The border vidette., 1933-10-07
AN EDITOR LOOKS At THE
RAILROADS

The following editorial. which
appeared in the Fallon Eagle of
Fallon, Nevada. shows how vi
tally the railroad problem affects
all communities. all businesses,
all individuals. It said in part:
Just how important the rail-
road is to this county was en-
phasized when the Southern Pa
cific and Southern Pacific Land
Co., between them. paid to the
Churchill Treasurer q total of
$58, ,465 IS for the first install
ment of 1882 taxes.
"Of cource the Southern Pa
cific has been doing that very
thing for years-paying q large
share of all the taxes paid in
this county. But what made it
so noticeable this year was that,
With most of Nevada's banks
closed. tax payments we're com
paratively few and the Southern
Pacific checks filled q big gap.
County employees will get
their pay. or at least part of it.
Other people who have claims
against the county will get all or
part of what is due them. High
school teachers will have pay
ments on salaries two months
due. These folks, in turn, will
pay merchants who have been
carrying them. or will pay their
own taxes. which had to be
allowed to go delinquent.
In short. as matters stand,
the Southern Pacific and others
who have been able to dig up
their tax money, are Churchill
County's bankers and have had
q large share. with creameries
and turkey buyers. in turning
enough cash loose in this CON
munisy to keep business from
being completely paraly zed.
An institution which means
so much to any community. -.
is entitled to fair consideration
at the bands of the public. The
community betters it's own con-
dition by supporting and helping
to develop the railroad. which,
in turn, will maintain and add to
its taxable valuation. returning
more money to the public treas.
u1y:
Although they have been hedg
ed about with restrictions which
have bampered their exercise of
initiative and judgment 10 coping
with modern conditions. they are
still st least partly to blame for
the situation in which they find
themselves today by reason of
motor competition. They have
found it extremely difficult to
alter their methods of doing bust
ness, learned in the days when
railroads constituted practically
the only mode of transportation.
There is, certainly, place
for the motor truck ia the pres
ent day distribution setup. If
the charges made by the rails
are true, however, there is much
work to be done By public ser
vice commissions in this and
other states to render the com
petition of the truck lines fair to
the railroads aud to the public.
Here in Nevada, as wa
pointed out recently by the state
auditor. the gas tax is inadequate
to care for maintenance Of the
roads built with federal aid
money and there has had to be
tax levy upon property for
this purpose. The truck lines
pay comparatively little property
tax and the railroads, with their
enormous valuations. are placed
in the ironical position of paying
a heavy share of the cost Of
maintenance of the rights of way
used by their motor competition
while at the same time bearing
all of the expense of maintaining
their own road beds, aud paying
taxes for the privilege.
The railroads are entitled 10
respectful hearing and to fair,
impartial Judgment of h i r
rights. We can't get along with
out them and they should be
given an even chance to pros
per-"
SENTENCE TO DEATH