The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-21
now TO BREED roruLrsrs.

Jay Could in his lifetime was taxed on
only $4,000 Of personal property. Pro-
ceedings in the surrogaie's court Of New
York city have shown the real value of
that kind of property left by him to be
about 81. 900. coo. and the commissioners
have assessed il at $1,000. 900. But the
executors and trustees under the will of
Jay Gould obtained In the supreme court
q writ of certiorari for the purpose of re-
viewing the assessment of the personal
property held by tho. petitioners as execu-
tors by the tax commissioners at $1,000
600. The chief ground on which George J.
Gould and his brothers and sisters protest
against the assessment as illegal and void,
Is that at the time when, in the theory of
the taxing law, such assessment was made.
that Is, on Monday. January 8, Jay
0ould's will had not been admitted
TO probate, inasmuch as Surrogate
Ransom did not grant the decree OF pro-
bate until January IS, on which day let
ters testamentary were issued to the Gould
children. 1t is alleged. therefore. by the
petitioners that on January they had
under their control no part of the estate of
Jay Gould. 1t Is also set up that the vaiua-
ton of the personal estate at SIC, 000. 900 is
arbitrary and grossly excessive, dispropor-
tional. unequal and unjust. because il is
largely more both absolutely and rela-
lively than was assessed against any other
person or estate in the city and county of
New York for the year 1888 In the event
that the assessment be not wholly vacated
the petitioners ask that the assessment be
reduced to s.. 900. ooo
This Mr.. George J. Gould, who resists,
chiefly on mere technical grounds, a very
moderate assessment Of his personal prop
erty. recently said that "the real genuine
wreckers of railroads in this country are'
the legislators" The SOUND answer to
this charge of Mr.. Gould is found IN one
OF the recent decisions of Judge Veazey, of
the interstate commerce commission.
while the legislation complained of is
oppressive nothing less could he expected
of an indignant people anxious to get even
with railroads that had abused their legal
privileges and business opportunities to
bleed and prosecute the public.
Arthur Hadley, in the Forum, after Jay
Gould's death, argued that the career of
Jay Gould had done much to develop So
ciaIism in America. Socialism and an
arehism. - exhibited by the Homestead
rioters last year, and Gouldism are but the
display of two antagonistic types Of the
great American hog
Another breeder Of socialists. in his
failure to give any considerable part Of
his twenty-five to thirty millions for pub
lie purposes. is Anthony ]. Drexel, who
left only 81 ,ooo, 900 to the Drexel institute
to further that institutions objects by
the erection and maintenance through its
income of an art gallery, museum or
other addition. in case its room shall be
inadequate. with the permission to use
| part of the income 60 establish the
"Drexei hospital. lie also gave Sloo. 600
10 the German hospital in Philadelphia.
! These henetactionS we're not great in
| proportion to his wealth.
| The example of Gould aud men of his
kidney feathers every filthy or poisonous
arrow that is shot by anarchic socialists
| &C the body of the American republic.