Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-02-05

'"hoiDENi hiNthisEh IN iA'
TERcHANaE OF OPINION IN RELATION TO TAXA
TON.
Special Correspondence Of the Commercial
Dover, Feb. 4.
The Hall of tho House and lobby were crowd
ed last night by Peach-growers, the Legislative
Committee, the Presidents of the two principal
Railroads in the State, and may others drawn
'here to hear what WAS ic ,e said and done with
,,,road taxation. bir. Ray, chairman OF the
foi EoG -. 100 Of the Legislature presided at
secretary.
Mr.. Townsend said proposition had been
made by the Peach-growers to get the Legisla-
ture to pass act, to tax the z. w. Il b. Il. IL.
Company in bulk $4,000 in lieu of all other
taxes, and for which tho railroad would abolish
the special tax OF $3.50 per car load OF peaches
III now charged.
II. II. Cummins, at considerable length, fav-
ored tho proposition, and showed how un-
Justly the system worked against the Peach
growers, the isailroad Company having
paid last year about $51, 800 in taxes
which was again levied and collected in tfreights
from the shippers. In years the railroad
Company had collected about SS0,00O from the
peacl-growers. The tax was unjust on the
growers, hut while the Legislature taxed the
company 10 heavily they (the peach-growers)
had not the face to go to the Railroad Company
and ask reduction.
Mr.. Hinckley then spoke about three-quarters
of an hour, showing how unjustly such tax
road. The company had no way to pay, these
taxes imposed by the State except by leyying
and collecting it from tho shippers. The
correct principle was to levy tax on the gross
receipts, then shippers from beyond the state
would bear their share of tho taxation. The tax
OF IS per car in seasons when the crop was plen-
and $3.50 when tho crop was short was not
levied on shippers beyond the boundaries OF
The State The Company had in years collected
about 500, 900 part of which would be paid back
TO the Peach-growers as soon certain litiga-
Tons were settled definitely.
MIR. Ii. then went into comparison to show
now the railroad was taxed moro than other in
forests, and that every thing in the State was
taxed in the same ratio. revenue of u 800, O0O
would be raised, and other roads in the State
only paid $1,604.
was, the whole tax in year was but $4,000,
\ while in Maryland with the bridge across the
aisquehanna which cost $4,000, 600, and with
,ue M most OF the mileage Of the road, the whole
aN Tor State, County and Poor purposes was IL
Years but $33, $780,, while the tax in Delaware
III one year is $4,000.
MIR. II. stated that for years he had fought of
tle pennsylyania railroad companyfrom increas
ihg their freights to correspond with the S7.5t
per car that the p, W. & B. r. r. was receiving
Next summer that company would also increase
.iie freight charges enough to make the extrs
lux ?i5 per car. This would be done unless thu
0O6 '-'o wa va '''N
MIR. FELTON, then spoke at some length taking
the same views as Mr. Hinckley.
=, MANY questions were asked and answered b.
Messrs. II. and f., while Mr.. Dean spoke a
great length and gave history Of the Arrogance
vi the hailroad company and how it was brough
70 term. by the tax bill put through while h
SDean) was chairman of the Committee on Way
ana Means in 1869. He now, however, compli
mehted Mr.. Hinckley and Mr.. FELTON, for tn
wa, way IN which they came and hoped their desire
would be granted.
-hon. Benjamin T. Bggs then closed the meet
org Wg m an appropriate speech, urging reductio