, 1881-02-01
PENDING LEGISLATION.

Srfetat Dispatch to The Chicago Tribune
SntsUFlELr, ILL.,, tAs,. Jl..-No ono subject,
perhaps, III connection with tie possible
legislation Which the present session may
brny To ll,,ss has excited llIore attention n1ld
more discussion In q .lufut why tl,an tho
Lincgar Ruyenlle bill. The nature Of tho
measurs itself, to say nothing Of Its authors
reputation for legal ability aud MI Nnboulldetl
aulouut Of strong common sense, marked 1t
from tho first rs une Of tho matters which
WIS sure t0 receive careful and extended
consideration instend OF meeting tho ign0ble
fate which attends the average Legislative
lucubtation,- death without benefit Of clergy
IN Committee. Indeed. tho exceedingly fa-
variable manner lii which 1t was generally
received was ut once notice to such as
we're incltnctl to oppose it that tt would be
hst us we'll to look ut tho matter seriously
lnl to discuss 1t oil its merits. The bill has
bot como up III tho House Revenue Commit
iee rs yet, but will do SO Mt Its meeting
Wednesday, when Its author will be- present
10 champion Ills offering In his own torclble
way.
The character Of the bill has already been
outlined in Tile TRIBUNE. but, In order to
chow
THE SCOPE OF Tl1E DISCUSSION
which has grown out of It, Il reproduction Of
It's Seycrnl textures will be necessary. 1t
PROPOSES. In brlef, to tax tho. railroads on
lhc|r gross rccefnts, md, III view Of tho llifnr-
st'ce In earnings hctwecM tho new md tho
III and well-estnblisllcl roads. divides them
INTO two classes,-tliose which earn less than
eA0n per milo per ann,lM1, and whlcl, aro
10 be tnxcd :, per cert un their gross re-
cents, and those which earn moro than
mat amount and wllicl, nre to bo
taxed per cent The bit further provides
17S OF y per cent OH the gross receipts OF ex-
press and telegraph companies, alld " tax OF
per cent Oil tho gross receipts of Insurance
companies. BY tho terms OF tlla bill such
lakes ara 10 be III iIeu Of nil other property
l'Scs OF any character whatever.
THE Observation-Disclosures.
the CHIEF md apout the only objection
wilct has been urged ngaiust tho measure
laus Tar Is that 1t llsrcgartls and Is utterly
opposed to tho. prohibition III reference to
spcctHl legislation. rl,e common battle
fEo'!ad selected Oil which to light the matter
oat Il Art. Q, Secs, l unl Q, or tho Constitu-
.'oh Of ls'0, OIL the masEl-yoxcd sllbjest of
HegelHe." The doctrine ttiurc laid down
1sas follows:
eiStT'nS iSSEtT'nS !. The General Assembly shnll pro-
sMs suct rovenus ~ iuny b. noudfnl BY Iuyyins
" ny uy valuation, 80 tlut every l,craon ati1
e of s s r .y tax ~ propor,on t. the
,sa;sesrtainci by ammo person or persons To DO
I'ea erai er nppolntod IN such anner ~ tho Con-
W. W sho General Assembly ehHll huve po,ycr t,
fna,opea na peadlefs, auctlDneGrs, Arokcrs, buukcrs.
jpv,Iaa1,aI's commission merchants. shuwn,et,
ienfns lHtkeeflcrS. EEOcery-kccpcrB, 1tuM1r-
r,s,t tnH bridges. tGcrios, insurance, totC-
Sapn ant! express interests or bisness. vendors
",sux ieses 's' aa pryssnss ri sc ows as
a. ~ blH!l from Limo to finn tllrect by gGil-
otn.a.a. uniform ns to tho class upon which it
siIla.s;. Tho specification 1T tho objects ana
erni ot snsAtinn s.al nut deprive tho Gun
suLirrIs el"oiy 81 " the NoEor to rcgur0 othor
ton 5y b 9 consistent witt o principles of taxS.
~" ''3ca III tha Constitution.
r,. 4 FINE POINT.
fotIaa1 fa phrase "aFd not otherwise" has nr-
I've mi 'atII .., l3r any amount of construct
t!!nis @s3nis p wllic! tho bill lins ts!rcay beel,
sli" s 9"la.:, lts author, runlMg tho suctlon as
is Ina,a,tst9nits II. md nv Most pcoplo would
thoulHl' lHl''seM su.l,i 10 siew " unless sotlebody
ea.ls th.tS \ fEsSt a,l,, contrary construction,
trI%ta.na .ae tielerll Assembly shalt direct Tic
mio,! min,Ma,!., OF ,,AsSessnrs-by electton ur tI,-
rysr rysIt' s,s',t Tle onpucnts OF tho It'll, how
tile iorseuns, ,ite wnils 4ask 50 ns to appy to
,,.'o st slticl tho ua cf a;i al yaiore,l, Mn tnx.s
ss pse,v 70 ,|,1. Ge on sEoss receipts. Tie point
i easa q i tase discovered It, aii. probably be-
,uake the ~ 1a,st 50 ,lne. to llavu determined to
In t'n'h'ssseetS In oua House Ind tifly-9ue
sidrss s"J,asr tnu,r Will ba cniltt up0t, 10 dc.
Cons,l}mtnto, WHY the frnmera OF the
isileI u anI na,f:splttlng will 10 on, uusliiI,n.
ha Ilas I ama,alli1'erruptcd, THO nuthor thinks
view n, n""iea ,"i.aa away MI the cobwebs BY tho
stsss W. ,1p.G,,ibited from lmpnsing Tx oi,
lhA tIii IiiI'"Ipss, ;tps, tho next question Is Whether
aeaiInIst tfeg!slatton n-ilal il, In ,his case.
tIuns, knou"air particular Glasses o{ cor,Iora.
Enpi emsa e."s',a Respectively ~ railroad, telO-
1uS'sesa, 1,,, alld Insurance co,nIsl.iss. ~
of THU 4"EL,A.,rlEorlry "a, TO LEVY A TAX
Tie fst N.a ~, n.st come, II anywloro, from
10 hut thTss r. Interests uro specially mentioned,
.eeul L, !, T., regard to tiiuln tilerU would
elhed 10 utthf,1atls. thf"aa ,ost ncrsosis wSni 10 in.
.ssllnR o. s1''nk TINT tho plIrass "corporat!ons
wsu!a a5o9t 9s 9tslng franchises aul prlyliegss
aans Of tic tnceSassef SSaasef them. III order to INK