The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-03-18
ought 10 be Made 10 Pay Taxes
on Actual Cash Value
OF Property.
Strong Appeal to the Democrats of
the State to Force q More Equit-
able Assessment of Rail
road Property.
BY MR.. G. W. HARRIS,
OF CARROLL COUNTY.

l To the Democrats OF the Various Coun-
: ties of Tennessee -
| submit for your consideration the
3 following resolutions. based on the
history of the Indebtedness of tn State
Under the Internal Improvement Act
OF 1853 The credit of the State in the
J shape of state bonds was loaned TO GER
tain turnpikes and railroads to and In
their construction. In 1883 the pu bilc
debt was twenty eight million dollars
almost all of which was on account OF
the railroads, and this was compio.
missed for fifteen million dollars. Tbs
is in the strictest sense a railroad deot,
although tina state is responsible for
its payment.
Justice demands that the public
service corporations which received the
benefit of this Indebtedness should
liquidate 1t. The history OF all the
litigation looking to tue assessment of
the railroad property shows that they
have resisted every effort to force them
to pay their equitable share of tue
state taxes, when common fairness
would dictate that this class of prop
erty should be assessed as all the other
property OF the state-at its actual cash
value.
| a Dlsgrace Co the state.
| 1t ls a shame and disgrace to the |
| State that railroad properties which |
are capitalized at one hundred and |
| thirty i've million dollars. upon whose
| bonds and stocks interest and DIVIDENDS /
are regularly paid ana upon the basis
OF which enormous capitalization the
people OF the state pay freight and
passenger tolls, should never nave been
assessed for taxation at an amount
even experimenting one half of what
they are worth In cash In the markets
of the world.
1t is confidently believed that If th~
resolutions which are herewith SUP
mItted for consideration are adopted
by the several County Conventions and
placed in the State Democratic plat
form, this purpose will be accom-
plished. and partial relief be afforded
to the taxpayers of the state who have.
though unJustly, most patiently borne
this heavy tax burden since the Civil
war.
Tne fifteen million dollars of public
debt seriously hinders the progress OF
the state. We are annually paving in :
interest on this debt five hundred
Thousand dollars, and at this rare
within the next fifty years we Will =
have paid the debt several times over :.
Ill interest before the debt itself Is Il
wiped out. i
An Important Issue v
The equitable assessment OF Cor
property for purposes of tax.
ton is the most Important Issue of
the next State campaign Democrats.
do your duty and put an end to the
grave injustice that is bong done ycu o.
Refuse 10 longer send as delegates to r.
your County and State conventions or ut
rs men bers of the State Legislature II
The representatives of corporations
when block the way of this great On
reform. "a
To this end the following resolutions "
ire respectfully submitted for your va
with the earnest hope vi
nat every county in the State when eV
eiecting delegates to the State Con- ~
yention called for May 25th will adopt co
hese or similar resolutions and inS pa
truct these delegates to act accord gu
ngly.
Resolved LIST. That justice de- oe
hands that the property of public w
ervlce corporations should be valued 10
or taxation the same as ail other tax Ye
BILE property OF the State, at Its actual Or
AL NdluO, duu tHdb Lub huulIlOudl =
evenue derived from the Increased tn
assessment OF corporation property 70 70
nall be covered into the sinking fund rel
nd used In paying off the public debt al
which now stands az a formidable bar tei
Ter to the material progress of the NV
rate. we
Second: That the time has come IN
vheh the people shonld manage their bu
wn political affairs and be freed from PR
he influence. dicrati0n ana manipula- Au
ION OF the CORPORATION, and we there ths
ore favor the enactment OF law
laking 1t forfeiture OF Office tor aly IL
lemDer OF rbe Legislature. judge of any oo'
Durt. Or any other officer OF che state TOT
, accept free pass from any railroad nss
+ other corporation It,.
Tn I'd :--Rsslved that the Board OF
abroad Commissioners has not served eha
ny usefui purpose. but Is an unneces- op'
nv expense aud We uefuand that 1t 70
. abolished and III its stead that the M
legislature snail appoiut from 1ts lut
embersnip \ Committee OF five, who ne
q familiar with the values Of rail or
lad securities and who shall investi- con
ite and report TO the Legislature the tan
alae OF all the railiosd telegraph and =
iephone properties In the state and fiol
10 Leg stature shall fix the assessment vat
such properties for taxatlon and Bal
me shall s,anu without change for = for
rm Of four years frei
Fourth RESOLVED. further. thar IN Ter
II State Democratic Convention All sac
solu IONS should ne first reaa and
'bated IN open session in order that q
the delegates may understand what o.
alters OF interest are before the con-
ntion and thar the convention itself She
outd decide what resolutions shall he !,
ferred to the committee on resolu- Az