The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-22
GOOD FOR ROCK ISLAND As WELL Al
MOLINE.


GOOD FOR ROCK ISLAND AZ WELL Al
MOLINE.
A Moline correspondent of the Unioa
writes against township subscriptions in the
Peoria Railroad, and entirely explodes the
thin arguments put forth by that paper to
induce people 70 vote the town in debt. We
copy the communication, as follows:
Rail Road Tax
MEssRs. EDITORS IL noticed an article
in the Union of Saturday, 18th inst, emit
tied "The Railroad" The author of that
article attempted to show that the town OF
Moline, at present receives about 800 a
year for its own profit from the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific railroad, and that
the contemplated railway from Peoria to
Rock Island, if located through Moline,
would contribute about the same amount Of
benefit, in Offset against the tax of $4,000
stock in the road, or in payment of the in
terest on the bonds issued for the same
Now such ideas are the vagaries of an nm
calculating mind, and wholly unsupported
by the facts.
The following table of assessments agains,
the property Of the Chicago and Rock Island
railroad in the town of Moline will readily
show how wildly those statements were
made; viz: State tax, $320,4s; county,
$l69,l9 township, 1851; school, $3S5,s9i
road and bridge, 1851 special, mostly
old Warsaw and Rockford railroad tax,
$33s, 39; Jail, $s4,59 bounty, $33s,3s ;
total tax, $l.67075. Thus it will be seen
that 1851 only is applicable to the town
from this whole assessment, and it must be
borne in mind that no other part of the tax
can be used exclusively for Moline. Now
suppose the location of the Peoria and Rock
Island railroad through the town would add
to our taxable property an amount equal to
the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, its
effect could only be to reduce the percent
age of assessment in proportion to the IN
creased value of property in the common
wealth. IF the state should require only the
same amount of money one year with an
other. then each years increase of wealth
in all parts of the state, would simply reduce
the percentage on the valuation, and every
tax payer in the state would be benefited 10
proportion to his taxable property. The
same law holds its empire with counties
If taxable property is added to but one
township, and the county to which it belongs
should require only the same amount o
money for government expenses as before
this accession to its wealth, the percentage
of assessments will be reduced in every
town alike, in proportion to its property val
uation. Bat if Moline shall impose extra
ordinary liabilities upon itself, in the way Of
special taxes in behalf of the road, or Other
speculations, then Moline alone must bea,
the weight of its own obhgations,-mus
stand or fall under its self imposed burdens
nor can its people avail themselves of one
single dollar of the added value, or reduced
assessments, that does not also fall to the lot
of every other township in the county in thu
ratio of their valuation. The amount, there
fore, that would accrue to Moline from thi.
increase of the railroad property contem
plated, would be very small, probably no
two hundred dollars year, that could il
any way effect or apply against the specia
tax of $4,000 for stock in this railway en-
terprise, or in payment OF interest on the
bonds. CIvIs.