Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-03
DISTRIBUTION OF RAILROAD TAXES

DISTRIBUTION OF RAILROAD TAXES,
:, We are indebted to the politeness OF
Hon. Mr.. Nesbitt. of St. Clair county,
for Il copy of his bill. entitled, ian act
providing for the levy, collection and
disbursement of all taxes derived from
certain railroads herein named" That
the taxpayers of Lafayette may get 4
clear idea of this important matter, we
print in another column not only this bill,
but a similar one presented in the twenty
eighth generally assembly by Mr.. Nc
Clelland. of this county. AS Mr.. Nesbit's
bill only reached us Yesterday we have
not sufficiently studied it 10 express y
positive approval OF it as 4 whole; but
At 4 glance we think that it correctly
covers the ground. 1t will be remem-
Lered that this question was first breach
ed by Capt. Joseph l.. Stephens. ofBoon-
SIllo, in an able and exhaustive letter
upon the subject. written to the st. Louis
Republican. early in the year 1874. Mr..
Mctielland, As the second member of
the committee on WAYS and means. when
representing this county. perfected the
bill which we publish under his mans.
Ii we understand the subject correctly.
there Is but one justification for taking
the taxes on railroads out of the hands
OF the counties. that is. that the rhoIe
state built the railroads. and that it is
consequently unjus; tor counties in
wh.ri the roads were located, and which
We're benefited thereby. to derive all the
benefit o; the taxes upon such roads.
70 illustrate: The state debt is, say.
81 900 900, created by the building of
certain subsidized railroads LAFAYETTE
~county's assessed valuation is, say,
81. 900. GOO. Pettis %counts's the same.
Lafayette county having been better set
tied and improved for many wears than
%l'ettis. has paid Il much greater amount
in taxes on this debt. which has been
largely reduced, though she has not an
inch OF this s',D,idlLed road within her
borders. white Pettis has. SAY. thirty
five miles OF the road. machine shops
aui :; large amount Of rolliu stock
Besides the advantage OF the location
OF the road 10 Pettis county which To-
cation was Al injury to Lafayette under
the present superintendent of taxes,
l'ettiS can collect more taxes from the
railroad than she pays to the state upon
the debt Lafayette cannot collect a cent
and is compelled TO drain from her peo-
pie ST. 900 or more per annum to
pay interest and principal on 4 debt
which was created to her prejudice.
We like sMr. Nesbits bill hes, in this.
that it only applies to the subsidized
roads. There is no reason why it should
apply to any other. Mr.. McClelland's
bill applies to all railroad property IN
the state. The railroads built by counties
within their own borders, or by indirii-
uais. should pay taxes on their proper
ty where il is located. There is but one
thing with i seeming of Justice that the
counties in which the subsidized roads
sre located can urge, and that IS that
they should be- entitled to taxes on the
amount of subscriptions that they may
have made to such roads. or on a part
of the amount, equal to the proportion
which still remains unpaid of the entire
railroad debt, as originally contracted.
Bat even this seems hardly fair. when
it is considered that other counties,
which obtain nothing, have SO long been
paying the debt for them. We have on
ly generalized in this articles as we have
not had time to hunt up the figures, but
the argument would be the same even
based on exact ddta. aud we give both
the bills. as on closer study there NAV
he ZONE features in the first hat it might
bs we'll to eugraft upon the last. l.atay-
cite cnuutv's representatives can have
nothing more important to engage their
attention than the passage of this bill,
u it will save to her people Sl1 900
per annum. and be an act of long defer
red justice.