The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-13
sSorARE DEAL" For RAILROADS.


#s After a thorough hearing and investigation the
Evaporation Commission has announced sun
TSnnfial increases In the assessment tor taxation
1$f The tracks and roadbeds Of Virginia rail"aHS'
|feavinr out of consideration III such assessment
Vic value of heir respective franchises.
Y. The increase comes after the State has waited
|kacticaly three Years to permit the roads 10 re
|9syer from the strineencv and Generalization
|krourht mon them bv the Roosevelt panic OF
aoO7. Increases III valuation on different roads
I@erording IL equitable estimates from Slo.ooo 10
1R2O. 900 per mile, and smaller increases on the
Em,.,uprtv ef roads at lower valuation result III
W substantial rails in assessments Of from - 10
|s6 pcr cent on standard tracks and roadways.
ND The increase IN taxes from railroad property
|Fo the State will amount 10 approximately so2,-
Zoo per wear; when city and county taSee are
Xdded. tn. revenue from taxation 10 all purposes
I'll acsregat. an increase Of upwards Of $40,
0O annually.
n The railroads concerned steadily fought any
Scrcase In the assessments. They deluged the
admission with a mass Of figures tending TO
NV that they were in no instance experiencing
Mn reasonably profitable returns. The state
ents indicated great increases IN gross, with
snses. thus cutting down the ratio of net to
- profits In spite of this the commission has
fformed It's duty fairly and conseryatively.
has, in legal manner and with due regard
y their rights. drought the railroads to time,
thont in any sense subJectng them to great bur
ns. III has sought 10 place corporations on the
ine basis of taxation with individual property
o1ders Ii has established and reasonable
efhod of fair treatment for all the sources from
Fhich taxes are derived. The care Of the com
Sesion to keep clearly before It's eyes the tact
VT it was estimating physical property as di-
61ced from potential values gave the railroads
every way square deal; its action IN look
nevertheless at the real value OF this prop
fy, with due discrimination, tends to remove
, suggested reproach that railroad property is
6Fored above property of another character.
The astonishing statement is made by the com
;Hsion that Virginia now taxes railroads more
kayilv than any other State density of popula
hi and other existing conditions considered
Hill may well be true without implying any
stieillar burden upon RAILROADS operating In this
t1te. If Virginia taxation is relatively high
than that Of other States, it goes TO show, not
S&t railroads are too highly taxed here, but tia,
Nh are insuticientlv taxed elsewhere. The sub
~ is one of the most technical sort, surrounded
Nth mystery. involved i'll numerous and some
mes conflicting defenses. Every indication is
hi the commission has conferred its purpose
non dealing with the railroads citizens arc
Alt with There is always the possibility OF
Itigation in such eases, but we trust that II will
- now be forthcoming. The industrial peace
III progress Of State depends in great meas
re upon the ntodus etrendi Of railroads and peo-
y. Subject TO good tempered insistence on
khts by either side, the ideal situation in this
aportant respect is the growth of mutual under
Ending and mutual concession.