The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1876-03-23
NrfCh CT Col. Phillips Gu The Taxation Of
Railroad Lands.

hhtliOdN LSnIS.
While the bill was being discussed by
the House, Col. Phillips said
The gentleman from Nebraska, who
has this bill in charge, Mr.. Crounsc,] has
Nd fully stated It's purport that L need
rot consume much of the time OF the
House. 4 bill almost Identical with THIS
varying Just rs stated by the gentleman,
passed this House in the last Congress,
but failed 10 rcceiYc consideration IN
tho Senate.
These separate railroads CON Panies,
these different branches OF the Pacifc
Railroad Company today hold ftiy
millions of acres of land without paying
lakes thereon, and hold that land for
speculative purposes for ten years they
J ave held The greater part OF this land.
Settlers purchasing land from them or
occupying the alternate sections OF tie
public lands give these railroads the
benefit of their labor and money in SO
lar as they enhance the value OF the lands
held bv the railroad company. From
the moment tho settler gets possession
of his land he commences TO pay taxes !;
he enhances the value OF the railroad
lands not only by his improvements, but
10y paying taxes upon tue land which be
holds for all purposes, school, local, ahd
general. At the same time these lands
&eld BY the railroad companies for ten
ears tor speculative purposes are ex-
rmptcd from all taxation. The railroad
companies nave, by sheltcTng them
selves under clause OF the law, succeed
I'd in cvading taxation. The purpose Of
this bill is TO compel these companies TO
pay taxes upon the land held by Thorn
Just as othc. people pay taxes.
Under the act of 1862, granting lands
and subsidies TO these companies, ono
section provides that each OF the compa-
MES shall have ten alternate sections o.
land on each side OF the line ofroad, and
that on the completion Of each forty
miles OF road, commissioners shall be APP
pointed 10 examine, report upon, and
accept the road, if properly constructed,
and 10 certify 10 the President that the
road had been completed and accepted.
The next section OF that act provides that
upon the acceptance OF the road the rail
road company shall receive OF the bonds
al the United States some 900 per
lNilc, and at the same time OF the accept
:tnlc Of these bonds they were TO have
conveyed 10 them The lands 10 winch
they were entitled under the act. The
bonds IN all cases were delivered the
company has received the BONDS and
used The proceeds in constructing the
road.
l. H. -. r. 1891 a 1',,-so ,,-o, ;,,.or;
cd that these companies should be COM
PEELED TO pay the cost Of surveying and
certifying, a small fee. This they have
failed to pay they have failed TO claim
the patents for the land 10 which they
were entitled, and in that way they
evade the payment OF taxes. The pur-
pose Of this bill is TO place them, 50 far
as the Government is concerned, where
they VIII be compelled to pay taxes on
the lands which they own. l think It's
purpose is one which will commend Itself
10 this House, as it did to the House al
the first session of the last Congress.
1t is true that these railroads have
mortgaged nearly all OF the lands grant
ed them. Now, If they had the right TO
coavey TIE lands by mortgage, then
they owned the lands. If they did not
own the lands, they had no right to con-
vey them by mortgage without subject
ing themselves to prosecution for "A pen
al of1'cnse. Should You or any gentle
man upon this floor purchase from one
Of these companies section or a half
section Of land, they would obtain pat
cnt for that section or hall. section, file
it in the Office OF the company, record
Il, and then convey il to you and from
that moment you would pay taxes on
the land, while these companies continue
to hold millions OF acres without pay
ing any taxes a proceeding never com
tcmplated By this House in ITS former
action, and which you arc now called on
30 put forever 10 an end.
l will not consume much of the time
OF the House upon this subject, because
I know the Committee on Public Lands
have much valuable business before
them upon which they desire 10 report
TO the House. The settlers who have
today given to the public lands the ben
eft of their labor and capital and inn
provement, and are constructing farms
and paying school, county, and State
taxes, ask that this bill shall be passed
providing that these companies shall
paw the same taxes as arc assessed
against the settlers, and that aid to con.
struct road shall not be made the ex-
cuse for speculation, which adds to its
emoluments by evading just taxation.
Mr.. CRoUNsE. lnow call the previous
question.
The previous question was seconded
ard the main question ordered and un.
der tho operation thereof the. amend
ments reported from the committee were
agreed TO.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The next
question is upon tho amendment offered
by the gentleman from Missouri, CMr.
BLAND.
Dir. CRoUNsE, There is no objection
TO that amendment.
The amendment was agreed 10.
The bill,a amended, was then ordered
to be engrossed and read a third time;
and being engrossed, it was accordingly
read the third time, and passed.
What keeps Lent the longest and