Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1894 — THE STATE WON [ARTICLE]

THE STATE WON

The Great Tax Case Before the ,U. S. Su--7; : pretne Court. The U. S. Supreme Court, Saturday, rendered a decision in the Indiana tax cases, deciding tnTavor of the State.-~Tbe suit was -Itrough-t by theaside the assessments made against them. There were but two dissenting opinions. The case was bitterly contested. The railroads pleaded poverty and alleged that that the taxes were exorbitant and unconstitutional. Attorney-General Smith and Attorneys Kern, Ketcham and Beveridge appeared before the Supreme Court for the State, while the railroads were represented by Attorneys Butler, Dye and Pickens. About $15,003,030 in taxes for the years 1891.189? and 1893 is affected by this decision. Of this amount about $12,000,003 has beeiF^iHllnta by the railroads. Some of the companies have paid their taxes in full under the rule of tlie State Tax Commission, others have paid two-thirds or one-half of their amounts, and others-have-not paid anything. -To the total amount affected could be added about $1,00(7,000, which would represent the pen al ty attached by the Auditor of State for delinquincy. Some of the money has passed through the hands of the State and has been paid on the debt. A portion of it is yet in the -hands of the- counties;-having--been—paid in under protest. To learn the amount paid by each railroad it would be necessary for county officers of the ninety-two counties to make reports. Added to the importance of the decision is the fact that other States have adopted* the Indiana laws for assessment, which makes the ruling of as much interest to these States as it is in Indiana.