The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-03-28
AN APPALLING PROspECr.

Inc INTERNATIONAL railway bill so en-
ergetically supported by John Ireland
contains the following provision;
sand the said railroad company and
its successors and Its and their capital
stock rights, franchises, railroads con
structed andt be constructed pursuant
to the act of August 5, 1870, and this
act, rolling stock, and all other prop.
erty which now Is, or hereafter may be
owned or possessed by said company
or Its successors in virtue of the said
act of august 5, 1870, IL hereby ex-
empted and released from all State,
county, town, city, municipal and other
taxes for period of twenty-five years,
etc.
BY the terms of section IA of the act
OF August 8, 1870, above referred to, the
International railway company can
consolidate with any other railway
Company Wthm or tOithom the State
Upon such consolidation, If we are cor
rectly advised, all the property, stock.
franchises, ETC., of the road or roads 30
absorbedand consolidated Immediately
become exempted and released" from i.
oil taxes OF whatever character or de
scription. The only inhibition to this
consolidation being con tanned In
section five of article ten In
the new Constitution, which sec.
ton simply prohibits q consolida-
ton OF stock, property or franchis
with parallel or competing lines.
suppose this powerful and wealthy
corporation were to purchase the Cen
trail Railway, which cannot be con.
strued as competing line, or even
pretehdt to purchase ii, from that mo-
ment that great line and its appur
tenances ceases to be liable to taxation.
Suppose the Galveston. Houston and
Henderson Railway be absorbed by pur-
chase, land there is every probability
that this will be very speedily accom-
lished) that very important line be-
comes exempt from taxation. The
San Antonio and Harrisburg Railway,
under the control of President Pierce.
although pointing in the direction of
San Antonio, could not well be held to
he u parallel line with the Interna.
tional and why may not this great
feeder be absorbed into this gigantic
combination?
Will the Hon. John ireland
say that this may not be
done under the literal Interpretation
ofthe billsrespecting the International
Railway company? We know that
1T would be the policy of the courts to
check the formation of such Titanic,
monopolies, and that were this ques-
ton raised an immense pressure would
be brought to bear to give different
construction to the provisions of these
acts; that public opinion would be
hotly aroused aud whole people as 1t
We're, would summon their energies to
the task Of annulling or abrogating
these obnoxious measures. But is Il
not law; law urged and voted for by
the Hon. John Ireland aud rassed de-
spite the better judgment of the l4th
Legislature Again, whole counties
IN the west notably, Callahan county,
are being located with these Interna.
tional certificates. How are court.
houses and jails to be erected in
these counties =? Whence will
come the revenue to support
the Administration of county affairs;
to pay jurors, feed prisoners, improve
roads, etc.? Shall the State assume to
levy general tax for the building of
courtbouses and iails and donate to
these counties the taxes taken from
the people elsewhere to erect their pub
lie buildings2 Wherever an interna.
tlonal certificate is located the power
to tax from the moment Of that loca-
tlon ceases, and If whole counties are
measurably located upon, what conse-
quences must follow? Again large
amount Of rolling stock Is necessary
torun thetrains on the Great Northern
railroad, now under the control Of the
International the rolling stock, etc,
ofthe International is entirely exempt
Why may not the company hold that
the International rolling stock Is used
upon the Great Northern, and is there
by exempt from taxatlon What tax