The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-04
7HE BACK TAXES
ON ROLLING STOCK
Argument Before Corporation
Commission.
The SEABOARD'S DEFENcE
ALREADY PAYING MORE THAN
IT'S PROPORTION.
ACCORDING TO MAJOR SHAN'S FlGUilkG
He Shows That he Has Been Giving in Many
Tim as Much Rolling Stock as
Any Other Ra lroad in
the STA e.

The Corporation Commission was IN
session yesterday for the purpose OF
resuming consideration of the question
of collecting baek-taNes ON the rolling
stock of certain railroads in the State
A week ago the Southern had hearing
as TO it's roads, and yesterday the Sea-
board was given an inning.
Major Shaw, appeared fer the sea-
board, and argued That the road now
was paying and had always paid on
an its rolling stock, and he Thought 1t
wrong for anyone TO now be trying to
hunt cut things that might net nave
been fully laNeo.
THE Seaboard Air Line gives
in twice as much rolling stock IN North
Carolina. in proportion to its length as
any other read in North Carolina Ma
ior Shaw declared. 1T doesn't do that
proportion Of the business. Taking the
rolling stock the Seaboard itself gives
in. and that which the Mercantile Trl19t
and Deposit Company runs over the
read, and you will find that the Sea-
board rays tax on six times as miltl
rolling stock as any other road in the
State
AS to the Mercantile Trust and
Deposit Company, he contended that ITS
rolling stock was the property of a
nonresident and. according to the SUI
prone court decisions. could be taxed
only at the home office of the Mercan-
tile Trust and Deposit Company.
And even in case we are held taxa
ble~ in Nerth ClaroliIa,' Major Shaw
continued, we ought to be taxed only
for such portion of the property
as is habitually used in this State.
'.1he SeaIGard has always been fair
and candid with the commission 1T
has never had anything TO conceal ard
has tried to conceal nothing
Il don't think this property ought TO
be taxed at ALL Certainly back taxes
ought not to be collected from it.
4 want to say also that I'm amazed
at the attention the Governors giving
your board. Perhaps il he'd given as
much attention to some other boards
there wouldn't now he so much necessity
for investigating committees. | DON'T
know what he thinks about it. | think
you are going to do what You consider
your duty, and il he doesn't think the
same I'm glad to say to you he's about
the only man i'm North Carolina that
entertains such an opinion.
."Ihe Seaboard pays en- Its main line
a larger per cent on rolling stock THAI
any ether road iii the State-take it on
any basis. | think the commission
wants to equalize these taxes as much
as possible, and if you'll do that I'm
satisfied. =
Major Slaw read comparative figures
showing This
''Ife Seaboard this ycar - paying
ca 100000 of Iolling stock-five times
as much as any other road in the State
] submit this road is doing its full duty
and even il it were liable for fdheslo
back years it ought not to be collected
by this heard. The nial.ter was inyesti-
gated by former boards and they did
not see proper TO impose this tax and
| don't think you Ought to do it. 1t
would be neither just, fair nor equita
hle."
Reply TO this contention was made by
Col John w Hinsdale, who represented
the State. His speech in full is printed
elsewhere in this paper.
At conclusion of the argument the
commission announced that it would
take the question under adyisement and
render its decision later.