted. That
the valuation of the railroad prop
erty, which the law authorizes the
board to assess, is placed as high, or
higher, than that of other property
there can be no doubt. 1t is clear
that the board would have no right
to consider the franchise value or the
earning capacity of a railroad as
there is not word in the law that
would give the board any such author
ity. That the valuation of railroad
property has increased in the last four
years at a greater rate than other
property is evidenced by the fact that
IN the year 1911 the assessed valua-
ton of all railroad property IN the
state was S31, 265, 555, and there has
been a steady increase in the assessed
valuation of all railroad property Il
42,735, 900. This shows an increase
of 81 per cent in the total assess.
ment. In that time the total mileage
of railroads IN this state has increased
less than is per cent, or from 5,05C
miles to 5,847. In other words, with
an increased mileage of less than II
per cent the valuations have been in,
creased 81 per cent, and certainly M
other property in the state has beer
increased as rapidly in valuation fol
assessment purposes in proportion t
its actual increased valuation.
We viii now consider the allegation
that Comptroller Knott Discriminate
against the people in the interest o.
railroads, and that when he makes
up his mind to do so he is the actua
assessor. That this is a gross mis-
representation of the law and th,
facts viii be evident to any person
who viii read the law. Your atten
ton is called to that part of Section
46, which provides that, "And Shout,
any such company or its officers fai
to make the returns required by thi
act on or before the first Monda,
| IN March, when such returns ar
made, or should any such returns no
be made, or should the comptroIle
have reason to believe that any re
turns SO made does not give a com
| plete and correct value of such rail
road property, it is hereby made tn
duty of the comptroller, attorne,
i general, and state treasurer. afte
having giyeR Ast less than five days