The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1924-10-10

PEOPLE WOULD PAY
If RAILROADS WERE
GOVERNMENT OWNED
Third Party Plan Would
Take Revenue From
States Involved.

Grated by the government, the va
taxes now paid by the. railroads woul
have to be paid by the people, accor'
ing to VIII r. Wood, member of COZ
gress from Indiana and chairman {
the Republican National CongressioI
al committee. Mr.. Wood has mad
careful analysis OF the situation
noting the tax payments by the raj
roads to the several state government
last year.
II the roads were owned by tn
government they would be tax FREE
just as the post Offices now are. TIL,
states would still need the money
just as they do now, and as a resul
additional taxes would have to be lev
led on the citizens
Mr.. Woods complete analysis fol
lows:
Robert II. LaFollette, the Social.
lst-third party candidate for Presi-
dent. is trying to convince 100000
farmers that the surest cure for their
Ills is to bring about government own
ership OF all the railroads in the coun-
try; that, II this is done, transporta-
ton rates Of all kinds would be I'M
medlately reduced
There are lot of things, however,
that would transpire II this scheme
were carried out. that Senator LaFoI-
lette Is woefully silent upon. He Is
not telling the farmers that the gov
eminent pays no taxes on its proper
Ties and that 1t would pay no taxes
on the railroads Of the country IL II
owned them. He Is not telling them
that the railroads are paying into the
various county and state treasures of
the United States more than $500, OOO,-
O0O annually, which sum would have
to be paid. in large part, by the farm
ers, once the government began the
ownership Of the railroads.
Take the state Of Wisconsin for in
stance: Last year the railroads paid |
the state Of Wisconsin 1891 ,976 in |
taxes In the state OF Minnesota the
railroads paid, last year, a total tax
to the state Of sS,425, 1892. In Iowa they
paid $6,S49, 703; In Kansas, SO, .346:
n Indiana. $13,094.627. In these five
states alone the railroads paid 49,
|3l.634 OF the public tax burden. j
AVE taken the figures in the above
FAMED states because they are large.
agricultural and In the event that
he government became the owner of
ne railroads OF the country the farm
rs OF these states would have to bear
ne greatest part OF the burden in pay
ig these additional taxes. ,ll
In the state of Iowa IL the I,aFol- :
Ute scheme were carried out, it would :
ean an Increase Of $50 in taxes an
laliy levied against each farm in the .
ate. or $3.50 for each man. woman G
ID child in the state. In Kansas tho
lrden would be $40 against each farm .
$3.50 for each resident OF that state
Minnesota, where Mr.. LaFollette is o.
aking strong appeal for votes. he q
ould take away from the farmer. d.
der the government ownership plan. O
tax income now paid by the rail- pi
ads and place 1t as an additional as 81
'sment of SAT against each farm in Inc
state, or $3.50 against each person W
siding In that commonwealth.
1 am told that, In one county in
ntana, the total tax paid by the rail. ! nj
Ids amounts to 1881 per cent of tho a.
Ire levy. In midsummer of this Rs
If there was $104,1O2 Of the total st
assessed in that county delinquent, =
m which penalty had been laid |
S Is convincing evidence that this =
nty was already taxed much more
n 1t was able TO pay. Yet Mr.. La.
lette would take away 1914 per
OF the tax revenue Of this coun.
now being paid by the railroads.
place it az an additional burden
the individual taxpayer.
n my own state OF Indiana. the
roads pay $13,094,627 in taxes an.
lily. The total tax OF the state il
.S66,790. The railroads share OF
tax Is over 10 per cent. II Mr.
ollette's scheme were put into ef-
the individual taxpayer of lndi- -
would have to pay this additional M NO
OF S13.O94,027 each year. In Mari. No. No.
'ounty the railroads pay annuaI,y No.
800 In taxes. a very substantial
In the total of the taxes paid n No
county. No.
ne figures that l have given, an. No.
Ole to the five agricultural states -
ID, differ only In degree from those
might be given for every other
in the Union. -
Of only would the farmers be bur- mi
by Tie payment Of these ad.
'al taxes. should the government
ne the owners Of the railroads,
n to bear, the size Of " which It Sou
rd 10 ascertain. In the shape Of :,
g occurring In Tho onorottox =. Nor