Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-20
THE RAILROAD TAX MONEY.

The letter of Colonel Creed HAMMOND
as attorney for the railroad companies, and
which we published yesterday, will strike
the unbiased mind as forceful and convin-
eng regarding the matters treated. It
strips from pretended devotion to State
Interests fimsy pretense, when he offers
TO the Attorney-General to receive back
the tax money the latter holland which
the Controller refuses entry into the State
Ireasury-and to thus leave the whole rail-
road tax question IN atattt- QUO. The offer
,Jss1hesto honesty of purpose, and the sin
eerity of the defendant railroad companies
In the issue. No question has been so much
befogged by political demagogues as this.
1t was a safe and wise policy TO leave to
time and the sober thought and judgment
of the people the discovery of the truth.
They now fully realize H. aud If any esti-
mate Is to be made at this time of their
judgment in the matter, it must be that
they condemn the policy pursued, which
prevents the covering of the tax money
into the Treasury. Mr. Raymond, as all
evidence of good faith, points out that
prior to the adoption of the new Constitu-
ton the companies paid over fair sum
for taxes in cases where it had been Judi
cially determined that they were not
bound to pay. With the adoption of the
new Constitution arose issues regarding the
taxation of the roads which had been fore
cast by some of the best minds in the State
when the instrument was under discussion.
Litigation followed, but it will be recalled
that IN none Of it did the corporations re-
ferred to ever manifest desire to escape
their Just share of the burdens of maintain
ing the government. 1t was constantly kept
TO the fore" that they desired only an
adjudication of those issues upon which.
rs was their right, they had appealed to
the Courts of the land, and insisted upon
judicial guarantees of rights they claimed
IN common with other taxpayers. Against
double taxation, and deprivations without
opportunities to be heard, 1t was their
right TO protest and to carry that protest
into the Courts. No Just man ever wished
the railroad companies to pay more than
their Just due, or to be deprived of any
guaranteed right under the laws of the
land. But there was, and is a claSs-now
happily exceedingly small-that deemed
ii justifable to "cinchp the railroad cor
porations, looking upon them as outside
the common pale of procedure, and objects
to he punished by the infliction OF unusual
and heavy burdens. Mr.. Raymond recalls
the historical fact, that at all times and on
all occasions his clients asserted their
readiness to pay whatever should be ad-
judged their due by the established tribu-
mails of their country On a challenge of
their fairness and honest intent, they came
forward, and as fully as they were permit
ted to do, paid the face of the claim made
for taxes, expressly STIMULATING that no
right of the State to recover more should
be deemed waived More recently the
companies rendered greater sums to the
State than they admitted to be fair and
Just. 1t is difficult to see what else could
be demanded or expected of these corpo-
rations. The immediate occasion for Col.
Haymond's letter appears to have been
the unworthy intimation, in some quarters,
that by the part payment into Court
80 the Attorney-General, some advantage