Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-12
Gas Companies, Railroads, and the
81 Tax Bill.
From the New York Postl


Gas Companies, railroads, and the
81 f=p Tax Bill.
-a5 From the New York Post.J
The gas companies of this city are in
corporations of great wealth. Their profits
are enormous their stock is in few hands,
and is rarely to be bought, and then only
at prices which show the extraordinarily
profitable nature of this monopoly. The
New York Gas CompRny's stock brings
over two hundred per cent. when sold.
There is no doubt that the companies could
afford to furnish gas to our citizens at
rate considerably lower than that now
charged, and still make great profits.
But instead of this, these companies ac-
tually propose to raise the price of gas, al
ready very high. Under the national tax
law gas companies are taxed from five to
fifteen cents per thousand cubic feet, ac-
cording to the amount made by them. The
clause OF the tax-law laying this impost
reads most curiously, and in its present
condition seems clearly unjust AMI absurd,
aud probably unconstitutional, because it
lays variable duty, aud then authorizes
this to be charged to consumers. Gas com
pauies producing "not abova Eve hundred
Thousand cubic feet pr month"; are to pay
only Eve cents per thousand cnbic feet
those producing "not exceeding five mill
lions of cubic feet per month" are to pay
ten cents and " where the product shall
be above five millions" fifteen cents perone
Thousand cubic feet is LEVIED. Now, SO far
it is evident that those who drew. the bill
intended to lay this tax on,the gas compa-
MES as an impost on their revenue, which
probably every member of Congrest knew
to be in general Unfortunately great, and of
course great in proportion to tho amount
the company produced, which made the
discriminating scale eminently Just.
But in the very next sentence it is
provided that "all-gas companies are here
by authorized to add the duty or tax inn
posed by this act to the price per Thousand
cubic feet on gas sold" Now this looks to
us very much like an unskilful interpola-
tion, struggled. in while the bill was under.
going revision. For, what justice or pro-
priety isthere in exacting of Smith, living
in POughkeepsie, five cents additional on
his gas. aud making Jones in New York
pay fifteen for the same amount of the
same article. If Congress should enact
that people living in one part of the State
or the country should pay three cents per
pound duty ON sugar, and those in another
part six cents per pound there would be
an outcry at once. Bat in the matter of
gas, which isAlmost as much necessity of
life as sugar, we of New York must pay,
according to this absurd enactment, not
twice but three times as much as our
friends in IheuP-river towns
Why should Congress make such a dis
Clearly, II never meant to
it meant to tax not the consumers Of gas,
but the monopOlists who produce it at an
immense profit; aud 1t very justly enacted
a slidihg scale in order to tax those cotn-
panies most heavily who, in the nature of
things, having the greatest demand, make
the most enormous profits. But by some
iuggleFy, the fruits of which have been uu-
skilfuhy hidden, the gas companies slip
out of the tax-gatherer's grasp, and with
impudence hand over the public
10 be mulcted In their stead.
They have the letter of the law ON their
side at present. But Congress meetsiR a
few months; and one of its most important
duties will be a thorough revision of the
tax bill. We count It certain that then the !
public WILDE relieved from burden put
upon it by those selfish monopoIists, who
have shown themselves just in time to
arouse their victims TO appeal for Justice.
Between this and the meeting of Congress,
{ is the duty of gas consumers to take
measures for exposing this evident errorin
he tax law.
The policy Of public corp oratious, such
. gas and railroad com paniesg diTerting !
he burden OF taxes entirely ftoml their