The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-12-15

4 Important WocfmHOm 90 WmftrOm0
Companies ana Tax-P9yers-
| Of T0x1tf0n Enumc1afed.
A decision OF vital interest to minority
taxpayers was made some month"; ago b.
the Supreme Court OF Michigan The Leg
islature Of THAI State authorized municipal
| corporations and townships 70 Issue bonds
TO aid railroad companies, by q majority
vote Of their eitixena- Advantage was Ia
large sums for railroad aid. The trustees OF
one town, mott believing that the Legisla-
ture possessed the power 70 authorize q ma
jority Of votes 70 bind the property Of a
citizen against his viii. In aid Of railroad
companies. refused to issue bonds voted I'M
der the law by an election in the town
snip. The railroad company attempted 20
compel by q AGad0usss the trustees to issue
the bonds The case wAa carried to the Su-
premo Court Of the State. which decided
say: Taxation In behalf Of railroad cor
pOrations 10 % essentially taxation for pri-
Vate purposes - it would be for any person
or business whatever. Ii the Legislature
can rAiae money by taxation to be spent by
them for their great enterprises, is can do
the same thing 60 enable any private citizen
to become Q producer OF Valuablea for his
own emolu@ens. All industry helps gener-
al prosperity. No line can be found which
can, by law. make one business more public
90 sss mon up IN any bnstnsas 10 potoss GbGs 10
foreign 20 tAe plHposse Of 0ocernDsezt. It 10
not legislative power, but unlimited eover-
eign will, that can compel one pri-
yaEe citisen 70 fRrnish means to
anosher. location 10 only EdtcftI to enable
the Gocs~nrsens to Jul0 sts pssbStc duties, and
to p0y such expcnses az ore incident % public
btIsiness. There 10 necessarily q considera-
BILE dissension to determine what means
may be desirable 70 enable the Government
to do its work creditably, bus the power 30
tax one citizen for the private emolument
of another, upon any theory of mere incl
dental advantage 20 the general prosperity
OF large or small communities, can only
rest on 4 foundation of absolute and ire
sponsible power 20 make favored classes
taxpayers tributary TO them. No such
power can be tolerated in republic, and no
hint Of such q power can be found in our
The case before us is that OF
q private corporation demanding a gratuity
which has been voted to il in a township
meeting upon the assumption that its bust |
ness operations and facilities will incident
ally benefit the township. L do not find |
that the meeting possessed any inherent au- |
.hority 70 pass such a vote. or that any l
such authority could have been conferred l
lpon it. The Legislature could not confer l
Upon the majority there convened juris- |
fiction to measure for the minority the de- |
nands upon their gratitude or liberality. |
individuals as such must make their own
ionatiOnA and decide for themselves, how
ar any proposed enterprise of other indi-
Tiduals can properly and justly, in view of
he benefits they may receive therefrom.
lemand their aid and assistance. .
( the authority exercised is not within the
axing power of the State, il 10 quite need
ess TO discuss whether, If it were within it,
here are not restrictions which prohibit its
xereise."