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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1902)
THE NEBRASKA' INDEPENDENT. 7 s I- ft 6 V- - TAX REFORM Will the Coming Legislature do Aeythla Toward Remedying Present Tax Erili? Among all the republican papers of the state only one, the Omaha Bee, made any serious effort to discuss the question of taxation during the past campaign. The others occasionally sneered at the matter and called atten tion to notorious instances of tax dodging, largely for the purpose of making light of the populist demand for a railroad assessment of" at least forty millions, under present valua tions of other property. The republi can platform made nothing but a gen eral declaration in .favor of a more strict enforcement of the revenue laws, and Mr. Rosewater, insisting that the question is not a party one, took pains to show that railroad assessed valua tions should be above the fifty-million mark, and at the same time supported republican candidates undoubtedly op posed to such a radical raise. It re mains to be seen whether he will have influence enough to convince them that he is right. Apparently he believes that he cannot, and is now devoting his energies to coaxing the railroads to "consent" to a substantial increase in their assessment, that they may ward off future trouble if the people should decide to lay a heavy hand on freight rates. It must be humiliating for him to assume this attitude. Populist and democratic papers, led by The Independent, the Central Farm er and the Omaha World-Herald, stood staunchly by the party demands for a substantial increase in railroad assess ments, well knowing that tax-dodging is practiced in every line of business, but that the greatest sinners of all are the railroads. In fact, the history of tax-dodging in Nebraska shows con clusively that the initiative has always been taken by the state board on be half of the railroads. Will the coming legislature, brutal ly republican in both branches, make any substantial improvements in our revenue laws? The answer is not hard to find: Most of the republican, mem bers were elected by railroad help they will do nothing which would tend to lessen the profits of eastern and Eu ropean stockholders of Nebraska rail roads. It would be folly to expect them to do anything. With all the power of the Bee Mr. Rosewater cannot coerce, cajole or coax these republican mem bers to do anything. He has a deeper insight into the future of his party than most of these members but all his powers of persuasion and intimida tion will come to nought. The legisla ture will make no substantial change in our revenue law. And the republi can state board of equalization will continue to assess railroad property so that the other taxpayers will pay half a million to a million dollars a year which the railroads ought to pay. Viewed from a non-partisan stand point the only rational step toward a better revenue system which this leg islature could take, would be to pro vide for calling a constitutional con vention, and as a temporary expedient to Increase the state general fund lim it to 7 or 10 mills, instead of 5 as at present And then if the republican state board would take the Bee's ad vice and raise the railroad assess ment to at lest forty or fifty mil lions, the question of taxation could be side-tracked until the constitutional convention had done its duty. Any attempt to give the state board power to equalize by raising or lowering val uations will eventually result in a worse state of affairs than prevails at present. The fact is, whatever defects are ap parent in our revenue system and they are patent are inherent in the system itself and not in the law. Our revenue law was carefuly drawn by a man well qualified. It is similar to the old Ohio law and has worked in a similar manner. Its defects are seen in every state where prevails the sys tem of taxing all property, moveable and immovable, tangible and intangi ble, real and personal, at a uniform rate upon value. Theoretically, the idea is democratic and good. In prac tice it is a failure, for many reasons which need not be pointed out at this time, but which will be discussed in future articles of the subject. A roueh outline of The Independent s position on the taxation problem fol lows. The first requisite is a constitu tional provision which will permit a different system of levying taxes, leav ing lands and other property to pay local taxes only, and taking railroad, telegraph, telephone, express and sim ilar taxes for maintenance of state government. A progressive tax on gross revenues, instead of value, would tend to settle the freight rate ques tion. Then the matter of equalization between different counties would be at an end. The gross inequalities be tween school districts would be recti fied. By a reasonable increase in rail road valuations todav. Nebraska could take the total railroad tax in lieu of any taxes from the counties and main tain state government the same as now. without disadvantage to any but a very few counties where there is a large railroad mileage. Of course, this cannot come for a number of vears. but the best time to discuss questions of future policy is before the campaign comes on. b or the present a limit of 7 or 10 mills for state general fund (thereby giving op portunity for some equalization by varying the rate) and a railroad as sessment of forty millions will do the work as well as could be expected. And The Independent feels sure the repub licans will fail to do this much. Hurrah for Dundas John H. Dundas of the Auburn Granger was fusion candidate for float representative in the Fifth district, but being a newspaper man the people of Nemaha voted against him to the tune of 337 adverse majority which doesn't speak very highly for the good judgment of Nemaha county people. Dundas has never been what might be termed a partisan. His course in thv state senate of 1897 showed him to be a man with firm convictions of his own, and a student of government. He 8 i 1 o 1.11 I 3 $6.00 FREIGHT PREPAID 100 MILES. We Guarantee SAFE DELIVERY No. 182. This bed differs from other beds of this style in that post filling and chills are much heavier than usual. Bed stands 5 ft. high, 1 in. posts, heavy brass top rails, knobs and spindles; any color of enamel to order; black, white, cream and olive in stock. Size 3Jx6 or 4ixH. Price $G.OO. Others $2.50 to 150.00. Send for Our Free Catalogue. Everything to furnish a home, and we guarantee every piece we sell. Money refunded if you are not satisfied. 