The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-07
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| ia REgWWs Heet g1lloh GdEgtte. e
\ We do not understand that our laws
encourage the formation of corporate
bodies, for public improvements mere.
ly to benefit the special few who hap
pen to be stockholders; our idea is, that
| they are encouraged, that the whole
country may be benefited thereby, and
acting on this view of the matter with
the past history of the Baltimore and
i Ohio Railroad Company before us, we
shall oppose every measure calculated
to benefit this ovefgrown Company
which Is now trying to monopolize the
entire political and commercial inter-
ests of our State, that does not guran-
tee 70 the people equal benefits and
immunities.
can this Company present to the people
in support OF the propositions and
measures II has been trying to get
through the Legislature 10 exempt it
4 from the taxes due the State for the
past twelve years and unpaid2 Is not
the rights of the people, from wence all
power is derived, equalto that OF this
taxed il they fail 10 pay the levy, their
property, If any they haYe, Is sold to
satisfy the same; we repeat, why Is II that
this Company never pays tax and yet its
property is unsold2 Weare told that the
Legislature, when 1t granted the char
LtE Va Ihe ~ 1EOLu
taxation uhtflits net income should ex-
oeed StT per ceTtung per dnEHnt. Sup
pose this be true; then SO soon as that
time arrives 1t should pay tax. The
Legislature granting the charter was
anxious that the enterprise should sue
coed, and guaranteed TO the Company
such terms as IL seemed proper, and
which the Company saw fit to accept
terms generous and liberal enough for
the most exacung. The Company, we
affirm has violated this compact. Did
it, when its net income exceeded six
per centum pay the tax as 1t agreed to
do when it accepted its charter from the
Legislature? Did it deal honestly with
the people2 Nay There can be COL
lected without trouble conclusive evil
dence that since 1856 it has been liable
to taxation under its charter, and its
aim since that time has been to1resort
to any and every device possible to
delraud the State out of the taxes Justly
due. This Company has been -petted
and fOstered by the Legislatures of
Virginia and West Virginia until
1t has become one of the Wealthiest
and most powerful In the United
States. It has bought other Rail-
roads-tbe Northwestern Virginia
r. r.; the Cincinnati and Mariettaj
aud the Ohio Central. It has placed a
line of first class steamers to run from
Baltimore to Liverpool and Bremen,
and is now engaged in fitting out an
other. Is has increased its stock or
property from five to Twenty nine mil
lion dollars and yet we are told its net
income has never reached six per CEN
tum. 1t has become almost powerful
enough to defy the power of the State,
and 1t is now a question to be decided
whether the State OF West Virginia
shall rule the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company; or the Company rule
State
The people OF our State were made
poor by the war; the B. & o. r. r.
Company rich. The people paid into
the State Treasury from their scanty
earnings their taxes; the Company
have withheld its taxes, and is now
trying 10 defraud the State out of
them. Every dollar which should be
paid by the Company would be that
much of the people who are almost
crushed under the heavy burdens of
taxation. Nor is this all; the unjust
and uncalled for discrimination made
against our people in their rates for
freights is enough to excite the indig.
nation of the people, to demand revO-
cation of its charter and stop the run.
ming of trains. Ohioans can ship goods
one.third cheaper from Ohio to Balti-
more than we can from West Union SO
miles nearer Baltimore, and so they can
ship from Baltimore to Ohio. Our mer-
chants often ship from Baltimore to
ParkersburE, thence back to West
Union per cent cheaper than they
could from Baltimore direct to West
Union, and this because OFF the discrimi-
nation made in favor of through ship
pers. Nor does it stop here. The mer-
chants or others of Parkersburg can
ship their goods to Cincinnati from
Parkersburg; thence back through
Parkersburg to Baltimore about per
cent cheaper than they can ship from
Parkersburg direct to Baltimore. Now
we would like to know why II is that
this petted and defiant company can
carry goods cheaper for one set o1ypeo-
Pile than another2 The discrimination
in passenger rates is similar. f