Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-06-10


e E1oslael tally eco1r2l1.
e. ~ thsrs YES npzhInz else Il TIN
hll but & prugi8t0u denandiaa Eatn-
hufsR nnen1 % tAe Cnitea Slatan Eoasury
fer ga amoant paid Gus for thia CON
unny IN anxFH3ina thesa h 12s. and for
What VII haEe - be paia onk heIe8fker,
TIERS would beample reason for - pas
1aRs b this Co11rass. Bat there =
manh mere thar this invotEed. 50 long
- he title to this Subsidy Is eff % The
unifed STATES, Gnd no pafenfz taken cut
~ these cszapantss. fnss 20 iona Do the1s
lands esaape al tnxaflans S1ales eounty
and mnnicpaL The roads may sail
them q e. Ehey have done; may mart
sage them for milIions q collsfs ~ they
have done, and ~ ths moneg ftF them;
may build ~ CITIES, villages and towns
apon them a. they have d0nss may ocn
vert them into farma and sell them on
ten years credit with yearly payments
as has been dene; may Fsosive TIE pro
eseds from such sales IS tbey are yearlV
doing. and deposit the same il their own
treasures or the pockets Of their stock
holders ffse from any percentage thaFe-
on tV tbs Government under any law.
and Yst pay not one dollar Of taxes
thereon.
Frutflses Efforts have bsen made By
the people along she lines Of these roads
20 compel these vast corporations 30 pay
theiF Just sud fair proportion Of taxes
on their lands; 70 make their eontribu-
tons b build up school houses, court
houses and other public buildings; and.
in short. ts do that which all good eiti-
Gems Who desire protection and benefits
from q government oheeFfullY do; make
contribution 20 lis treasury, that she
ends Of government may be suhserved,
and the laws executed; bat they are
uniformly mst with the answer: You
eau net FAX orr landa The titles
thereto are in the Govsrnmert Of the
United States and no TAX can be levied
thereon
In the efforts 30 collect shs taxes, liti-
cations have followed, but always with
the same result. Ia q veFv late case the
Supreme Court Of the United States
held that the "lands Qraated 90 the
NOrthern Pacifo Railroad Company in
Dakota are not subject 20 taxation until
the cost Of surveying and selecting them
has been paid into the Treasury Of the
United States BY the company, although
the road has been built before the levy
Of the tax.H fSes Northern Pacific Rail.
road Company ". Rookue. c1unty trea-
sarer, "a. decided Dec. 7, 1885. being an
appeal from the Snpreme Court Of the
Territory Of Dakota.l
So long, then, as she patents TO these
lands have NOS issued ont Of the United
States, 90 long as something Is lsft 70 Be
done by the company before Il has q
complete title 20 the lands, they cannot
be taxed By the States and Territories;
because, II y0a granted the poWer 70 tar
you granted the power 10 take away and
destroy tbe lien upon the land retained
by the United States for protection
against tbs costs paid hy she GoveFnmeni
for surveying, selecting and conveying
the lands.
The Supreme Court have held that II
the patents were issued, whether the
costs we're paid or not, the lands we're
taxable, because then she legal titls
would be in the company. Ik was also
held shat II the company had done eve
gythiuQ it was required 90 do todsmand
q title, then les land would be taxable
although the patent vas not out OF the
Government, because It had Q complies
equity Ii tue land. But inRsmuch q
the company had not paid the cost Of
survey, 80 give 10 the States and Terri
tories the right 90 tax would give then
the power TO destroy the lien that thl
United States had elected to reserve q
reimburse than for the advances thej
had made for the company.
Il is apparent, therefore, sir, that q
regards this vast domain, this immense
grant ct over 1900, O00 acres OF land
given 10 this corporation, Il holds thl
land, 10 ccutFola il, mortgages it, sells Il
exercises Indeed ell the rights Of owner
ship, and yet escapes the burden Of tax
alton that falls upon every other specie.
Of property owned BY every other indi
vidual IN this broad land. These land
lie adjacent 10 other lands, owned b.
poor people, actual residents, who pay
taxes regularly for State and county
purpos. =. The company may sell IL
land to an actual settler, who takes pos
session and improves the land, lives Of
u and enjoys IL, bat be paws no take.
because his title is IN the Government
the pateut never having issued. He ha'
only bond for title, bat this IL emf
nently satisfactory 10 him. for the Gov
trnmens lie a good trustee 20 bold hi
title. and By such q device be escapes al
taxes.
10 IL knewn that these lands have beef
and are being cold by these companie'
on ten years' credit to actual settlers
giving them emily bonds for title, anS
for these ten years they are 10 escape al
taxation. And even at the end Of thi
ten yeaTs, unless q change comes ovel
the dreams Of she companies, they vii
not then perfect their titles TO the land
by paying the expenses mentioned, bal
will &c on and on, as stated, indefiu
itely. These purchasers may not b
willing 10 risk simply bond for titl,
from the railroad. and may require I
deed in fee simple. which they could do
bus their lands, nevertheless, would moi
be taxable, because the patent had Rol
issued taking the title out Of the Gov
eminent.
These things are not right, Mr.. Speak
eF, and this Congress should not hest.
tate one moment TO give us q hearing
ana pass this bill, and thereby remedy
the evil.
Complaints are being made by tht
States and Territories through Which
this road runs OF the great iniustios
thus tolerated and permitted BY the
United States. They are iast CON-
plants. These States and Territories
have the right TO appeal to Congress for
relisf. Il can emily come through Con-
grsss. This Is q plain business prOposi.
ton, and Is business men We should
meet IL. There Is no effort 20 excite
the pFsiudiees Of members against this
corporation. Congress, in delaying the
action asked here. only prevents the
states fr0m exercising the sovereign
right 70 tar property within their terri
torial limits. This Is not an effort "a
take the lands from this company, bat
| do say, sir, that the United States
Government has shown this and the
other companies favor enough, and
should pet nov grant them the add
tiOual favor Of preventing their lands
from being taxed. 10 the great injury
and embarrassment Of the States and
Territories.
Tue Northern Pacidc Railroad Com
paay has offered no kiEd of excuse OF
| Justification for its failure 70 pay these
costs. IL has no excuse. do not over
lock the facs that benefits have resulted
70 eur common country from the build
ING Of these roads. ft IL conceded that
much Of the territory traverssd BY
them vas net long ago considered Z
great desert, which has since THAR ad.