Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-02-11
The Peach Growers Conference.
PRECEDENT HINcxLEY IN CoNsULTATIoN FREE IN
TERouANoE OF OPINION IN RELATION TO TAXA
TIoN.

IloN
Special Correspondence eJthe Comm eyeiaL
DOVER, Feb. 1.
The Hall Of the House and lobby were crowd.
ed last night by Peach-growers, the Legislative
Committee, tie Presidents OF the two principal
Railroads in the State, and many Others drawn
there to hear what was to be said and done with
Railroad taxation. Mr.. Ray, chairman of the
joint committee Of the Legislature. presided at
the meeting, and J. Thomas Budd acted as
Secretary.
Mr. Townsend said a proposition bad been
made by tho Peach growers To get the Legisla-
ture to pass an act, to tax the 7. W. 4 D. H. Il.
Company in bulk s20,0U0 in lieu Of all other
taxes, and for which the railroad would abolish
the special tax OF $3.50 per car load Of peaches
as now charged.
Il. H. Cunimins, at considerable length, fav-
ored the proposition, and showed how un-
justly the system worked against the Peach
growers, the itairoad Company having
paid last year about s5l. 800 in taxes
which was again levied and collected in freights
from the shippers. III years the Railroad
Company had collected about $50, 900 from the
peach-growers. The tax was unjust on the
growers, fut while the Legislature taxed the
company so heavily they (the pesch-growers)
had not the face to go to the Railroal Company
and ask reduction.
MIR. Hmckley then spoke about three-quarters
of an hour, showing how unjustly such tax
worked against the shippers on the line Of; tie
iuhu uhu Ho way " phS bo
taxes imposed by the State except by levyipg
and collecting it from tho shippers The
correct principle was to levy a tax on the gross
receipts, then shippers from beyond the State
would bear their share of the taxation. The tax
OF IS pcr car in seasons when the crop was plen-
ty and 81 so when the crop was short was not
levied on shippers beyond the boundaries of
the State. The Company had in years collected
about s93, 900 part of which would be paid back
to the Peacli-growers as soon Us certain litiga-
tions were settled definitely.
MIR II. then went into comparison to show
how the railroad WAS taxed more than other in
forests, and that every thing in the State was
taxed in the same ratio. A revenue Of Il, 800 600
would be rased and other roads in the State
only paid s1,60i.
In Pennsylvania, where most of the property
WAS, the whole tax in 4 year was but *12 900
while in Maryland with the bridge across tho
Susquehanna which cost S2, 500, 900, and with
the most of the mileage Of tho road, the whole
tax for State, County and Poor purposes was in
years but s33, ,866 while tho tax in Delaware
| in one year ID 100000.
Mr.. II. stated that for years he had fought of
the Pennsylvania railroad company from ncreas-
ing their freights to correspond with the 81 80
per car that the p, W. d b. Il. r. WAS receiving.
| Next summer that company would also increase
the freight charges enough to make the extra
tax sl5 per car. This would be done unless the
| 000
Mr. FELTON, then spoke ct some length taking
the same views as MIR. Hinckley
Many questions were asked and answered by
Messrs. IL. and f., while MIR. Dean spoke at
great length and gave history Of tho arrogance
OF the kallroad company and how it was brought
to terms by the tax bill put through while he
(Dean) was chairman Of the Committee on WAYS
and Means in 1859 He now. however, compii.
mented Mr.. Hinckley and Mr.. FELTON, for the
way IN which they came and hoped their desires
would be granted.
Hon. Benjamin. I. Biggs then closed the meet
ing in an appropriate speech, urging reduction
of tax.