Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-16

Il has become provssbial that large
property owners arc moro suooessfal IN
escaping payment Of proper portion
Of the taxes necessary fer the support
Of government than persons with small
holdings. It il also a. we'll known that
of the former class corporations, even
more than individuals, evade such pay
ment. In fact, the court records of the
various States are numbered with
actions arising out of the delay and re-
fasal of wealthy corporations to pay
equitable taxes on their property. The
most exasperasing and iniquitous avoid
anoe of this public duty is found in the
history of the land grant railroads.
The act of July 2. 1864, amending the
Pacific Railroad act of 1862, provided
"that before any land granted by this
act shall be conveyed to any company
or party entitled thereto under this act
there shall first be paid into the Treas
ury of tie United States the cost of sur.
veying, selecting and conveying the
same ty the said party in interest"
By act of July 81, 1876, substantially
this provision was extended to all rail
road companies receiving grants Of
lands. By the failure of these compa-
MES to pay such costs and apply for
patents, large amounts of lands granted
to railroads are. under the rulings and
decisions of the Supreme Court, sub
stantially relieved from State and local
taxation. They receive all the proteo-
ton for their property accorded other
citizens, and the benefit Of enhanced
values from contiguous improvements,
while not contributing one dollar to the
public revenue. BY refusing to pay for
the survey and obtain patent to the
lands granted, the title thereto is not
acquired, but still remains in the gov
eminent, and therefore is not subject to
local taxation. When. and only when,
applications are made to purchase these
lands tho companies comply with the
terms Of the statute, obtain patent and
deed to the pusshaser, thus escaping all
taxation, whiIe the purchaser, from the
moment he receives his deed, COM
meDces to pay taxes.
There are millions of acres Of land
granted to railroad companies in this
country which escape taxation in this
method. The land grant to tho North
ern Pacific in this Territory alone 10
about 10000 acres, none Of which 10
subject to taxation until patented by
the company. It needs no argument TO
prove that the law which thus permits
evasion of taxation should be repealed.
The Secretary of the Interior, in his re-
port last year. called attention to this
subject and urged remedy. In his re-
port for the present year he again calls
attention to the matter, saying that
experience has shown that. instead of
aiding the government and facilitating
the survey and sale of the public lands
along the routes, and the consequent
settlement Of the country, the provision
has operated to retard such Iaudable
results, and also has served to enable
the companies to obtain such valuable
parcels of land as they may find speedy
profit in selling, thus imposing the full
burden Of taxation upon their grantees
and other settlers who purchase lands
in the same neighborhood, while refus-
ing to take the patents for the larger
body Of less valuable lands, upon which
such burden would fall, into the hands
Of the companies Themselves
Periodically attempts have been made
in Congress to repeal the law referred
to snd to pass an act compelling the
companies to at once take patents for
all lands to which they are entitled
under penalty of forfeiture for non
compliance within a specified time.
Thus far all such attempts have been
abortive. ard the companies have gone
on az usual, only taking patents for
lands which they had, before applying
to tho government for title, already
bargained and sold. Already in the
present Congress a bill to force this mat
ter to an issue has been introduced. OF
course it will meet with the combined
opposition of the several land graft
roads. Memorials from several State
Legislatures have from time to time
been sent to Congress. praying for the
pessaRe Of such a law, but they have
shared the fate of every effort to get
justice from that body. There is An ex-
cited public feeling on this matter, to
which the Secretary of the Interior re-
fers, and it will be wise If Congress
heed lis demands. It is enough that
the lands of the public have been given
away in vast areas-bad enough that
the benefits promised the public in re-
turn for their lands are, BY bargain and
sale between huge corporations, denied.
Il Is monstrous that the donees of these
nuni6oent gifts shall continue to refuse
the paltry return OF helping to support
the local governments within whose
limits their vast domains arc located.
| .
| SLolAn's NEW BaxwxRY. Shortly
after tho burning Of his malt house, Mr..
Slorah concluded not t. rebuild on the
old site. but 70 put up q first claaa
brewery on block IL. Pontius addition,
near Lake Union, and the buildings feI
that pufpooe are we'll under way. Tha
main building will Be 26x66 feet In sixo,
and three stories high. The first story
viii b entirely Of cedar. filed on I'll
sides with aaWdust to q thiokneD OF
twelve inches, and will b used q q