Railroads have long been a favorite source of tax revenue, not only to the Federal Government, but to all of the 48 states. Recently the Committee on Public Relations of the eastern roads compiled some figures on railroad taxation, and made some striking discoveries.
Over the past eleven years, taxes paid by the roads increased 160%, while dividends increased only 10%. Ten years ago (1913), railroads paid out $322,300,406 in dividends, and $127,725,809 in taxes. Last year dividends had dropped to $283,000,000 while taxes had risen to $336,399,000. Until 1920 dividends had exceeded taxes,...