The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-18
TILLMAN In FOR A FIGHT.
TIE RAILROADS TO BE ATTACKED
ON A NEW ISSUE,

Tax Returns Required by Law TO Be
Made by Townships-TheR Roads Have
Returned Them by Counties-They
WIN Be Muloted for Their Error,
COLUMBIA, s. c., Feb. 17.-It was ascsr~
tained to-day that the administration has
the railroads on the hip on q question of
taxation. and that 10 proposes to let the AK
fall. The law requires that the roads shall
make tax returns by townships. Chief Clerk
Norton OF the controllers department said
to-day that some Of the roads had made
them out by counties, and that unless cor
rected by next Monday a penalty OF 80 per
cent will attach. Mr.. Norton stated that
the railroads thought they knew 50 much
about the law that they could 90 ahead and
get out Of this as best they could, without
any pointers from the administration. IL
is understood that the work of asoertaining
such information and correcting the returns
would take several weeks at least.
ITO let bad enough alone, or TO plunge
into another sea OF trouble, seems to be the
question Gov. Tillman is wrestling with
since the adverse decision In the railroad
cases, though his attorneys are un-
destrood to have abandoned hope
and concluded that IL is time to quit.
The governor held long conferences with
Attorney Ira b. Jones and Assistant Attor-
ney General Buchanan to-day. When
asked for a statement as 20 his future
course he said he had nothing TO say. but 20
wait and watch developments. The rail-
road officials aud attorneys, flushed with
victory and more confident, are less reti-
cent.
AN ATTORNEYS OPINION.
One Of the leading railroad attorneys said
that he did not believe that the state would
CARRY the case TO the supreme court OF the
United States, at least the states leading at
torney, Samuel Lord OF Charleston, had said
to him: II will not be dragged into the
supreme court and made ridiculous" This
sentiment was also conourred In by the Hon.
Ira B. Jones in an expression to this same
gentleman: "And il they do carry it to the
supreme court the decision Of Judges Simon
ton and Gof will be sustained Said the
railroad man. 1.-THE question will be one
OF jurisdictioni altogether ;" said he, land
should the supreme court decide that the
circuit court had no Jurisdiction, the con-
tempt cases would be thrown out But Of
that we have no fear. We think we know
what we are doing.n
What do you think OF the governors
proposition to pay the fines OF the sheriifs"
he was asked.
80, 1t will be done by special enact
msnt, - said he, "and think it is all right
as they are only servants Of the state. OF
that we, az taxpayers, VIII nave 10 pay one
sixth. as we pay that proportion OF the
taxes"
THE sHERIFFs ON PAROLE.
CHARLESTON, Feb. 17.-There we're no
new developments In the famous railroad tax
cases save that Sheriff Tyler of Aiken, who
is very Ill, was permitted to go home on
parole The attorney general Of the
| state came down to-day for a copy of
the opinion and decree and was
In consultation with the attorney repre-
senting the state. He says that there
will be an a. ssneal, but be declines to say
whether itVSsa be on habeas corpus or
otherwise. In the meantime the other
sherIffs are still here On parole, the United
States marshal having allowed them few
days to consult with their counsel as TO
their course of action. All the property
seized by the sheriffs has been delivered
| back to the United States marshal.