Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-01-30

Taxation of Railroads and Canals Of the State.
SPEECH OF SENATOR LANDON.


In the Senate, ON Friday the 17th inst, Hon.
GEo. LANDoN submitted the following resolu-
ton
Res0lred, That the Committee on Finance
be, aud they are hereby instructed to report
BILL to the Senate imposing tonnage and
passenger tax on all the canals and railroads
| in the State.
The resolution was twice read.
Mr. LANDON 1 offered that resolution,
Mr.. Speaker, in good faith. 1 have no sym
pathy with any effort for buncOmbe on subject
of so much importance. l want it understood,
sir, that | have submitted the proposition of
| the resolution in entire good faith. do not
propose to discuss its merits at this time, but
| | wish to make remark in explanation. If
the Committee on Finance shall report bill,
as the resolution suggests, then when that bill
comes up, the subject being open to full dis
cussion will be properly handled.
The truth is, sir, as we all know, our Gov
ernment is just row subject to- extraordinary
expenses. Well, sir, extraordinary emergen
cies always demand extraordinary efforts to
meet them. The expenses of our National
Governmen, as we are all aware, are some two
million dollars per day; and any man who is
sufficiently experienced mathematician may
! figure up what the annual expense will be, or
what the expenditure for two years will
amount to.
| And if expenses are incurred, expenses must
be provided for. Pennsylvania has got to bear
| her burden of these expenses, and of course
must make provision to meet her liabilities.
We desire to see the war in which we are
engaged-though / do not wish to launch out
into retrospect Of that question-we desire
to see the war prosecuted with energy; we are
all heartily tired of this cry at midnight and
at noon, that comes from every picket guard
I" all quiet on the Potomac" |, for one, sir,
am heartily tired of that cry. But while we
demand energy on the part Of the army-on
the part of the Government, We must remem-
Der that finances are the sineWS of war. 1t is
just as necessary to have a full treasury as a
full army. 1t is as essential to have our fnan-
cal credit unquestoned as it is to have the
heroiSm Of our troops undOubted. But, Mr..
Speaker you cannot meet expenditures by
filling a treasury with worthless paper. You
may trace the expenses of Government in any
direction, or follow them hack to their issue,
and those expenses will come at last upon the
people-wiIl come to this principle of direct
taxation. In order to keep good the credit of
the Government, in order to keep iuviolate cur
State credit and in order to show to the wide
world that we are in earnest, that we are
hound to provide means for the prosecution OF
the war in which We are eDga ged we must take
early measures and SubStantlaL-nOt fctltI0US
measures, that shall form basis, sub
stratum upon which may rest all the financial
measures of the Government. | hope, Mr..
Speaker, tha. every dollar of rebel property,
that every square rod of rebel land that every
item OF rebel substauce-I hope, sir, in the
name of God, that all these may be cOnfScat-
ed converted into a circulating medium, and
that medium applied to the liquidation of the
necessary expenses of the war. want you to
understand, sir, to day aud during the rest of
the session, that such is my position; but we
cannot do that now. You must catch your
fish before you fry them. We have got to put
the hook into the Leviathan'S mouth before
we caa draw him out aud dispatch him. But
| hope the time will come when a confScated
revenue will be applied to the liquidation of the
expenses necessarily incurred in this war
Now, the question arises " how shall we raise
the moDey necessary to meet those expenses"
Why, you have board of revenue commls-
sioners who l believe, are looking over and
temiziag the property of the entire State, and
no doubt but they will report proposition to
make everything taxable, from mans silver
plate on his table TO his south-down sheep
that roam on the hillside; everything from
calf to railroad stock is to be made taxable.
But find no fault with that; extraordinary
times demand an extraordinary basis; and
system of taxation that would be objection
able and provoke the country almost to rebel
.; 81 Il
be wholly necessary at another, 1t is not always
pleasant to be poor, but as far as there may be
any pleasure in it, l enjoy it; but as poor as
am, | am ready to be taxed one-haif of my
worth to sustain the Government and the
country. If that is not enough, then take the
other half-the country first, the country for
ever! Maintain it at all hazards and at all
expense Now, while the people iu all their
interests are to be taxed, as | understand such
will be the report, and it no doubt will be,
look around at these internal improvements
and the qaestson aries in my mind, can we
not increase our revenues on them, justly and
with propriety. A word upon that subject
and L will pause If proposition was made
this day or any day during this session to up
hold the passage OF a passenger or tonnage tax
upon any railroad or public avenue of travel
in Pennsylvania, while other such roads and
avenues were to be exempt theTefrom, should
vote against it, do not believe in laying an
embargo upon one portion of the commerce of
the Commonwealth and leaving the remainder
exempt l object to taxing one thOroughfare
and leaving others clear OF such taxation. But
if We put passenger or tonnage tax upon
every line, let it not be TOO high; let it be con-
eeiyed in wisdom and executed in Justice; and
if we impose it upon every line we treat them
all alike. | would not have bill reported
imposing perpetual tax Let it be imposed,
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