41 1 I v. 1 1 18-1126 N Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Furniture, Carpet, Drapery, Queensware, Hardware UUei SOME GREAT MAIL ORDER SPECIALS In Underwear and Send orders at Once Lincoln's Progressive Store. bh ii a' van tt m ii 21 Women's Underwear. EXTRA SPECIALS. Women's fleece lined Vests and Pants of heavy weight in colors, Ecru, Gray and Cream, a garment that is retailed at many stores for 40c. 10 cases of this special num ber in all sizes. Each LO Women's fleece lined Vests and Pants, in Ecru and Gray, all si2es, sold everywhere for 50 cents. Our very special price O 7 1 each O yV Women's one-half wool Vests and Pants, an ideal garment and non-shrinkable -sizes very CAp full color Gray. Each... ?vfL EXTRA Women's two thirds wool Vests and Pants, with soft fleece lining, a garment sold else where at 1.00. 7Cr Each... 8 cases of special number in women's fleece lined Union Suits, also open down front a wonderful value for Men's Underwear. 2 BICr SPECIAL!. Men's heavy cotton or wool fleece lined and Fine Jersey Rib bed Shirts and Drawers, in Ecru, Blue and Brown colors, gar ments worth 7oc, each. r.49c Men's all wool, double breasted camel hair, silver gray ribbed, na tural wool and all wool red flannel Shirts and Drawers, in all sizes, worth to 11.50 a garment, for 25c Children's Underwear VERY SPECIALLY PRICED. , Children's fleece lined Ribbed Vests, Pants and Drawers, in Sil ver and Gray 6-mo. 1-yr.' 2-yr. 3 & 4-yra. 5 & 0 yr- 6 8 12 15 18 1 &8-m ! & 10-yia 11 4 12-yrs I?& 1 l-jr 15-yrs 21 25 25 25 25 lOtrnses bovs' extra heavy fleece lined Shirts and Drawers, regular 40c values, all sizes, "Jb to 34. This week, each 25c 98c 0 SPECIAL Hosiery Bargains. Women's seamless Black Cotton Hose with a heavy and fleecy lin ing, double heels and toes, I fp special, pair I Uu Women's fast Black Seamless Cotton Hose, fleeced, heav- I Olp ier quality, pair I Lli Women's extra heavy fiVeee lined Black Cotton Hobe, full I 7 a fashioned, pair .1 III Women's Black Cashmere Wool Hose, in plain and ribbed OK a pair .JU Children's fleece lined, jibbed Black Cotton Hose, double- 1 11 a beebandi toes, pair lUU Boysr extra heavy fleece- h'rw-d, Cotton hose, 2-1 rib, double HRa heels and toes, pair .... Lvi Send for Catalogue No. 12. cannot be heard in the legislative halls this coming year, but he proposes to do something that may bo productive of much more good: He will give a re sume of disgraceful legislation enacted in the past but let him tell his own- story: Beginning next week and continuing thrnneh the remainins: issues of the year, the Granger will publish a re sume of the texts and tne operation oi a lot of partisan laws upon our stat ute books, which have been enacted in the interest of parties, and their amendment or repeal has not neen ei fected because of partisan efforts which have blocked the way to honest legislation in the interest of the whole neonle: and all this in face of the constitutional provision prohibiting class legislation. No other naoer, to our knowledge, and certainly no party paper, has" ever devoted any space to exposing tnese shameful measures, hence a resume of the same will be a startling revela tion to manv who have read only party papers which have spent their time keeping the fires of party hatred at white heat. These measures, and the party hat red that has made it nossible for them to be enacted, and impossible for them to be repealed, have certainly ben tne ivn-r nlinTViinof inn in tnn a ffa J l fT ciuwiiiij; aiunuaijuu w our beloved state, hence the Granger has made war against them, notwith standing the poodle politicians and party newspaper men have cried "mugwump." or some othr term in hopes to give offense. This resume will be published in ten point type, double column, so that everv voter can read it without glasses. We want ev ery reader of the Granger to road carefully and reflect. And we want several hundred voters who have nev er read the Granger to have a chance to read in condensed form some lines from laws which are a disgrace to the state, because the Innocent taxpayers are footing enormous bills only to keep up the party war while rascals control legislation in their own inter est. We want every reader of the Granger who is anxious Tor better ' -- Aft ri rC o ry A Trt frf flAnnivi r 4- n .1 in one, two or ten subscribers at ten cents each and the Grander will go to their address until January 1, 190.?. How many of our readers will respond? Remember, that for nearly nineteen years we have courted honest criticism ROY'S DRUG STORE I04 North I0H St We say "Roy's" drug store tig a matter of f:.ct it is EVERYBODY'S drug store almost. Roy only coo ducts it, buys and keeps to sell goods, and meet and fo competition. Our patrons do the rest. We waut to remh.:l you of seasonable goods, viz; Garden Seeds, Condit: Powders, Lice Killers, B. E. Poison, Kaisomine,. Paints, Oils, Varnishes, etc. We make a specialty of all kinds i-f Stock and Poultry Foods, etc. Doc't miss us. Rovs' i 04 No i Oil! LINCOLN, NEB. Best Low Priced Hotel n the City. RATES, $1.00 per day and up. Hotel Walton 1516 O St LINCOLN. NEK, and tendered space to any man, wom an or child to point out wherein the course of the Granger has not been consistent with good government anl human well-being, and you are again invited. Small Ranch I have for sale 640 acres of land nearly a" vr.v finfiBt hav to be found anywhere, and the balance pasture. Part can be farmed if de sired. Hay of excellent quality. No better chance anywhere for a man wanting a small ranch. J. A. DONOIIOE, O'Neill, Neb.