Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-29
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.

1.-The railroad tax case which is now
under consideration by the Supreme Court
presents a very simple question" said Gov.
Matthews Of Indiana at the Riggs House
this morning. For many years the rail-
roads in Indiana were assessed at very low
and altogether unfair figures A law was
passed creating a state board of assess
ment composed Of the governor, the sec
rotary and auditor Of state and two other
members to be appointed by the governor.
The duty Of this body was to heard ap-
peals from assessments of all sorts of
property over the state whose owners de-
sired an adjustment Of differences. and 1t
was clothed with original power to assess
railroads, telegraph and telephone COM
panies and express companies. In pursu-
ance Of this power the board increased the
assessment of the railroads from 500 Co.,
600 to 100000, 900. The railroads, Of course
strenuously objected. Some Of them paid
the increased taxes without objection, some
paid them under protest, and some refused
to pay them altogether. The claim was
made that the law was unconstitutional,
and the novel plea was also put forward
that where railroad ran through another
state than Indiana that the board had
assessed the increased value Of its property
caused by its connections outside of the
state, and that this was in violation of the
interstate commerce law. The action of
the state board has been upheld by the
lower and supreme court of Indiana. and
believe these decisions will be sustained by
the Supreme Court of the United States"
What is the political complexion out in
Indiana"
,Democratic!' exclaimed the governor
Inc democratic party is very strong with
the people in my state because il has never
ialled TO redeem a single promise contained
IN the party platform in the past twenty
years Every law for the betterment of the
CONDITIONS OF Indiana people that has been
passed Tor the same period has been en-
acted by democratic legislature What
we demand now is that the promises in the
nalionaI platform should be as religiously
kept. we want the Wilson bill passed as
1t left the House 1t is not entirely suit-
aple 10 US, but 1t is a step in the right
oirectlon. We want the national demo-
cIats mere 10 prevent the veto of the Bland
selgnlorage bill. If the party representa-
yves in Washington will only do their duty
anu carry out platform promises, as the
Ihuana democracy invariably has done
bw ,,,s ToS,ers VIII testify their appreciation
os pushing thelr state away I'D on the LIST
or victorious democratic states"
mat was very excellent suggestion NJ
senator kyle's." said Judge Robert Christy
d. WIZARDS today. HE was conyersing
ABOUT 'he advance of Coxey's Good Roads
association as the namesake Of the organi-
zaton terms his army. and remarked that
If the coming regions would onlv ,mnrovo
the ROADS on their way to Washington thew
would not fail to be received with caress
ing aHection There is so much practical
good sense in the Senator's remark that 7
think you would perform a patriotic duty
the general in command"
This fellow Brown, who IL Coxev.s cb,s,
lieutenant in command OF the army of the
tattered and the torn which is now moving
on Washington and Congress, is a reyolu-
ZIONIST OF the most decided stripe" said
Henry Whitman of Chicago at the Ebbitt
he was one Of the leading spirits of the
silver convention that was held in Chicago
curing ing, the worlds fair and made all sorts
or outlandish propositions. The present ri
diculous movement is only subdued va
riety of plan he favored for the establish
lnent OF government in this country re-
sardleSs or the forms and laws of that now
In existence. He proposed that the masses
should set up government of their own on
lines that would make the veriest socialist
IN existence shudder and that they should
take possession of the worlds fair buildings
at the close of the exposition and establish
the seat of government in Jackson Park
counselng revolution" continued Mr.. Whit
man. THE wave of anarchism is swiftly
rolling westward as any observer can see
Two or three years ago dynamite outrapes
were confined almost entirely to Russia
Now they are of almost daily occurrence in
France and Spain. England, too has a
scare every two or three weeks. and only
ten days ago man with deadly bombs In
his possession was arrested late at night I'm
the very heart Of the section in New York
where the wealthy have their homes The
agitators who stir up the disconnected to
fanaticism by their fiery harangues should
be taken in hand by the authorities and
summarily dealt with as long the ballot
box presents the people with an opportunity
TO right whatever exists in the government
| that they may consider wrong"
For the past month or so there has been
a pretty regular and altogether lively poker
game in one OF the uptown hotels. Three
times a week. and even more frequently, a
select coterie has assembled to enjoy the
tickle pleasure that may be found secreted
in the lair of the jack pot A southern
| judge has been one of the party, never
missing sitting and seldom failing to win
copiously Of his opponents shekes. His
adversaries, however. have been prone to
indulge in the reprehensible habit Of Dor
M