Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-03-22
An Opportunity the state ought
not 60 Neglect.

This State can afford TO tighten some
what the burden of taxation now Imposed
upon its people, and the present Legisla'
ture might do something In this direction.
The plea so frequently argued against
any modification Of the tax laws that
the State needs all the money 1t is getting
under the existing laws, Is not valid one,
for 1t is now collecting more than is needed
to pay the expenses Of rs government,
the interest on hs debt aud such sum
toward the reduction Of that debt as we
can act present aferd. There Is no neces-
slty for paying of the funded debt more
rapidly than Ia convenient.
We do not think any great reduction Is
necessary. II is not so much the amount
raised by the taxation, as the manner Of
raising It that the people object to. The
tax on mortgages for instance is unfair, as
II compels man to pay two taxes for the
same property and visits penalty on him
for being poor, as though poverty like
virtue were not its own reward. The taxes
through the railroad company on travellers
and peach shippers are likewise unfair
and are also most annoying and Injurious
10 trade, so that they are Injurious beyond
tho mere amount which they unjustly alef
rom the pockets of their victims.
The tax on travel is injurious to th'
local trade Of every town in the State an'
especially injurious TO the trade Of thos
towns near the border, since people cal
on account Of this tax travel more cheapl.
to town in a neighboring State than u
one in our own. 1t is injurious to th
mechanics and business men Of Whining
ton, by rendering It impractlcable for then
to prevent exorbitant charges for rent !
the city by seeking homes easily aceessi
BILE by rail 10 surrounding towns aud VII
cages; II is injurious to such towns an
villages by preventing their growth fror
this cause, and ii is injurious to the raj
roads by lessenlng the number of the
passengers. It is injurious, vexatious an
unjust from any standpoint, and nothin
but sheer necessity could Justify Its col
tInuance. So of the tax on railroad cal
which the company naturally shifts on
peach growers who use the cars. Tn
Imposes an unnecessary and onerous bu
den on a business, at the best precariou
bat which, despite all drawbacks, hi
added enormously to the wealth and Il
revenue of the whole State by the increa
of the value of its land. Nothing but a
aolute necessity could warrant the imp0'
ton Of a hutdensome tax on such {
interest, and no such necessity exists.
Both this and the ten cent tax can nc
be got rid Of by tAe adoption Of the PHI
proposed by the Committee of Ways al
Means Of The House to the Railroad Col
pany, and accepted by President Hinckle
By that plan, our people will get rid
these vexatious taxes, ana the State
ceive without trouble or cost for co.lectio
100000 per annuin from QUO Railro
Company and something doubtless fro
several others. 1t will, too, secure {
withdrawal of several dangerous ard e
pensive suits for the recovery Of tag
paid under protest, which should they
persisted in and decided against the STA
will depete its treasury and create ]
cessity which does not now OK
for burdensome taxes. IL see
to us that it. would be little short
madness for the Legislature to fail
choose safety and enough, in place o
great venture, in which if successful, I
State can but retain what it has alr5s
got, and will still have if it accepts
plan pruDOsed