The leader., 1900-02-14
THE RAILROADS PROPOSE
COMPROMISE.


On last Friday petition was pre-
scented to both houses of the legislature
by the Illinois Central, Yazoo 4 Mis-.
sissippi Valley aud Canton, Aberdeen
& Nashville railroad companies, asking
for a compromise of the celebrated
back tax suits brought by the revenue
agent aud which are now pending on
fifty per cent basis, or in round num-
bers, for s75o,OOo.
The memorial was read with great
interest by the members of both bodies.
1t is somewhat voluminous document
and accompanying the memorial is a
copy of the bill under which it is pro-
posed the compromise shall be made.
In summarizing the document, the
railroad companies state that the ex-
emptions from taxation in controversy
we're made by the legislature in the
years 1870 and 1882, and that at the
time it was universally understood and
expressly adjudged by the supreme
court of the state. that such eXemp-
tions we're constitutional and valid.
and that such adjudication was ex.
pressly confirmed by the supreme
court rs late as 1893. The company
further states that on the faith of
such decisions aud belief expensive in
vestments were made in Mississippi
involving many millions of dollars, and
that the new rulings and laws de
clared by the present supreme court
operate to them with great injustice.
Continuing the memorial states that
from the State decisions which are
now pending before the United States
Supreme Court the railroad companies
have good reasons to believe reversal
will be secured, but that in order to be
relieved from all further litigation in
the matter and settle the question on
an amicable basis they are willing to
divide the controversy squarely in two,
paying one half of the back taxes de-
manded for the fourteen year period.
Following "a suggestion made by the
Clarion Ledger in favor of compro-
mise of these suits, the press of the
State seems to be practically unan
imous in favor of the proposition,
which has doubtless encouraged the
railroads at interest to lay the matter
before the Legislature in the manner
outlined above. The LEADER has
always regarded these suits as breach
of good faith on the part of the State
and that the equities of the controversy
were clearly on the side of the Rail
road. So strongly have we been i'm
pressed with the injustice to the
roads that we have all along hoped the
State would lose when the matter was
finally decided by the court of last
resort. 1t smacks too much of repu.
diation and utter. disregard of the
spirit of progress and liberality with
which the railroads and factories we're
induced to invest their capital in the
State.
Now that the Railroads, in spirit of
concession, come forward and propose
to settle the litigation, once for all. by
paying in cash one-half of the whole
amount in controversy. we do not see
how the Legislature can afford to hes.
itate. Not considering the great ad
vantage of having large amount of
cash paid into the State treasury at a
time when the State must build a new
capitol, the compromise on such a
basis in a matter wherein the law and
the equities are admittedly in doubt
on both sides, would be entirely in
harmony with the spirit of fairness
and justice towards railroads so OPP
portunely recommended by Gov. Lon
gino in his splendid inaugural address
and go far toward bringing about that
better feeling which should subsist
between these corporations and the
people of the State.
AS was to be exposed, State Reve-
nue. Agent Writ Adams oppoes the
proposed compromise, but it is hoped
the Legislature will not allow Mr..
Adams opposition to stand in the way
way of a settlement so manifestly fair