The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-12
Railroad Taxation.

When tbs SeHate bill to increase the tai
on railroads was befors The House on thu
! 8th inst, Mr.. hurry offered an amendment
and said
Mr. SPEAKER: l have offered this amend
ment TO reduce the tax on the little narrow.
gauge Ripley railroad from forty to twenty.
| FIVE dollars per mile, and wish to give
some reasons why it should be adopted:
| In the first place, the tax proposed in the
Senate bill would be manifestiy unjust, not
| only to the company who own and run
| this road, but it would be also unjust
to the people who patronize the road.
1t would be HR4Fst to the company, be-
cause it diseriminatss sEalnst this little
road in favor of stronger and Ja'sR9 wealthy
roads and would be another instance of
legislation in favor of the rich and strong
against the poor and weak.
It would be unjust to other people who
patronize thls road, because freights and
fares would necessarily bs increased par
passu with the increase of tax.
You will observe, Sir, that tilis til pro-
poses to increase the tax on the great
through lines of railroad in this State, to-
wit: The Chicago, st. Louis and New Or
leans, Memphis and Charleston, Mobile
and Ohio, and others from eighty
to one hundred dollars per mile,
and on this little LaI road from
twenty TO forty doliaEs per mile,
and this, too. without any excuse or even
pretert, as far as can learn, for such dis
elimination.
Now, Mr.. Speaker. and fellow-members,
l desire to say, once for all, that am now,
and always have been in favor of an ad
valorem tax, as far as it is practicable, and
l ana more than willing for the rule to be
applied il tbs case. and / undertake to say
here and now, and without the least fear of
successful contradiction, As$t the tax pro-
posed By my amendment for tbs little Zip
ley road, when compared with that pro- ]
posed in the bill for the other roads, is in i
excess of what would be required for it uR- /
ssr strictly ad valorem system, and ! now
sssert that the Ripley Railroad can
De hogght for one-fourth of the amount |
hat any enc of the great trunk lines, which /
.un through tie State could be purchased
or per mile.
Therefore as the propositioa = 10 tax the
'osds so much per mile, I.say that this Lag
slatuEs cannot fix as a basis for the tax
my other tA&a RADIATION per male of the
-arious roads in tbs State. Sir, much could
70 said in support of nag amendment that
would be absolutely snansweEabls, bat
annot proceed further with this argument
a the time allowed me.
In conclusion, Mr.. Speaker, wish to re-
1ind my supervision friends on this floor,
I ale fact, that have stood as firm as a
Ock. = o. khhe question of Supervision, from
be opening ~ ibis session down to the :
resent moment, beileSing honestly. as y
o. that determinations are %-9aa. ttajust,
nd skogld not be longer tolerated % the
eopls. ARd rev ut the heel of the session Z
find myself ceHfs04teS With the mOnSroqs
roposition to discTimiHats IN fSyQr of the I
mighty" against the weak ne many !.
rainst the few, the rich against the RsoE. !
ID appeal to my Supervision friends. J,
peGielly, and to all others. 10 stand By !.
s apd e. us adopt the amendment. 9