Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-26

the tax against railroads a. fs provided for
taxes against individuals-a remedy which re.
quires the payment Of the tax first and then gives
any railroad which regards the tax illegal, the
right to bring action to recover the tax and test
its legality. This is precisely what private indi-
viduals are obliged to do and there seems to be
no reason why q corporation should be more high
" favored than citizen. And yet, Pres. Morrill,
has seen fit to express the greatest indignation at
the idea of asking his road to do private citizens
are obliged to do.
Pres. Morrill,, however, has from that day to
this, in public and private around the halls ofleg-
islaon, in hotels, in cars, personally and through
gentlemen supporting him directly and indirectly
tax. He alleges that the tax is void in CONSCIENCE
of a provision in the NJ {. charter and ridicues
the opinion expressed by the governor in his adj
dress, that the tax is legal-ust as though the
governor had not as good right to his opinion as
Pres. Morrill, has to his. We submit that the gov
opinion and that Pres. Morrill, has the right to
controvert those views but no moral right to al
low his criticism to degenerate into mere personal
abuse. Such a course on the part OF the President
of railroad corporation serves to lnlure the road
over which he presides, more than it Injuries the
object of his assault
We are not called upon to discuss the question
of the legality Of the tax imposed by the legsla-
ture upon old and wcll-established railroads That
is question for the courts And yet we cannot
forbear remarking that SO far as the tax reaches
the Portland, Saco & Portsmouth, the Great Falls
4 Conway the Boston & Maine and the st. Crolx
railroads, no one questions its legality. Indeed,
some of these roads have promptly paid The
Maine Central and the Atlantic Il ST. Lawrence
claim that provision in their original charters
exenpts them practically from any other taxation
than that of their real estate outside oil their track
except the tax on their shares (Which in the of
one road are very nearly ALL and in the case of the
other large majority owned or at least held out
of the State. In The of the A. Il 81 l. the le-
gaity Of the tax will rest largely the construc-
ton given TO that alleged exemption and, Tin case
the construction il given which the road claims
on the power of one legislature to bind successive
legislatures in this manner. There different
views among good lawyers on several points, and
they ought TO be and will be settled justly to all
parties.
In the case Of the Maine Central still another
question Is involved viz as to whether the present
consolidated Maine Central has any claim to the
| exemption set up for tee original road; for it
should be remembered that two Of the roads
which go to make up the consolidated road had
no such exemption in their charters at the time OF
consolidation. This fact President Morrill, has
never had the candor to suggest. lie even quotes
from the old charter of the original road certain
exemption clauses which the State claims have
uot been transferred to the Maine Central made
up by a consolidation of four roads; and thereby
misrepresents the question.