, 1874-07-07

Now that tho tax-grab inv has boon knocked In
tho head by tho Supreme Court, md now thnt the
people OF Illinois hayo effected an immodiato
snying Of 90, 600, 600 and prospective saving Of
Home $4,000, ,00o, besides tho annual intoross
thereon, 1t will not bo amiss to rovow the notion
by which this unjust and illegal tax was Levied
upon thoinhabitants Of the State, with view of
fixing the responsibility therefor. As ne took
pains to ahow at tho timo, nll authority tor I'M
posing thiB iniQuitoua tax was takon away by the
new Constitution. It was also taken away by d
statute passed ainco the adoption Of the now
Constitutions statute which prescribed that
tho Governor, Auditor, mud Treasurer should
fix = percentage OF tax which would
yield $2,50o,O00 Tor general State expenses
and $1,000, 900 for Hchools, md no more,-in Ill
81, 800, 600. Nevertheless, these fuuctionaries
proceeded to lcvy 4a,soo,ooo, in glaring defiance
Of law. It was long time boforo. an admission
could DO extortod from anybody at Springfield
TINT this extra tax was intopded to satisty the
demands of tho holders Of railroad~aid bonds s-
| suod by towns md counties, for which tue towns
aod countios had received stock in tho railroads
| 80 aided, and for which the peop1o Of the State
at larga aro In no wiso responsible. Finally,
however, it was admitted TINT such WAS tho pur-
poao Of this axtra and illegal tax. But it was
pleaded that the law of 1869 required tho State
/ oflcorH to mako tho levy, and hence tint they
! wero not TO be blamed.
We Hhall not again 60 over tho argument to
show that this was IN untonnble position aud IN
inadmisslblo plea. Tho supremo Court 1aa
! shown all that abundantly, But surprising the
State officers beloved that tho law OF 1860 ALL
tlorizcd them to levy this tax-thoy did know
that there WAS grave doubt concerning ita
legality. Tho new Constitution was before
them declaring that no portion Of tho State
| revonue should be uaod for any purpose except
aB appropriated by law, and that no commuta-
| tion of taxes should ever be allowed to any
| municipality, and that tho State should mover
pay or DO responsible for any dobts contracted
by public or private corporations, II thiH drag
net WIS no: broad and awooplng enough to III.
clude tho grab-law OF 1860, 1t would man:festty
be impossible to franc ole that would.
Governor, Auditor, and Treasurer know TINT tho
| erab-law had boen repealed. We do claim that
they know thoro was grave doubt about,t. Know
ing thus, thoy still went on md loviea the tax,
and collected 1t as fur az thoy wore able. They
gave tho bonelt Of the doubt to tho bond
holders aud against the Taxpayers This wo
take leayo to cali an outrage. 1t IL no THINKS
to thcno officers that the robbery has beeu ar
rested whom only half oonHummatod It wal
their intention to carry It out thoroughly, a''d
| to contribute tho force OF their example to ist
repetition. until the ontre batch Of railroad-aid
bonds should hayo been paid out of tl't
proceeds OF State taxoa. The lsepublscat
marty muet boar tue responsibility Of the actI
OF it's officers, and, as thore is State Treasurer
to be olooted soon, it is lifting TINT tho tax
mayors should MAXI mark ut the ballot-bo,
atgnifyinx their dIsappEobatlon Of such ACTIVE
Interference against then and such alacrdty t.
incroasa tl,ols taxes. Dir. 1uts, tbs praxsn