Evening star., 1920-01-04

Ihe question OF Maryland's tax on
railroad Passengers through the state
fifty years ago was
Maryland's Tax not finally settled
on Passengers. Court es tns decision sup'eme aes
claring it to be contrary to the Con-
stHution. In The Star of December
~ 1859. is the following editorial on
the subject:
IL seems by the published letter of
GOV. Bowie to the president Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany, dunning the latter for the un-
paid fifth of the gross receipts from
passengers over the Washington
branch that the money derived from
this swindle upon the travelling pub
lie is absolutely needed to provide
Tor the expenses of the state In other
Words, Gov. Bowie makes the naive
ADMISSION that the state of Mary
iand is in so impecunious a position
tnat II has to resort to the high
way la DICK Turpin, and levy trib-
ute upon hapless passengers caught
IN It's territory, to enable it to meet
the current expenses. This, too after
the supreme Court has decided such
tax to be illegal. Truly. My Mary
land must be in distressed condition
financially when it has to resort to
such expedients to make both ends
meet
SAT the same time the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company is COM
mitting the logical and legal blunder
of continuing to collect tax upon
decided unconstitutional by the highest
legal tribunal in the land 1t admits,
too. that it cannot lawfully pay over
the money to the state after it is
collected In this opinion it is sus-
tanned by the best legal authority OF
the country; yet it continues to levy
the tax. From the moment it came
to the decision, thus amply fortified
not to pay this tax longer to the state
of Maryland. it should have reduced
the fare to the same extent over the
Washington branch. and it is putting
itself in very awkward and in
defensible position before the country
by failing to do so3
The year 1870 was one Of the most
trying years financially in the history
of the United States, be-
Rumors of ing marked by a series
NJ Of business failures that
resulted in a panic.
which was the worst that this coun-
try had up to that time experienced.
That there was some premonition of
this disaster through rumors Of inse-
curity which gained little credence as
the old year closed is indicated by the
following in The Star Of December %,
1863:
The New Year will open with a
more fiattering business situation
than was anticipated few weeks
since, when so many sensational ru-
mors were afloat of a general financial
crisis. A comparative statement shows
that there have been 200 less failures
of business firms for the season just
closing than there were in a similar
period in 1868. and two-thirds Of the
aggregate this year was made up of
small firms. The Boston Herald. in its
cheerful anticipations for 1870, COM
ments quite Justly upon 1869. 1t says
that business has not paid SO large
profits this season as in other seasons
since the war, but there has been no
| sudden shrinkage of values which a
fair margin for profits would not
cover, and the failures which are TAX
ing place have generally been of weak
concerns, where they have not result
ed from outside speculations. Great
wrong is done by the circulation OF
well known houses in a time when
money is stringent and a feeling OF
uncertainty pervades financial circles
Sometimes these rumors are circu.
lated maliciously, to injure credit
ometimes to gain a point in trade by
influencing the markets, but more fre.
quently we judge by gossiping won
der-mongers, who have no object ex-
cept to tell all they know and rather
| more. Such people should be suddenly
shut up or Field to a strict respon-
sibility for the mischief they make"
The new system Of house num-
bering. similar to that which now
prevails, had been
Remembering adopted by the coun-
the Houses. and the REMEMBERING
of buildings was in progress. The
advertising columns Of The Star bear
evidence OF the change. as the ad-
dresses Of business houses are given
in both styles, old and new. For in
stance. the firm of French, Landran
& Ogilvie, book dealers, is noted as
1884 Pennsylvania avenue, new num-
ber, 909." In The Star of December 2s,
1869, is the following brief editorial bear
ing on a practical matter connected with
| the renumbering process:
I'VE hear that some Of the parties
engaged in REMEMBERING the houses,
under the recent act of the councils,