The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-04-01
MR.DEWELL DISSOLVES TIE
TOTES TO SEND STREET RAILWAY
 TAX BILL TO THE HOUSE.

hot Debate Over the Measure in the Sen" ate-Passed by a Vote of II to 9-Age of Consent tDiscussed-Dr. Barnard's Money Speeches in His Behalf.
 Senator Marigold called from the transfer of the street railway tax from the states treasury to that of the va rious towns in which the railways were situated. The senator, Marigold, eX- plained that the finance committee had reported adversely on the bills because of the urgent need of the state of all the revenue 1t had coming in. Passing this bill meant taking away from the state over $106,00O, which would be re- quired from some source and the only one that he could see was from direct tax.
 Senator Brown offered substitute bill providing for tax of per cent on gross receipts to be paid to the towns. Referring to the argument that the state needs the money, he said 1t gave no good reason why the state should rob the towns There is as much reason for giving the tax on elec- tric and gas companies to the state as for giving the state the electric road tax. To do this would cut off $13,20O from Hartford's tax receipts, but no one would propose it, yet the electric road taxes are taken away from Hart ford.
 He said that he was aware of the different factors opposed to the bill. First the, state could not afford it. All the officers of the state are arrayed on that side. Another factor was that of the large corporations, which would look upon the measure with suspicion for fear they might be called upon to make up the deficiency. It is not argu- ment to say this; neither is it argu- ment to cite the first objection. Be- cause the state is in need of money is no reason why it should commit felony. If I am indiscreet in my finances it is no reason why I should take from my colleague from the Ninth district" said the speaker
 They say the steam roads pay a state tax. Now, gentlemen, there is no parallel here. The steam roads are not purely local The steam roads run through the state from one border to the other and rightly pay the taxes to the state as they ought. The towns furnish the protection to the street railways. In every way the burdens of street railways are put upon the towns It is a tax on the people to cause them to go out of their way to escape the street railway cars which occupy the highways. Did these companies pay one cent for these highways that are not paid for and which are kept up by the towns? The steam railroads pay for every foot of land they occupy. But, senators, why not tax the large cor porations? Take any of the large mills which were chartered by this state and run by the states water. Why not take the tax paid by them and pay it into the state? Why, gentlemen, where will you stop if you take the tax from the corporations? You might go on until you would have all.
 Senator Marigold said there was but one answer to the question. The state needs the money and if we take $106,000 that is now derived from the tax on street railways we shall have to lay a
 
 state tax.
 Senator Futile answered the senator from the Fourteenth by asking if it were not more justice to tax the state banks and the insurance companies
 Senator Herman opposed the substi- tute, taking the position that the bill would drive the state to a direct state tax.
 Senator Kendall said: "Just an echo from the committee on railroads There is a rumbling away down below the surface that seems now all quiet which indicates that in short time this ques tion must be answered. The towns are giving up their highways at rate that will, if kept up find every town in the state run by iron rails upon which the trolley cars will run. The towns are at this instant demanding this diver sion of the street railway tax to their treasury and with some degree, at least, of justice and right.
 Senator Herman replied that the mu- nicipalities had the power to lay a tax on the street railway companies for the extra expense of the maintenance of the highways, because of the existence of these roads.
 
 ment that the towns owned the high ways, said that this was not true; they belonged to the state. Just as certain as the day follows night, if you pass this bill, state tax confronts you" he said.
 Senator Browns answer to this state ment of the senator from the Nine teenth district was that the state might own the roads, but the towns paid for them.
 The vote was then taken on the ques- tion of adopting the substitute offered by the senator from the Tenth district. The ayes and nays were not distin guishabIe, and Lieutenant Governor DewelI called for rising vote, which resulted Il to 9 for the adoption of the substitute.
 The report of the committee, as amended, was then adopted by the same vote.
 Senator Brown then moved to trans init the bill to the house immediately The majority lost one vote when the question was put on the transmission of the bill and the vote stood 10 to TO- Lieutenant Governor Dewel dissolved the tie by voting for the suspension of the rules and the transmission of the