Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-04-01
From the Harrisburg Kevs
N'A sfN AA0ti iSout6 hNs q
THE THREE MILL

hHE lhklEAE MILL Ks.
Mr.. EDITOR: The repeal of tht o's e., o.,
Tax on the Pennsylvania and Haas at ~ !. c0' ::
Lancaster Railroads being qu,o;a me naeed ~
before our State Legislature, it is ed, ]
that the sabject-the operation and ,thel
this tax-should be correctly underSidd:ext
all its bearings. I@it
Many object to its repeal under the o.' no
that the repeating it would be gra&d, oh; :,
benefit conferred on those Railroad "a
nies--and SO much of a loss, as its g. ,oh
to the people of the State. sbu
This however is an entire mistake 80
SO far as its repeal might enable themcas qthC
more through trade and travel, comint 'ds
beyond the limits of the State than tho -
can, or do. Those companies under thine.
spective charters have the power and ~ - =
charge higher rates than they now do. e '.'slA
charges on such through business M by thu
will, at all times, be regulated and dete.ance fo1
by those of competing lines on the nor, ar
south of them. Consequently and iney "h't@
while those companies are controlled 9TH il0
sons, capable and disposed to take cfat -
and protect their interests, the aoho{e I. a.
! Tax, while it exists is must and VITO alt,,Ne
| to be paid by the people Of the Statoh taarsse
! other words, by the local trade and ira, !
within it, with added charges fer the trouble
and expense of ascertaining its amount, and
to make sure Of having enough Not only
this, but also-what may not have occurred
! to many affected by it--that since the Penn
| syvania Railroad Company has purchased
| and own the Columbia Railroad as part of
! the Main Line, it is but natural that this COM
| pany should-and it does, charge proper
tionate part of this Tonnage Tax on and to
! the local trade and travel passing over the
! Columbia Railroad So that the people of ALI
| the counties through which the Coumbia
Rail pd cf flaa soc Of fba
State through which Railroads pass, connect
ing with it, directly or indirectly, from which
| trade and travel comes or is sent and which,
in part, passes over the Columbia Railroad,
as well as the Pennsylvania Railroad proper,
| In point of fact, pay a portion of the aggre-
| gate amount of this Tonnage Tax.
The result therefore of this tax, so far as
regards the interests of the people of the
| State, being precisely similar to that of the
policy of a man who gives one hundred dol
lars out OF one pocket to be enabled to put
| ninety dollars into another pocket.
In the nature of things, while it exists,
those who control those Roads, ichere they
can, willard it must be conceded they ought
| make such charges as will indemnify them
fol- this tax, and be a fair compensation for
| their capital, expense and risks They can
not charge a proportion of this tax on the
| trade and travel coming from avHhout the
limits OF the State, tor the reason that no such
tar is charged on the competing routes On the
north and south, and their charges must be
regulated by those of their rivals through
! other States; and it necessarily follows that
they must, they will, and they do charge the
! rchole of its aggregate amount on the local
| trade and travel within the State with some
| ting added for the expense and trouble, &C.,
consequent on its existence
But it is said by some, that even if this tax
was repealed, those companies would still
continue to charge no less than they now do,
or otherwise would on the local trade and
| travel within the State. Such opinion, how
ever, is directly contrary to the ordinary
course of human action, and to some extent
must be founded on latent prejudice Those
who control those roads will, in the first place,
charge what they consider fair compensa-
tion for their capital, expenses and risks, and
at least the whole amount of this tax, if not
something more. And especially will they
! be likely to charge somewhat more, if they
think the tax ought not to be imposed on
| them.
The question in regard to this tax ought
not to be decided by any feeling of either
friendship or hostility towards the companies
paying it, but solely with reference to what
is the true interest of the people of the State.
and the trade and travel within it.
COMMON SENSE.