Smyrna times., 1871-02-15
President Hinckley Before the Delaware
Legislature.

The members Of both Houses of the Leris
ature held an informal mceing last Wednes-
day, at : O'Clock, in the hail of the House OF
Representatives, over which Senator Lesley
OF New Castle presided
Isaac flinckley, Esq, President of the Phila
deIphla, Wilmington Il Baltimore Railroad
Company, being present, was introduced bv
Mr. Lesley, when MIR. Elinckley proceeded to
give MS views IN relation to what he considered
thr true theory OF taxing Railroad COMPANIES.
MF I1lnckiey stated, that during four year,
prior to the first of November. 1865. the p
w. q Is. Railroad Company. from the ten cent
chpratlon tax, alone. paid INTO the State Trea-
Nury the sum ot $35S, 900, without anv remu.
neration Tor collecting said tax, hut that the
iPeIihS was so strong lrOm nonresident, Of the
states against the payment of this capitation
LAX, that the COMPANY, after "A months noticp
ceased collecting and paying the tax on the
nrst OF November, 1868, Gu. continued collect
lng the tax from persons residing in the State
the amount being only about Que cseventh of
the former sum -
lie recommended the abatement of the ten
cent capltatlon, and gave Illustrations SHOWING
no" h'aVlIy IT bore upon the people of the
o'ate VINO wished to travel short distances
a. an Instance OF the severity of the tax. he
stated the station of Eersio was two and =
hhIi miles from Wilmington, the fare to which
was ton cents, but the State tax was also ten
cents, making the cost Of ride for that dis
lance twenty cents, ten cents for the ride and
riding P'''''0H0 VI
The disparity was more plrinlv shown in .
season ticket where the cost for the privilege
OF riding was fifty per cent greater than the
cost OF the ride
lie then stated that in addition to the taxes
already levied the legislature of 1869 levied
an a"dlil0nal tax on the gross earnings of the
road and the rolling stock, amounting anuaIlv
to $l30,0O0.
Less than one fourth of the road was in
Delaware, and yet the Delaware tax was $ll
oOO more than the three-fourths IF the road Is
taxed III other States. Or in other words the
laws OF Delaware called for the payment of SO
times the tax levied by other States upon the
same arn. unit Ct property
Mr.. Hincklcy stated that the comn,nv :,
order TO meet the tax was compeIled ~ rsisn
ne price OF freight, which bore heavily unon
the peach growers of the State, and that in
me SUIT aga!nSt the Company which has not
Yet Deen decided, the company had the extra
Plce OF freight ON Interest, and prcpar to be
paIu over either to the State or the Peach
Gr@wer> as the Courts may decide.
lie SAID tie Company was wiling to be taxed
10 10 the same rates that other property is taxed
tor Safe purposes, and stated that the par
vaine Of the stock was s5ld per share, which
would max" the value Of stock reach the sum
of 50, 100000
In reply 10 question by Mr.. Goo ling he
stated that the value of the franchise was in
GUIDED m the value OF the share of stock.
ne wished all bygOnes to be forgotten, and
highly complimented the message of ex.Goyer
nor Salisbury in regard TO enuitohIo t.xo,;, :,
aud hoped the Legislature would act unon tb,
Governors : suggestion.
lhe regular hour of the meeting of Legisla
ture having arrived. Mr. Hinckley retired with
the Committee on Ways and Means, and
tnrther explained the principles of taxatio ;.
This meeting was private and we make no re-
port oft. = COmn,erciaL