The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-07-14
TAXATION ON. RAILROADS.
~ AND PERSONAL INJURY
Governor sayers Tells About What the
Railroads Pay.

Taxation is an important part in the
expense of railway administra ton. The
average valuation during the five
years ending June 80, 1905, by the
Railroad Commission of the railways
in this State was $l5.91C per mile o.
road upon an average Of 9,S14 miles,
though the amount actually and nee
essarily expended in their construc-
ton and equipment was very much
larger. The roads were, during the
time, assessed for taxation at an az
erage annual valuation of SS,544 pc.
mile, and in addition to such assess.
ment there was an average annual pay
ment by them of $S3,798 on gross
passenger receipts.
1t is confidently submitted that IN
der such assessment for taxation the
railways contributed more toward tho
support of the government in proper.
ton to their value, as determined by
the Commission, than any other char
acter Of property in the State; and to
sustain this proposition reference is
had to Table 70 of the Annual Report
OF the Comptroller Of Public Accounts
for the year 1904, where valuations are
given, county by county. A careful
and critical analysis of the table will
demonstrate, beyond question, that
value and quantity being considered.
not exceeding thirty three per cent Of
the property in the State contributed
to the support Of he government. Tho
railways, under the law as it was prior
to the TWenty-ninth Legislature, paid
more than fifty per cent upon a valu-
alton fixed by the commission, and tho
passenger tax besides.
For the want of adequate legal ma.
chinery much of other property has es.
capped and will continue to escape tax
alton; the railways, however, are not
permitted to enjoy this privilege. All
that they ask is, that in the matter Of
taxation they be not required to pay
In larger proportion to value than 9th.
er kinds Of property. They are entire
~ willing to pay their just proportional
share towards whatever may be need
ed for the public service; more should
not be required of them.
Another item in the operating ex-
pense account is that growing out Of
personal injury claims. These liabili.
ties have been rapidly and abnormally
increasing year by year. For the five
years ending June 80, 1899, they asgre-
gated s2,GG7 1857, as against So, (O5G,5
for the five succeeding years, being an
increase during the five latter years
over the five former of $5,3S9.236, or
over two hundred per cent. Referring
to this r. rtcular expense, the Railroad
Commission Of Texas, in their report
for the year 1900, say: For the year
1900 the increase Is noticeable and ex-
traord!nary, being $3G2,S98 or little
over fifty-five per cent greater for such
damages than during the preceding
year ending June 80, 1899. While we
have no official information showing
the cause of this great increase we
understand in a general way that it
probably results in large degree from
the activities of regularly organized
personal injury bureaus. The only di.
rect interest which this commission
has in this question grows out Of the
fact that as the amount of these pay.
ments is increased, the available rev.
enues OF the railway companies are re-
duced. thus necessarily operating to
that extent to prevent the reduction
OF freight rates, or it might be, to
cause an increase of them" This dec.
laration, however. by the Commission
does not have the effect to diminish
this item Of cost to the railways, as is
above shown.