The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-10-30

~ ~ SURPRISING WNcf rOi0 Wr4iiU N4<
npon power. although The poorest man
has vote worth - much NJ the rich
mans. The trouble seems 10 he the
poor man usually votes for some one
wro ''ln"ks through rich msn's glass
80" WHEN everybody casts an Intel
Iigent vote this will be different. The
fact Of the rich prsdominasing, particu-
lsriy In officers or the Republican party.
IL called forcihly IN mird by . decision
OF Judge TAYLOR, = Judge Of the Supe-
rior Court IL indianapolis on Tuesday
last. in the Tax law case OF The State vs..
Philip G. Decker. President Of hank NJ
Evansville. Decker was fined $500 BY
the State Board ~ Tax Commissioners.
aud put under arrest. because he refused
n snhn,it 70 the Board list OF the
bank depositors, with the amounts
placed 10 their credit on April first last.
He sued ouf writ N haheas corpus be-
fire Judge TAYLOR. and now the Judge
releases him. liz was one Of the test
cases agreed upon by the Board. and the
decision ~ which il was hoped and be-
lieyed would place on the tax duplicates
OF the State another hundred million Of
dollars belonging mostly 10 people who
are 80 wealthy they can afford 10 have
money living idle on deposit in banks
This would have increased the State du-
pli-ates nearly ten per cent. and in that
proportion have Iessened the taxation Of
poor men.
But the Bank Presidents. with their
rich depo.iiors NJ their backs. resisted
and with money seem 70 have "floo-
ence.r even with . Judge. aud get = de.
T. ~. 4.
the case to the Supreme Court, but a
that body i ~ present constituted OIL
rich LAWYERS. who care but little for q
law aiding common people. we dom
think there u any probability Of theiI
reversing Judge Tsylor's decision. II
fact. the Banks seem TO have ''cinch'
IN the Judges. and The only remedy vii
he for The people 70 tnrn off the ricf
hwver Judges ~ the next election, anf
elect men as Judges who are in sympa
shy with the common masses. and whose
decisions will be governed bv common
sense. instead OF mnsty presidents
Probably the best way wnnli be 70 cleo
some poor mechanics. who know moth
ing ahou' those precedents aud care less
and will spend no time in study ing
them.
Common sense teaches thst the mar
who has money on deposit in bank
fhonii pay taxes on i. just as much as I
10 had Il invested 10 fArm. or . town lot
or live stock or merchandise. The las
Legislature bless ifs memory ~ be
'ieved 90. and enacted provision in ths
tex Law giving lax boards = means Of
finding out whether the money owners
had given II in 70 the Assessors. The
means were suited 10 the ends desired
we're just and equitable. worked no hard
ship 10 any one. and notwithstanding
Judge Tay Tor sud The Supreme Court
and forty other lawyers decide against IL
the people generally will telieve its 4
good law in thst respect. and fhss bank
es- should be compelled 10 obey il. and
tax dodgers brought up with . short
turn. AMI lie likely AZ the next conven.
tons and elections the people will be
riDe for making Judges out OF mechanic.
snd farmers instead Of lawyers. and in
Producing more common sense on the
bench. instead Of fnmmery.
The Associated Press dispatch in re.
gard 70 the decision j. - foIlows:
'.The decision j. in favor ofthe bankers
on every point. IL being held that the
statute rightly construed does not confer
inquisisoriaI power: that the board Il
ncs court. snd. therefore. cannot fine
or commit 70 prison; that the constitu.
ton protects The citizen against unrea-
sonable search and seizure. snd that the
functions Of The tax board confine IL 10
The assessment or railroad Or telephone
properly. etc. and to equaIlzing assess.
ments az between the counties