The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-10
RAILROAD WANTS
TAXES ADJUSTED
Claims it Directly Pays Double
Assessment
Purport of Bill Not Clearly Put
to Finance Committee-Hear-
ing to be Opened Again Next
Week

Hartford, May 10-Had 1t not been
for a statement made by Lawyer L.
F. Robinson, who appeared before a
meeting of the finance committee at
the Capitol yesterday afternoon, after.
those interested in the hearing con-
corning taxation of railroad corpora
tions had agreed upon q postponement
until Wednesday, May II, at 2:3O
O'Clock, the members of the commit
tee might have departed for their re-
spective homes at am early hour. In
stead Tax Commissioner W. II. Cor
bin, who was present at the hearing.
took exception to the lawyers state
ment and while the hearing had in
reality been adjourned until May 4,
the committee members felt bound 10
stay and listen to the explana TONS
offered by both of those gentlemen.
The purpose of the bill, which was
up for hearing, is to prevent the New
York, New Haven & Hartford railroad
from being forced to pay double tax
alton upon it's properties, a condition
which it is claimed now exists. From
the remarks of Lawyer Robinson and
Attorney General John H. Light it ap-
pears that the only trouble is how it
should be worked so that there will
be no further Inisconstructfon of it's
purport.
Lawyer Robinson pointed out that
in the past, particularly when the
New York, New Haven & Hartford
railroad took over the Old Colony
line it was necessary to get a special
act Of the Legislature to refund the
taxes which indirectly double as
sessnent upon the former corpora ton.
a Similar state of affairs he said has
existed since the same railroad had
purchased the numerous trolley lines
which have since been merged under
the head of The Connecticut Conn
pany.
Lawyer Robinson further pointed
out that when these branch roads
were bought by the New York New
Haven 6 Hartford railroad deben-
lures We're issued to finance the trans
action and afterwards when = they
were merged into The Conncc ticut Co.
the same railroad purchased the stock
Of the latter company Therefore he
claimed. the New York. New Haven
& Hartford vas paying not only a
tax upon the capital stock CT The
Connecticut Company but also g. tax
upon the debentures issued by tho
New York, New Haven & Hartford
railroad to finance the purchase of the
ii Obey lines, as these debentures are
still outstanding. Such q system of
taxation Lawyer Robinson declared
WAS q case of indirect double taxation
upon the New York. New Haven &
Hartford railroad and ought to be
Inasmuch as Lawyer Z. D. Robbins
WAS absent. Lawyer Robinson said
that he did not wish to agree to the |
draft which Attorney General Light |
had submitted at this time. as he pre- |
ferred that Lawyer Robbins should |
look over the corrections that had been |
made. He therefore requested that |
the hearing go over until next week
and Senator Hammond suggested |
Wednesday. May II. at $50. which |
WAS agreeable to all parties concern |
ed
Then it was that Lawyer Robinson |
said that should the New York. New |
Haven & Hartford Railroad decide to |
abolish the Connecticut Company and |
take back into its own hands the troll |
ley lines which that company con- !
trolled. they would pay Just that much |
less taxes. a condition which had ex- |
listed before the Connecticut Company |
had been formed Tax Commissioner |
CoIhiu irTcdiately took issue With |
him in regard 10 this statement and |
showed where the New York New |
Haven & Hartford Railroads assess |
,nent last year differed from this |
years tax by just the value of the |
capital stock OF the Connecticut Co.
This contradiction opened the en- |
tire question once more and from the |
way in which Tax Commissioner Cor /
bin started out to explain the bill and /
what it intended to accomplish it |
locked as if the whole matter would |
be brought. down to- dollars and cents |
which the ordinary mind not trainet! /
to financial terms. might easily under !
stand Before the disputants arrived /
at this point. however. they were
checked by Senator Hammond. Sen |
ate chairman of the committee. with
tie remark that he saw no use in go
ing further into the matter at this
time. iuasmuch as the need of the bill
seemed to be admitted by all parties
and that the only question at issue
was proper wording of the measure.
Consequently TIE Illuminating explain
alton which seemed to be hanging in
the air ready to be spread before the
eyes of the committee was obscured
and the hearing went over to next
weck.
EnIeN- < idneN Pills Ia ke hold of NOlc