The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-04-01


forces 70 resist the DcW tax law. They
they wiII pay no taxes under its pr0vi
sions until the court OF last resort shal
have 90 ordered Nov. suppose thai
the merchants. the mechanics. the farm.
ers. and ell other Interested classes were
to pronounce the Law unconsti'utionsI
and resisi she payment Of taxes. Whsl
then Brazil Democrat.
Anarchy would follow. Of course
The police power cannot be sustained
without revenue. The courts cannot be
kept open. No lav Of any kind can BE-
entorced. RsiIrosd tracks might he
turn mp. cars aud locomotives might be
DESTROYED. oil property and life isseli
might be wiped out. and there would bs
M lawful power 10 prevent II. The &C
tion of the railroad corporations Of In
diana in refusing 20 pay their taxes IL .
menace to the order and peace OF So
ciety II IL. in fact. . declaration Of
wsr * sins- ociety for not 70 besr ones
fuII share Of the burdens Of maintaining
the order and peace OF society. is de-
Iiberase anarchy. Who projects the rail-
road of Indiana In their light 10 do
business within the State? wav pays
the hills Tor maintaining the courts OF
js-'ice and the polics power By which
that protection 10 secured A. every
body knows, al Of The property OF the
State contributes annuslly certain per-
cenisge Of its value 10 the funds used By
the counties aud the Ssste 10 maintain
orderly government. II il the very e.
sence OF tsxssion that Il should be no
grsster ihsn is necessary for economical
administration OF the laws, aud that II
shouId be just and equal.
The last state legislature passed . Law
providing that all property OF what
ever nature shall be assessed for pur-
poses 0f isxstion ~ its true cash value
The greafesf care wss taken To provide
nr the equalization OF assessments. By
fhe operation OF this lsW the total valua-
tion of the railroads o. Indisns wss
rsi--si from 46U 0O00OO 10 $4,000 COO
IL IL not the conf- niiop OF the rsilroads
OF the state that this aggregate valuation
Of railroad property IL 100 high. but the
increase OF their assessments has been
n great and their taxes are 80 much
higher than before, that they now pro-
pose sn have the courts declare upon
some himsv technicaIities that the en-
tire Law i void and that no taxes can be
iagaIiy collected under Il IL they gel
the decision they ssk for. not only the
stste but every county In the state WIIl
b. cv~rwheImed With indebtedness "a
The People. II the iaw 10 held 10 b
void - The mitigation Of the railroad
Ansrchists every dollar collected IN
vsnderhSsg county and In the other
counties OF the state will have to be re-
funded
Look st she reckless disregard for ths
public welfare that this sctiOo Of the
railroads indicates They do not taks
into account the fact that In ell Of the
years preceding the enactment Of this
lsw they have been paying taxes on I
mere nominal sssessment They forget
that ia slI shese wears other property hal
been compelled "a make good the de-
icisncy caused BY thsse low assessments
They see nothing but the one fact thai
10 the enforcement OF the new Law they
have been placed on the same footing
with other cissses of property. Thev
are M longer privileged 10 receive full
protection ~ paying about one-third Of
thsir share ~ the cs,st OF protection and
90 shev sst-mpt TO overthrow the gov
ernmeut ~ the state BY irving 10 de-
prive il OF the revenues necessary to III
msiasenaDce
The People will not much longer tSl.
eraie the insoIence OF railroad corpora
tions. A few more exhibitions Of suct
hostility TO The People ss this stiemp,
10 destroy their government. WiIl force
the issue: Which 10 the sironger The
P.opIe or the railroads ?"- Evansville
Courier.