Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-20
ASSEMBLY.
THURSDAY, Febr


ASSEMBLY.
THURSDAY, February 10. 1885.
The Assembly met at 10 A. NJ, Speaker
Parks in the chair Roll called and quorum
present. Prayer by Chaplain Davis Journal
of preceding day corrected and approved.
Firebaugh presented a petition in favor of the
monthly publication of crops and stock reports.
Agriculture.
Lafferty presented a communication from the
striking iron-workerS OF San Francisco, thank
ing the Legislature for its adoption of a Iesolu
ton of sympathy.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Ward from the Committee on Counties and
County Boundaries, reported back the bill in
relation to the boundary line of San Luis Obispo
county. recommending its preference TO the
Committee on County and Township Govern
ments. So ordered.
Dewitt, from the Committee on State Hospi-
tails reported favorably on Assembly Bill No. 81,
and adversely upon Assembly Bills Nos. los
and I62
French. from the Committee on Crimes and
Penalties, reported back Assembly Bills Nos 506
and 5l4, recommending their passage.
Swayne, from the Committee on Claims, re-
ported back Assembly Bills Nos. 4iS and 527 |
recommending their passage.
JONES from the Committee on Corporations, |
reported back Assembly Bills Nos. $50 and 3SS |
recommending their passage as amended.
Davis, from the Committee on Publ Build !
il&s and Grounds, reported that the Committee |
had visited and inspected the State Normal
School at San Jose.
Culver, from the Committee on Swamp and |
Overlooked Lands, reported back, without rec
omcndation, Assembly Bill No. 27l
Laughlin, from the Committee on Roads and
Highways, reported back Assembly Bill No. Sill |
recommending it do not pass
Loud, from the Committee on Municipal Cor
porations, reported back Assembly Bill No. 52S |
providing for the payment of bonds issued on
account OF the widening of Dupont street. San
Francisco. recommending it do not pass
Firebaugh moved to rerefer the bill 10 the
Committee on Public Morals. Ruled out of order.
BILLS INTRODUCED
By French-To amend the Political Code. re-
lating to the publication of the laws, journals
and appendices of the Legislature. Public
BY Jordan-To prohibit the sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors within one mile of the State Uniyer-
sty Public Morals
By McDonaid-To provide for weighers of hay.
Municipal Corporations.
By Buhlert-To regulate charges on telegraph
lines Corporations
RAILROAD INCOME TAX.
The first bill on the special file was Assembly
Constitutional Amendment No 15 providing for
the levying of 21a per cent. tax upon the gross
receipts of railroad companies in lieu of present
method of taxation.
Munday spoke against the bill. He said he
could not possibly figure up more than S5000Oo
per year il but 212 per cent. were levied ON the
gross incomes of railroads. He thought that
anything less than per cent. would be entirely
i'll the interest OF the railroad companies.
! Loud said it was not u question whether the
| 30 per cent tax would or would not amount to
| the sum now taxed to the railroad companies
| 1t was Il question simply as TO whether the pro-
posed tax would be a just and proper one.
Coleman feared that the railroad companies
would make false returns of their incomes and
that under such bill the practical results
would be dangerous. Again, he did not think
the people wanted the bill, and for that and
! other reasons he would vote against ii.
Jordan replied that if the people do not like
the bill they will have an opportunity to defeat
! it when ii comes before them for their indorse-
ment A railroad company cannot afford to
make false returns of its income in order to
save little money in taxes; if it did its bonds
would suffer in the financial markets, and be
deprecated perhaps many millions of dollars.
He read list of Eastern railroads, with the
! figures showing the rates of taxes paid by them
A comparison Herewith showed that in Caifor-
MIA the rate was far in excess of that paid by
Eastern roads, while the earnings We're much
/ less. Assessments had been levied upon loco
motives, steel rail and other railroad property
in this State in excess of the prices at what the
| same property could be thought new.
| Britt said he would support the bill. as he re-
garded it as measure calculated to make rail
| roads pay their taxes. 1t should be remembered
| that. in addition to the two and half per cent
| on incomes, the companies must pay taxes on
certain property, and he did not believe the
receipts would be greatly below the sum now
yearly assessed to the railroads. He regarded il
as step toward taking the railroads out of poll
| tics.
Hazard opposed the bin. He did not believe
tndt unQer IL the state WOulQ receive It's lust
proportion of taxes. lie did not regard it as the
true policy OF legislation to establish as a basis
for taxation the statement Of the party who is
being taxed.
