Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 2 (of 7)Roosevelt, Theodore
History
Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 2 (of 7)
Roosevelt, Theodore
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919; United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1909
The line of cleavage between good and bad citizenship does not
follow the line dividing the men who represent corporate interests
from the men who do not; it runs at right angles to it. We are bound
to recognize this fact, to remember that we should stand for good
citizenship in every form, and should neither yield to demagogic
influence on the one hand, nor to improper corporate influence on
the other. There is no intention of oppressing people who have put
their money into franchises. We recognize that, as in the case of
all legitimate business, they benefit not only themselves but the
community at large. If a franchise is worth very little, it should
be taxed very little; but where the franchise is of great value, it
certainly should be heavily taxed; and the value is of course based
upon the use of the city’s or State’s real estate. Such use of the
public real estate should not be given without substantial returns;
returns not only in the way of service to the public, which of course
a street railway or a gas company gives, precisely as the proprietor
of a grocery or dry goods store gives it, but also in the way of
bearing a just share of the burden of taxation; again, precisely
as the owner of the grocery or dry goods store bears his share,
the difference being that a railroad company, for instance, owes
infinitely more than the proprietor of a big business establishment
does, to the real estate itself. Of course, this value differs greatly
in different places. Where population is dense, as in New York City,
the real estate along which the tracks are laid on Broadway may be
worth an immense amount for every lineal foot, exactly as the real
estate fronting this portion of Broadway is worth an immense amount
for every lineal foot. In sparsely settled districts, however, the
value of the real estate of the railroad will diminish greatly, just
as the value of the realty through which it runs diminishes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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