Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-24
RAILROAD TAXES AND THE STATE
DEBT.

"'-'''-NN. iNii4ot'!S vi Tic Nttlt. IL
matter at great moment. and So far 4
new LEGISLATION is concerned is certainl
;le mos. important that can come beiur
the twenty-n!nth general assembly. A
we stated in Il former editorial on tn
/ subject, the glaring injustice of tn
: present mode OF collecting the take
from railroads was first brought to pub.
lie attention by Capt Jos. l.. Stephens
OF BoonvilIe. and the first legislation nj
tempted was by Mr.. McClelland. OF thi:
county. in the lower house of III,
t"ontv-eighth general assembly
Now we have a bill pending. otferuc
by Mr.. Nesb!tt. OF St. Clair. witt
amendments proposed By Mr.. Mcdaniel
OF Saline. Mr.. NeShitt's bill We hay,
printed. Mr.. McDanici's amendments,
~ we understand them. are in substance
the addition Of that feature OF the Me
tleI!and bill which excerts from the
application of the Law such amount in
each county a> such county may have
contributed to tho building OF such rail
roads. The case il lust this: The state
OF Missouri. SOME twenty Years ago, and
later. assumed Il debt ot about twen,y-
nine millions OF dollars in aid Of certain
railroads. n~lLncly. the North Missouri,
the Pacific, the South West Branch OF the
Pacific. the Hannibal and st. Joseph,
thrC tiro& Fulton. the Iron Mountain and
the Platte County. Beside the aid granted
by the state. many counties assisted in
building these roads. The favored
counties through which they PASSED
wcr,. mal-t~ LIr--vHi As the rose. Cities,
towns and Villages >prang up where be-
fore were wilds and thirketS. The busy
h.!n @. agriculture and commerce fol-
low! The LAYING ri the iron trail. and
tor these Communities, as Col. Sellers
w"a.d ay. iurre were millions in il |
i;ai. On the otA,r hand, counties away
!r'lt these subsidized lines Of railway
were ~! Only not benefited. but in the
case al some ct the Missouri river coun-
ts,, the weAithIcst in the state and conf
ectu1""E me heaviest taxed for the
building Of the roads. their creation cut
'aei" oN' OF Il large trade which had, up
% 'lat tliAe, been commanded by them,
ana proved An aosolute injury. No one
questions OF envies the vast material
'e' e''P'''e" resulting from their agen-
Jul SINCE under Inc law taxes must
imposed IN this species OF property.
ei"'' 10 nat assessed upon MI other
'''f>e' q property the revenue result
'h3 rom 'uch taxation should be applied
'4u'tto!e proportion to the payment
lie interest ana pFincipaI OF state.
III '''''.P'. an" otAer debts incurred, or
Contributions maze III lis a!d. A strlk-
az acknowledgment OF the justice OF
MS PF''e'p!e Is furnished by the legis-
a''oN Oh eisAt OF ten Years ago, which
'e'"teu sHe LAX on railroads constructed
Il "do'e or part o. counties and town
H'I9't" tue payment 1.-THE debt incurred
y '".h ala ana III an mendmen 10 the
'e''o'' -" oH '"e last general assembly,
y =, "'s"'O"'e" '"e Stloo! lax derived
o'' 'A'-''''7 o"''t "S county or town
"'P a." |" al Inc children, per
H. ".'"'A tnei: limits. re-
't'''eNs oil the Special school dis
't'' 'l''iSh ""''h the roahs mightrun
" MS article We contemplate the pro-
''l' a. Una oil Mi Neobitt. with
* N'l'e' "'"st""' IS without them :
'''V N""'" "e N' ea'lh'I mop" OF pass
i"'' act 'Reh' provides tAAt. IN
o t'\''''" lot II. "'hef purposes. 4
9"''' " impose" apo" 'hese roads
nv ''''e''e' pE 'hc state equal III per ;
e'I'7e ~ t''e average IaN on all other =
property IN me state ami that the tota. ,
H"' "e "PP''er |" tie payment i
,, 3" p '.S'P'' W '"e "eot c
! "'~'' al '"e'' ''' me opponents OF ,
- measure say that this tax would not :
~ 'le required interest. Inns IS not +;
VIZ 7"'"'''' against It. because inc +,
as "'u'" pay Just ~ much taN - !
'e! 40 now, ana II would all 20 10 -
10 safe 'l7rehE .cssening state taxes ,
i U'' PutP"S"' excepting IN 4 o
:" "'ol'" counties which de- ,
~ more taxes from the roads
''"'e" through 'heIt borders than
''' are require" I" pay to the t.
"e' Let US see no" II would work Il
ne '''t''''s "l'e" oy 'he state were n
+t"e" ~ '1e '''I state BOARD oil equal Il
"''o" ut @-7'f-o''o' h'tiiiatihS the Ii
s5''=''' I"Ae' "h Iie7c l'a"s m the d
'"t''e7 "'"us "hich they run ~ y
Il CENT tHo annual N!e!H would De y
o az &c. lhe tota! dept consequent t!
! t'c o"'!"'hg OF the'e railroads Is Sl4,- d
'o''"'0 i"e bonus peal b per cent. III II
rest when would require the sum oi X
'o!''o' W per Ahnun 10 pay interest. .
t'!hS TO De assessed on al! the coun- p
: q me state Sz99'"V5 per annum, d
s9o1'o0o Tess than mas no" to be I,
'se~'ea. IL 'hese calculations we have n,
| 'Neh INTO consideration the contrl- 81
"''"' !" INC loans by countess, "
INC resultant tdHHL!oH VIII De the m