Corcoran said that the income tax was the
right principle of taxation. The new COnstihi-
ton, from which 50 much had been expected
was failure as regards its provisions relating
to revenue. There is nOt-aud cannot be under
the present CONSTITUTIONS law in this state
under which the railroads can be compelled to
pay their taxes. The bill under consideration
offers solution of the problem before the peO-
pie. He came here under a strong, specific
pledge to support some law that would compel
the railroad companies TO pay their taxes, and
he proposed to Keep that pledge The people
are tired OF the agitation over railroad taxation
and they want an opportunity to vote on some
proposition of this kind.
May said if he had drafted the bill it would
not have been so severe on the railroads 1t is,
however the best thing he can get, and he pro-
posed to vote for it. The New York Central
quadruple-track road, running through popu-
lous section, pays less than California single |
track road running for hundreds of miles |
through barren sand wastes, where the traveller !
may ride for hours without seeing more than |
cactus now and then. The bill is a step in the |
right direction. and there should not be vote |
cast against it.
Barnett said he came from an anti-monopoy
county and this is tine first that has opened up |
way to do justice to the people. As anti |
monopOiist he favored the bill.
Heath said his constituents were antimonop- |
olStS and whenever it came to IA ques- |
ton between the people aud the railroads. he |
was with the people. He thought the bill was |
in the interests of the people, aud that at the |
same time il would be Just to the railroads.
Colby said the bill dill not exactly meet his |
views but he would favor il as the best method |
yet offered to make the railroads pay Il just tax. |
Under PR sent laws collection cannot be enforced |
lie was once engaged in Il business in which he J
paid ~ per cent. on his gross income. and he |
considered it severe and oncrous. STILL he |
would vote for the bill before the House, as |
being nearer what is right and proper than the |
present law.
Jordan asserted that if the bill was passed it !
would compel the railroads to pay a higher tax |
than any railroad in the Union except one, the |
Pennsylvania Central.
The roll was called on the passage of the bill, |
with the following result: Ayes 81, noes 10.
STATE TEXTBOOKS.
Next on the special file the substitute for
Senate Bill No. II, providing for State series of
text books; The bill was read the third time
and passed by vote of GO ayes to l no.
DEFICIENCY BILLS.
Assembly Bills Nos. 200 2O7, 227, 800, go, 81, |
80, 2 PSI, 30 29l. 292, SIG, 167. j26. les, 126
lbs, 49, $50, 49, 1872, 1888 1876 l36, 49, 1875 139 40
2l3, 345 and 455 all deficiency bills-were read |
the first time.
Assembly Bills Nos. 134, 237, 22S, 23S. Sss and |
397-also deficiency bills-were Withdrawn.
Recess tile p II. |
Afternoon Session.
The House reassembled at . P NJ. Speaker |
Parks in the chair.
Watson of Alameda moved to take Assembly |
Bill NO ~ from the HE. 80 ordered.
The bill relates to the incorporation of colleges |
and seminaries of learning. and is intended to |
apply particularly to the Mills Seminary, Ala |
media county. The bill was read the second |
time
Edwards moved TO take from the file Assembly |
Bill No 4o9 relating TO the classification of coun
ties. The bill was taken up and read the first |
time.
Carter of Solano moved TO take up for second |
reading Assembly Bill No 100, relating to close |
seasons for salmon and shad Carried, and the |
bill was read the second time.
On motion of Britt. Assembly Bill No. 295, to |
permit the sale of State school lands not Suita- |
BILE for cultivation without requiring actual |
settlement thereon by the purchasers was taken |
up out of order and read the first time.
On motion of HusScy, Assembly Bill No. los, |
relating to forming iuries in criminal eases, was
taken up out of order, read the first time, and
made the special order tor 1879 a. NJ on Friday
On motion OF Cook, Assembly Bill No Asa, re-
lating to roads and highways, was taken up out
of order and read the first time.
On motion of Coleman, Assembly bill No. 242,
to license salmon fishing, was taken up out of
order and read the first time.
MuNDAY's RAILIoAD-TAX BILL.
Assembly bill No. 161, relating to revenue and
providing for the taxation of the capital stock
and bonds outstanding of corporations
Munday, the author of the bill, made n long
argument in its support, arguing that the only
fair and Just method of getting at the true value
of tho rrnnprfv of n corpOratiOu WAS to ndOpt