Monte Vista journal and Monte Vista graphic-reporter., 1924-10-24
PEOPLE WOULD PAY
IF RAILROADS WERE
GOVERNMENT OWNED
Third Party Plan Would
Take Revenue From
States Involved.

II the rdilrodus OF the United States
should be taken over. owned and op.
Grated by the government, the vast
faxes now paid by the railroads would
have to be paid by the people, accord.
ing to VIII n. Wood, member of con.
gress from Indiana and chairman OF
the Republican National Congression.
a committee. Mr. Wood has made
careful analysis OF the situation
noting the tax payments by the rail.
roads to the several state governments
last year.
II the roads were owned by the
government they would be tax free
just as the post offices now are. The
states would still need the money.
Just as they do now, and as result
additional taxes would have to be lev.
led on the citizens
MIR. Woods complete analysis fol-
lows:
Robert NJ. LaFoliette, the Social.
ist-third party candidate for Pres-
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. transportu-
tion rates OF all kinds would be i'm.
mediately reduced.
There are q lot Of things, however,
that would transpire II this scheme
were carried out. that Senator LnFol-
iette is woefully silent upon. He is
not telling the farmers that the gov.
ernment pays no taxes on Its proper
ties and that II would pay no taxes
on the railroads of the country IL II
owned them. He is not telling them
thnt the railroads are paying into the
various county and state treasures Of
the United States more than $500.
wv annually, which SUN 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.
81 stance: Last year the railroads paid
the state OF Wisconsin S7.32I,976 in
taxes. In the state OF Minnesota the
railroads paid, last year. = total tax
to the state Of s., ,&2!.9So. In Iowa they
paid <'i.si9, ,103; In Kansas. SO. .T39 346 /;
In Indiana. Sl3U2I.621. In these five
states alone the railroads paid S42..
331 ,ta'4 Of the public tax burden. |
have taken the figures in the above
named states because they are large.
ly agricultural and In the event that
the government became the owner of
the railroads of the country the farm
ers Of these states would have to bear
the greatest part of the burden In pay
ing these additional taxes.
"In the state OF Iowa IL the I.aFol
lette scheme were carried out. Il would
mean an Increase OF S32 In taxes an
nually levied against each farm In the
state, or $3.50 for each man, woman
and child In the state. In Kansas the
burden would be SO against each farm
or S3.oO for each resident of that state
In Minnesota, where Mr. Lnfollctte H.
making stron: appeal for votes, he
would take away from the farmer.
under I'll. government ownership plan,
tax Income now paid by the rail,
roads and place II ms an additional MS.
sessmeht Of SII against each farm In
the state, or $3.50 against each person
residing In that commonwealth.
Il am told that. In one county In
Montana. the total tax paid by the rail.
ronds amounts TO 1851 per cent Of the
entire levy. In midsummer Of this
year there wins Sio..lo2 Of the total
TAX assessed In That county delinquent.
upon which n penalty had been laid.
This ix convincing evidence thmt this
county WIS already taxed much more
than II wns able Ia pay. Yet Mr. L..
Toilette would take away %h per
cent Of the tnx reycaue Of this coun.
~. now heing paid by the railroads,
snd place II rs an additional burden
upon the Individual taxpayer.
In my avn state Of Indiana. the
railroads pay Si3.U9t.G27 In taxes an.
nualiy. tn. total tax of the state 10
Si2%.sG6. 100. The railroads shHre Of
this tnx IL over 10 per cent. II Mr..
LnFolictir's scheme were put Into ef.
feet. the individual taxpayer Of indi.
nm would have 90 pay this additional
sum Of si3.I'iGc7 each year In Mari.
on county the railroads pay annually
t7i5.3ss In taxes, \ very substantial
item In the total Of the taxes paid In
that county.
''Th. figures that I have given. ap.
piicnbic to the avs agricultural states
named. dli,.r only In degree from those
that might be given for every other
state In til. Union.
mo, only would III. farmers be bur.
d-ncd by the payment Of these nd
ditionni inx.s. should ih" government
become the owners of the railroads.
but they would also have an additional
burden TO bear. the size Of which II
IL hard 10 ascertain. In the shape Of
dencii. occurring In the operation Of
the railroads ~ the country for main
tensncr. extensions and upkccp.
"Xnme ldsa Of Mhnt this burden would