The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-02-09

the railroads in this State ii favor Of foreign raroSs gn
them bonus in the transaction of their business which M
SC railroads in this State are made to pay
few observations will make his proposition suacetI
manifest;
of profit railroads found in their travel
The amount of travel depends on the speed safety
ness, by which can be done Hence it is constant udv
Increase the speed far done with safety and
reduce the fare as low as 1t be DONE with profit The
railroads passing through this State dependent for mos
OF their travel on through passengers travelling between
the Northern and Southern sections of the Union and from be
Atlantic sea board to the great States of the South and
inere are competing lines of railroads and steamboats, for
this travel outside of the limits of this State The steam
ooas on the Mississippi river the railroads through Alabama
and Tennessee all active competitors for it. Whatever
enhances the price of travel through this Estate tends to
divert the stream of travel from it. tax levied by the
law upon travellers railroads. places the railroads in
this State in this predcament either the railroads must raise
the price of travel and thus throw tax upon the passen
GER thereby necessarily turning travel from these roads
because OF the enhanced price the railroads keep the
OF travel as low that other lines and pay tax out
of their own income thus diminishing their profits by the
amount of the tax while other roads of the State not
being thus taxed realize much greater profit from the
rate OF fare than the roads in this State possibly receive
1t is thus manifest that the law under consideration discrm
mates against railroads in Mississippi and in favor of those
out OF the State and consequently confers upon
foreign railroads, at the expense of our own We NAV
illustrate this view of the subject the following manner
Inc New Orleans jackson and Great Northern Railroad and
the Central Railroad pass through the State distance 302
miles tax of onehalf per mile traveller would
amount to 81 81 If the railroad enhances the price of fare
by the amount of this travellers order to avoid the
payment of it, will use other routes thus diminishing the
profits of the roads in this State and increasing profits of
other roads accordingly Nor will the State collect any
from the travellers thus diverted out of it, But if the rail
the whole Of the tax a@ a o thS a sn
deducted from their earnings thus diminishing the value their
stock mparng their usefulness and essenng their capacity to
compete with roads out of the State.
Another view of this subject may be taken In arranging
tariff Of travel for through passengers was made upon con-
suaton with officers of railroads out of the State running in
connection with the railroads in this State The price OF fare
living profit and each road receives in proportion for the
distance travelled at the rate established The roads
outside of the State with whom this arrangement made
object of the rate for through" travel be-
the levied by the State that the railroads in
this State can only collect their pro realized from
through travel the tariff fixed upon and the levied
upon passengers must necessarily be deducted from the
ngs of the road received from such travel and is thus d
rect tax upon the road itself
Your memoasts do not believe that the Legislature of the
State of Mississippi ldwngy place such burhens the
railroads in this Satenor that they would knowingly dis
crminate against their interests Intentionally adopt policy
which will pull down the railroads in this State and build up
rival roads out Of it.
That such will be the consequences of this law
raists after mature and careful consideration feel well
sred and believing your memorasts compelled reuc
family decline making any composition for
the collection of this tax of duty also requires them
protest against it's enforcement and earnestly
request repeal the by which it was levied The
beray and generosity which should always characterize the
legislation Of State in reference to these roads, induces your
to prefer this appeal to the justice and
fair dealing of the Legislature with every confidence of
Six years of disastrous war; hardly upon these
railroads. in common with every other interest in the State
They had been built at very heavy cost and completed
before the of the They had borrowed
amounts of money which used in their construction
ind the purchase of rolling stock To the of
his money accrung interest," they compelled to mort
their entire property including their iron and road bed
These debts with years of accumulated interest unpaid
Ind many of them due The creditors reside at the North
md Europe and though dealing avoraby under the
could have been hoped they urge settle
of their demands and at least payment interest The
lose of the found these roads utterly
ong stock engines with their iron much worm and
instances rendered useless from being bent when the
oads torn by the armeswh their ties entirely
otten their bridges destroyed and their road beds materially
amaged these Companies have been for the last eighteen
months struggling life They have prospered thus far be-
ond their most sangune hopes but to enable them to meet
heir obligations to save their property from foreclosure
ale under mortgages, to perform efficiently their duties
carriers and to their franchises from utter loss
sacrifice they must have the generous support the
stature people Sateand for least must be
eved from the burden of tax which would go far crush
heir energies and PROSTATE their power
Since these roads built the stockholders have never
eceved dollar for the large investments made by them
nd many long years of economy in the management
rgy and prudence the conduct of their affairs eapse
eore hope be entertained that dividend will be de-
Jared.
Many widows and orphans have their all invested in the
took Of these railroads They look with watchfuness and
nxiety to the conduct and of the Directors
moving that upon the of their exerons more to
ud the fortunes of these PROSTATE Companies the ques
of their utter restitution moderate competency must
epend.
1t is in their behalf and in the names of the stockholders
eneray for whom your memoass only Trustees that
icy induced to make this appeal to the Executive and Leg
lature of this State to be relieved from and op
ressive tax
G. T. BEAUREGARD,
President N o. j. and G. NRR.
A. NJ WEST, a
President Central r. R. Co.
F. M WHITE, s.
President Miss and Tenn r. R. Co
-ta SAM TATE,
President M and c. T. R. Co.
NJ B. PRITCHARD,
Gel Supt Selma and Meridian R. R. =,
u M EMANUEL
President Southern r. r. Co.
ABRAAI MURDOCH, 70
For Mobile and Ohio R. R Co.
THE COMING WAR EURoPE-I seems to be agreed on all