Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-03-30

h'sN shANbSAf
sSrred with The Governor and Attorney
General that the remedy Tor the enforce
mint Of The tax, WAS inadequate; and
thst without regard TO the question of the
legality Ot the lax. as far as il affected
the NJ. &. and A. Il ST. l.. roads, (Which
was question for the courts TO seitle)
IL was the duty of the Legislature oil 1870
10 provide M adequate remedy for tax
required by the Legislature OF 1874. un.
less they were prepared 10 recommend
H. abatement Tor illegally, which they
were mol. Accordingly. The committee
reported bill which unanimously pass
eel the Legislature, giving substantially
the same remedy Tor the enforcement OF
the tax against railroads. a is provided
.ul taxes against individuals-a remedy
which requires the payment OF the tax
lir>t, aud then gives any railroad which
regards the tax illegal, the RICH, to bring
an action 10 recover the tax and test its
legality. This Is precisely whgt private
luui' ldusls He obliged 10 DO, and there
seems to be no reason why corporation
should be more highly favored than u
citizen And yet Pres Morrill, has seen
10 10 express The greatest Indignation at
the idea OF asking his road TO DO rs PR
waite citizens are obliged 10 DO.
Ne are not called upon 10 discuss the
question OF the legality OF the tax impos-
I'd by ,Ve Legislature upon old aud we'll
established railroads That il = question
lot the courts. Aud yet we cannot Tor.
bear romarAing that so Tar as the tax
reaches the Portland, Saco X Portsmouth
The Great Falls X Conway, the Boston X
Maine and the ~. CroiN railroads, no
one questions is legality. Indeed, some
ot these have promptly paid. The
Maine Central and the Atlantic X ST.
Lawrence claim that provision in their
original charters eXempts them practi
caily from any other taxation than that
OF their real estate outside OF their track,
eNCep, the tax on their shares (which IN
the case OF one road are very nearly all,
aud IN The case OF the other 4 large ma
iori'y )0wned or NJ least held out OF the
state. 10 the case OF the A. n st. l.
the legality OF the tax will lest largely
on the construction given 10 that alleged
exemption. and, Gin case the construction
Is given which the road claims. Jon the
power OF one Legislature 10 bind success
s.ye legislatures M this manner. There
are different views among good lawyers
OH the several points and they ought 10 be
and viii be settled Justly to all parties In
tEe case OF The Maine Central still anOih
e. question j. involved, VIZ, rs TO
VuetheI The present consolidated Maine
Central has any claim 20 the exemption
sch up .oy The original road; Tor il
should be remembered that two of the
luIt, which 20 90 make up the COnSoii-
dated road 4Gi UD such trJHpii,H W
n.r charters Gf hs tHnf Of consolidation
lais tact President Morrill, las never had
the candor % suggest. lie even quotes
from The oil charter of the original road
certain exemption clauses - h,cu TIE State
claims have not been transferred To the
Maine Central male up uy , consolidation
ct iour roads; and thereby mist epUeseu,s
the question.
President MoIrii. hercely call, Cover
d., DmEicy % account Tor what be calls
t'- hostile" course OF the Lewiston
{riHTi toward, ia, Maine Central
Pes NJ. cannot look upon opposition 10
any scheme Ot policy which he may AL
d0Ft as manager 90 the Nc ia any other
Light than Hostility &C. the road. Il seems
10 ue impossible Tor him % make any
distinction between what many people
regard rs The real interests q a rsiigo cad
aud Its management ior the lime being
when The j0HrH1l advocated the grant
ing oi chAlter Tor a road from Lewis
ten 9ud Auburn 10 connect with the
GRAND Trunk, 80 ,hJl these cities nigh.
l.Sc tac beLeut ui one Coz lihuuuS line
igom the Wc-f. as well a. 40 hues II
boston, were charged wHh supporting q
movement hostile 10 The Maine Cen
wa, aud ict our course 10 standing W
tac Interests OF .Ais r0Upiy b. that matter
have been ,gOM that time 10 this Stigma
.iked as "aairiOndiy" 10 that road.
Tue Joaf.G! had no hest alton in OPP
posing 80 long a. i, was an open QueS-
ton, the policy OF consolidat az parallel
aud competing railroads. a. calculated
90 iuiurIouslY affect the PUT ic interests /;
and that was another reason Tor regard
IN us as hostile" TO the Maine Central.
The JyUTW advocated. anO still adyo-
Gales a general law requiring railroads TO
connect on equal terms at such points as
the public convenience re luires; but
The President OF the Maine Central was
pleased TO consider this "h( slie.H We
are grathed 10 notice that most OF the
Maine stockholders of the Maine Central.
now see the wisdom OF such law and
regret that il is on the statute book To
prevent such contests Is tlat through
which they have Just pass "a. In all
these questions. 'the Journal was in no
manner uulriendiy TO what the most FAR
seeing railroad men have egarded rs
the true interests Of the NJ. G.. road. but
il bad no hesitation in expressing lis
disspprOval of such mana cement" as
opposed legislation in the put lie interests
by means which we lorbear ID character.
iLe.
When Pres Morrill, seeks 10 convey
the impression that we would revive
any old prejudice against capital" or
''c0rpO, atoms" be glaringl, misrepre
senIs our position. The charge has It's
recitation 10 The lacl that where the
Journal has exercised It's more immedi
ate Influence. there more TO eign "cspi
tai" has been invested than al any other
one point IN The State; and there more
corporations have found safe and
profitable ield OF industry han in any
ether community in Maine.
The Maine Central Railroad
COl1nH1H