Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-01-11

sum of $2,236, ,S82,15.
When it 10 remembered that for tae last
three years the tax on real and personal estate
has been but two and half mills on the dollar,
while from 1874 to 1857 it was three mills
that for the past two years and six months the
State has received no part of the tax on tom
mage due from the Pennsylvania railroad com
pany--and that since July, 1859, the interest
on the bonds held by the State against the
Sunbury ard Erie railroad company has re-
manned due and unpaid, il is certainly cause
for hearty congratulAtiun, That, without aid
from these important sources Of revenue, so
great reduction of the public debt has been
accomplished in comparatively SO short q
period. The funded debt OF the State is now
less than it has been since 1912, and the un-
funded and floating debt, which at that time
amounted to upwards of two millions of dol
lars, has been almost entirely redeemed. 1t
is now reduced to $l20,72l 78--and of this
SUN over ninety-uins thousand dollars consists
of relief notes, most of which are undoubtedly
either lost or destroyed, and will, therefore,
ne7eT be presented for payment. The claims
against the State, accruing from the construc.
tion and maintenance of ber canals aud rail-
roads, are now reduced to a mere nomloai sum
aud, in the future, after providing for the or
dinary expenses of government, her revenues
and her energies may be exclusively applied to
the payment Of the interest, and the discharge
of the principal of her public debt.
The people Of Pennsylvania have hitherto
met, with promptness, the demands made upon
them FROM time to time, for the ways and
means Of replenishing the Public Treasury;
aud now that they see that the onerous de6l
with which they have been SO long 5urdecad,
is each year certainly and rapidly disappearing
that the amount required 10 meet the interest
ID ls-anuually being diminished that coDseq oeut-
ly still greater sum can each year Do devoted
to the reduction of the principal of the debt,
without rcsorting to additional sources of Ieve-
uue- and that, with proper outstanding of
the resources Of the State, the day is not far
distant When direct taxation In PsuusyIgania
will eesse aliogether-the payment Of such
taxes may tor the time be required 10 meet
the public necessities, will continue to be met
with cheerf0lness AID alaerisy. But they will
uHqnestlonably bold those 10 whose care they
have entrusted the financial interests OF the
state 10 rigid accountability. That there
should, at this particular juactnre, when the
business and monetary affairs of the country
are SO greatly depressed, be tae siIictest econ
omy 10 puolIc expenditures IS so manifest, that
1t can scarcely be necessary to call attention TO
SO plain duty. 1t is equally clear that any
legislation which would tend greatly to lessen
the revenues OF the Commonwealth, would, at
this time, be peculiarly u1wise and inexpedi-
ont. The exigencies Of the future no man can
foretell-the prospect before ns is beelou1ed
With doubt aud uncortaInGy-it is, therefore,
no more than the part Of wisdom to guard,
With uneessiDg vigilance, all our present soar
ces Of revenue, and to thus be prepared for
avery possible contingency.
Since July, 1858, The PennsyIvania railroad
company has refused to pay the tax ou tonnage
required TO be paid BY the act Incorporating
the company, and its various supplements /;
and there is now due to the State, on thai ac-
count, exclusive OF interest, the sum OF $674,'
296 22 Including the interest, the sum gov
due 10 about 100000. Before my last an
nual message was communicated to the L4gIs-
lature, case had been tried 10 the court Of
common pleas of DAuphin county, betwsen the
Commonwealth aud she railroad company, in-
volying the question Of the ronstitusionalry
Of this tax, which vas decided 10 favor Of the
State, and the imposition Of the tax pronounced
constitutional. In January last, another suit
Vas sried between the same parties, in the
same court, involving the same question, With
like result. liz December last, Judgment
vas obtained in the district court of PhiIadel-
pha, upon one of the semi annual settlements,
for $4,000. So that Judgment has been
obtained for $365 900 of the debt, being the
whole amount which became due prior TO 1860.
L.. IL
amounts 10 S308, 1929 03. The 6rss settle
ment for The year is before the Dauphin county
court, on an appeal taken by the company !;
and the seooud, or last settlement was made
but few days since, by al accountant depart
men. of the Commonwealth.
After the recovery, in the coUmon pleas Of
Dauphin county, the cases were removed by
wriss of error, taken on behalf Of the defend
ants, to the Supreme Court of this State, where
they were argued in june last, aud in October
that tribunal sustained she decision of the court
of common pleas, and held the tax 10 be clearly
constitutional; thus unitiug With the law making
power IN affirming the right of the State TO tax
corporation under law 10 which il owes It's
existence. But, notwithstanding this concur
renee OF opinion and action on behalf Of the
constituted authorities of Pennsylvania, the
litigation is not yet at an end; for the railroad
company has recently removed the cases, by
writa of error. to the Supreme Court Of the
United States, where they are now pending
That she decision of that court will, when made
fully sustain the right Of sovereign State to
enforce contract between the State and n
corporation, and entirely vindicate the power Of
State to impose sach taxes upon corporations,
As in her sovereign will she may deem proper,
cannot for moment doubt.
To complete the history Of this important lit
igstion, and to show that every effort has been,
thus far. made to compel shs payment of this