The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-25
DONOVAN WOULD HAVE NEW HAVEN
 ROAD PAY MORE
Norwalk Senator Criticises Tax Commissioner COrbin Relative to Railroad
 Taxation
Discussion Ensues During Hearing on Taxation of Oyster Grounds to h. crease States Revenue.
(SpeciaI to the Farmer.)


 Hartford, March 25.-Senator Jere- miah Donovan of Norwalk in speech in aid of the oysterman bitterly crlti- cised Tax Commissioner Corbln and pointed out that the New Haven rail- road is greatly undertaxed. Insisting that the railroad is not even paying it's tax of one per cent, he declared that it's actual payment amounted to less than 5 mills on it's valuation in Connecticut He insisted that the need of the state with respect to tur- ther revenue should be met by 1n- creaSing the revenue derlVed rom railroad property. The subject ol taxation of oyster grounds brought lot of oyster men to the Capitol yes terday and produced great protests from them against the plan suggested by the investigation board. The bill in particular provided for a minimum franchise tax of 15 cents an acre and a productivity tax in addition of cents a bushel on the catch.
 Representative George B. Chandler of Rocky Hill spoke of the financial condition of the state, with it's poss1- ble deficiency for the next two fiscal years of $3,900,Q00. and of the urgent need of more revenue. Tax Comm1s- sioner William H. Corbin and eX-Gov- | on the affirmative. It was shown that Connecticut with 69,739 acres of oyster ground got tax return ot SS7373 in 1909 and after change was made netted S14,1387 in 1910. Rhode Island, with 16,S14.7 acres, netted $95,751.92 in 1909 In Rhode Island the total receipts since 1881 have been $4S4,799.03 while in Con- necticut they have been $228, 900. Il the grounds since 1881 had been tax ed on the same basis as in 1910 the receipts would have been about S700.- GOO. If the surplus was approximate ly that of 1910 for each year since 1881 the state would have received as gain S424,162.50. Louisiana Maryland and Texas have productlv- ity taxes and they are working. One would work in Connecticut. A sub- stitute bill was put in by MT. Chand- ler to see if it satisfied the oystermen any better, for a fiat tax of S4 an acre on productive grounds and 20 cents an acre on non-productive.
 MT Corbin pointed out that two years ago he had recommendef changes in the methods of taxing the railroad and /corporations, but both matters were adversely reported.
 Ex-Governor Rollin s. Woodruff told how he had come to believe that Connecticut was not getting falr return from the oyster grounds and
 
 land got about S10O,000 and Connec- ticut less than S10000 he felt the matter needed looking into. The re- port of the commission is splendid and it's plan fair and just.
 Ex-Senator Franklin l.. Homan Cf New Haven spoke at length in oppOs1- tion and claimed that Connection. grounds were not natural grounds, that the industry was maintained ar tificially, that oysters had to be trans planted to Rhode Island waters to put them in condition. He felt that the industry would die soon enough anyway and if the state wants to kill it, it need only put on the last straw the proposed tax. As a counter pro- position he suggested why not a tax on hens. With 20,000,000 hens in the state and tax of 1 cent each that would net the state $200,000. Then a producing tax on a basis of twelve dozen eggs per hen per year would net $2,000.000 more. COnnecticu; must cease pollution of the waters of the Sound and harbors, he said. and it should subsidize it. F. s. Beardsley Of Stratford. a di- rector of the Seal Shipt Company 1 President Henry c. Rowe of H. C. Rowe &S Co.,, and others also spoke in opposition. As evidence against a productivity tax a collection was shown of shells and other useless material brought up along with genu- inc oysters which would have to be measured all together.