Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-03-26
From the Evening Bulletin
THE PENNSYLVANIA RAIL Ro.D-srATE
TAX AND TONNAGE-No

"0 "'a'e, Is beginning 10 be proper
y appreciated by our citizens. Petitions,
signed by gentlemen of the
n'enesl intelligence and respec,abiiy, have
oeen presented 10 the Legislature of Penn.
sylVanla, praying for the abatement of the
TAX on The tonnage which passes through the
o'aie' 1t is hoped that LIBERAL and enlisht.
ened spirit will characterize the action Of
'h's body, and that, proi,ing by the exam
PIE oi other States, all injurious restrictions
upon trade will be removed and encourage.
ment given TO the earliest possible develop
ment OF the great resources of our hiuhly
favored territory.
Inc tax on The tonnage of the Pcnnsylva-
MA Railroad was the offspring of short.
s'sh'ed and erroneous policy, which looked
upon The Pennsylvania Railroad as a COM
petl'or, and rival Of the Pennsylvania Canal,
and which sought 10 sustain tho latter
oyparalyzing The ef1ots of the former.-
strange that intelligent Legislators conlI no,
perceive that the effect of prohibiting the
pennsylvania Railroad from engaging ex.
'ehslVely IN transportation would be, not 10
throw an increased business upon the canal,
Dn' 10 oppose an efeciual barrier 10 its tram
s't through the State, refusing the rich boon
oHered TO us in the trade of the Wesi. and
forcing 1t to pass over rival Improvements TO
seaooard market in rival cities.
II rival Improvements transport at a
cheaper rate than the Pennsylvania railroad,
can any tact be more clear than that the
trade VIII 90 TO the other cities, unless the
difference in the markets in favor of Phila.
aeIphia shall compensate for The difference
on freight This difference in favor OF
Philadelphia does not exist for many ar,i.
cies New York and Boston will pay better
prices, and for others Baltimore is prefero.
BILE 10 either. How is it possible, then, ,bs,
Philadelphia can secure this trade, unless
she can offer as cheap transportation as
o'her cities! And hoy can this chear
transportation be furnished when subjected
10 enormous taxes, from which rival i'm.
provements are exempt
The fact is that the Pennsylvania Railroad
company must transport through freinhts a:
cheapiy as any other improvement anc
'hough the present excessive tax should be
doubted, it could make no difference in the
fate oil charge. This rate is, and must ne
cessary be, governed solely by competition
II Is simply question whether the trade
shall be secured or lost. To secure it, or Al
n al
equal TO, or less, efeclualy TO and certainly
ii is only necessary that this rate should be
higher.
But if the charges for transportation or
the Pennsylvania Railroad are as low as or
other roads, while the Company is burdened
with tax from which its rivals are ey
empt, is it not evident that there must be a
compensation somewhere, and that the los:
sustained by the payment Of tax on the
through business must be made I'D from
some other source Is it not clear as light
that without some such compensatory reve.
nue. ; company would become bankrupt
And is il not equally clear that the local bu.
sness of the road furnishes the only com.
pensation that can be made available when
rival lines carry through freight, as they
certainly will, at the average cost of Trans.
portalion
1t follows, therefore, that the tax on ton.
mage, whatever it. may be, cannot be al
Iowed 10 affect The prices for through freight
ouI must be paid entirely from the receipt.
upon the local business. As 'Juniatau yer,
correctly remarks, 'the greater the amoun
oil through freight, the greater the burder
upon the interior" However "ungenerous'
this course may be in the estimation of sJu
nia'a," we cannot perceive why il is no
entirely correct. If competition shall com
pei the Pennsylvania Railroad Company l.
carry below the cost of transportation, inclu
ding taxes, will "Juna,a" point out an
other way of compensation for this los.
other than by Increased charges upon tha
business which is beyond the reach of con
petition-the local BUSINESS of the line
Upon what principle can the Company /
charged with injustice or want Of liberalit
in the imposition of increased charges whic
this course has rendered necessary If ci
cumstances beyond the control of the Con
pany limit the rates on through freights,
this reason why The local business shou
not be charged at remuneralive rates I!
Will il be said that, because merchant
compelled 10 sell an article below cost, tn
he is under any obligations 10 lose on eve
other article which he may be disposed
sell The absurdiiy of the position is t
obvious to require comment.
We are free 10 admit that, whatever Il
may be imposed upon the business of 4
Pennsylvania Railroad, the whole burdea
ii must be borne by those who use the ro
for local business and if this affects, as
most assuredly does, the interests Of /
State, the remedy must be sought in the
moval of the cause not in complaint agail
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for
establishment of rates of charge which I
unwise and oppressive policy of the 81;
has rendered necessary.
PENNSYLVANIA,
From the n. American and L, 5. Gazette.
THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD-STA'
TAX AND TONNAGE-NO. ,.