Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-01-30
Taxing Railroads.

Taxing RaIiroaHS'
We notice that Mr.. Dockery in the Senate, ana MI
Meares in the House of Commons, have brought 1or'
ward the project of raising revenue by imposing a
tax upon through passengers or freight carried over
the Railroads of the State. This system has been IN
iiated in New jersey but the example of that State
has been followed by other State in the Union, and
even there ii is done in pursuance Of clause IN the
charter Of the monster monopoly, which, Tor many
years. ruled the State with rod of iron and caused
it to bear the sobriquet of the State of Camden and
Amboy"
Apart from the fact that few, we trust, desire TO
earn for North Carolina, the unenViabIe reputation
which this Algerine policy has conferred upon New
jersey there are other matters to be looked at It's
as we have already said, in pursuance OF stpula-
ton in the charter of the monopoly which controls
all the travel passing the State between the two
greatest cities of the Union, that New Jersey leVles
this tribute The charters Of the Roads in this State
contemplate no such thing if indeed they do not d.
recty oppose it, ana render legislation pointing that
wav in virtual and we think direct violation OF the
innlied contract between such roads and the State
It is expressly provided, in the 10Th section OF the
Act cbartering the Wilmington and Raleigh, DOW the
Wilmington and Weldon, Railroad Company that
"the property OF said Company and the shares mere
in. shall be exempt from any public tax or charge
whatsoever"
Now, we contend that tax upon the use OF any
property is in effect, tax or charge upon the prep
ertV itself This road, any other road, is charter
ed with the express object and intention OF carrying
passengers and freight, and any tax nomnaiIy on
such passengers or freight is tax upon the road
carving them for common sense will show that, nre'
gard especially to through passengers there are rising
I'D so many competing lines outside OF the State that
our lines cannot afford to add this tax to their rates
Thew will be forced themselves to pay the tax and
pocket the loss
Let anv person take a look at the progress be-
ing made towards diverting travel into other chan
neIs-eforts that cannot fail, under the most ia
vourabIe circumstances, TO exert an injurious IN
Auence upon the prosperity OF the Seaboard lInes,
and be will see at that now is not the time
when these latter lines afford 10 pay tribute to
any Stale through which passengers may be carried
And indeed in this State such an arrangement for
raising revenue would be something ike having money
taken out of one pocket and put into another pay
ing q commission for having the process carried on
The Railroads thus to be taxed ara very largely State
property. Take the upper line consisting OF the Raj
eigh and Castor and the Central, and a ridiculous
spectacle would be presented, similar to that limited
at bv the inhabitant of very poor region OF coun
try, who said that he and his neighbors lived by
skinning strangers, and when no strangers came
along they skinned each other. Perhaps, the State
may make money by skinning herself and putting
tax on the use of her own property and then again,
perhaps she may not
Nor is it much better in the way Of State interests,
where the loss falls on the fund for the education of
her children, which would happen with the Whining
ton and Weldon and Wilmington and Manchester R.
Roads in which certain portions Of the literary Fund
are invested 1t must seriously Interfere with the
dividends which go to swell the sem.annna distribu-
tions of School Money.
The gentlemen introducing and advocating this
scheme of taxation, cannot, think, have examin-
ed it carefully. The State cannot directly impose
tax upon the citizens Of other States coming in or
going out of this. She cannot guard her frontiers
and keep up an army to exact toll. She can only
levy a tax upon the company or companies carrying
them, and this tax is opposed to the spirit of their
charters must come mainly out of the Public Fund
and the School Funds opposed to State policy
which dictates that in the race OF competition now
about to commence in real earnest, her lines Ough
not to be made to labor under the disadvantage o
carrying extra weight and besides, We all know tina
the system Of New Jersey subjects her to reproach
and is the topic OF animadversion from Maine to Tex
as We appeal to the State pride Of these gentlemen
and of the whole Legislature, and we are mistaken i
we appeal in vain.