Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-08-10
Delaware Co. Farm Bureau
TAXATION MEETING

TAXATION MEETING
The meeting of the Board of Re.
view, which starts next Monday, Aug
8, at Des MOines, is for the purpose Of
giving the County Boards OF Super,
viosrs the opportunity Of presenting
their objections to their assessments
in comparison with neighboring and
other counties in the state. (The in
tlividual assessments are in no way
to be considered for that is a town
ship AFFAIR." The board of supervisors
may be represented by the county at
torney or any other person whom they
may see fit to appoint.
We are under the impression that
the executive council has been fair in
equalizing the personal property and
real estate valuation. The land val
uations are based on the 1919 assess
ments which are lower than those OF
1920. Your state Federation has been
"on the job" and every farmer mem
Der can feel that his membership dues
have been saved to hiw several times
over.
MEMORIAL FOR LOWER RATES
On July rs the president of the
American Farm Bureau Federation, as
representative of million and a
half farmers in forty-seven states,
presented to the President Of the
United States, members of Congress
and the Interstate commerce commits
sion memorial requesting that sub
stantial decrease in freight rates on
basic commodities be brought about
and the transportation act be re-
pealed. The memorial reads as fol-
lows:
After the Armistice was signed in
1919. the whole world entered upon a
reconstruction period, Methods and
prices have been gradually readjusted
toward the pre-war level. A similar
process has followed practically every
war; One year ago this movement was
launched. The prices on most of the
necessities Of life have been sealed
to a lower level. and statistics show
that agricultural products have been
scaled to the lowest level OF all.
In the United States there is one
notable exception to this worldwide
readjustment The Government de-
creed last year that railroad rates
must increase. When every other line
OF business was called upon to re-
duce its charges the American people
were ordered to assume an increased
transportation burden of more than
one billion, five hundred million dol
lars annually. The avowed purpose
of this increase was to take care of an
increase in the cost Of operation and
also to increase the net income of
the railroad corporation by two hun
bred million dollars over the amount
guaranteed them during the war.
But this attempt overshot the mark.
1t crippled the business Of the country.
The percentage advanced disrupted the
rate relationships and unsettled bus
iness conditions. Instead of increasing
the net income of the railroads it
actually decreased it.
bona fide effort on the part of the
railroads to right this wrong. But
nothing except few minor changes
of relatively inconsequential character
SO far as tonnage is concerned have
been effected. The Railroad Labor
Board has already ordered wage re-
auctions of $400,0O0,000, or approx
imately two-thirds of the increase
granted last years. still other decreas
es in wages may be effected. But the
railroad corporations are still obdur-
ate; they decline to make any general
reductions in rates.
We now appeal to the agencies of
the Federal Government to bring us
relief. 1t is imperative that the rail-
road yield all the rate advances in
tended to increase their net income
above the war guaranty and intended
to care for that portion of the wage
advance which became in-operative
July / of this year. If the railroads
accept such a readjustment of rates,
we confidently be4ieve that there will
be a business revival of wonderful
value to the railroads themselves, as
well as to the community at large.
Next to agriculture our greatest in
dustry is the railroads. Upon the
size OF the toll which the railroads
collect and upon the equitable dis
tribution of that toll as between local
titles and persons depends in large
measure the success or failures of
many enterprises. No other business
is more vitality connected with the
prosperity and the life of our people.
There is provision in the statutes
relied upon by the Interstate Com
merce Commission in its decision of
last year, known as Section 15-A of
the Transportation Law, which at
tempts to compel the Commission to
make rates sufficient to produce net
revenue above all expenses and taxes
equivalent to 51s to per cent. on
the present value of the railroads.
This attempts the impossible. and ex-
perience has demonstrated the eco
nomic fallacy. One great industry can
not be singled out and granted the
equivalent of permanent govern
ment guaranty, when its prosperity Is
so intimately interviewer with all the
other activities of the country. That
industry must share with all OF us
the changing conditions of industry
and commerce. We appeal to Con-
gress to bring about the repeal of
Section 15-A Of the Transportation
T.ow