Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-09-21
THE TEACHERS MANOAMUS CASE,
rom the Chicago American:


We are hopeful that the Supreme
Court decision In the teachers nlantla.
pus ease will be given In time To bring
about results ut the session the State
Bourd Of Equalization Ii now about to
begin.
Chicago has never been aroused on
the matter Of taxation as II II ut this
time. The American did II. The
School Teachers Federation began the
work lust yenr. hut II needed some
powerful ana aggressive newspaper
like the Chicago American fully to
awaken the public to the unfalrness Of
our present methods Of taxation.
I.T. GREENACRE.
Attorney for the School Teachers Fed.
Grafton.
Mr.. Grecnncre said for publication IN
the American:
Here II the situation: Last winter
Judge Thompson Of the SanganiOn
County Circuit Court, In response to an
application by the Chicago School
Teachers Federation, issued u manda.
mus directed to the State Board of
Equalization commanding that body to
assess capital stock of corporations In
compliance with law. Those who are
opposing the mnndamus secured delay
by carrying the case to tho Supreme
| Court where the ease IL now pending.
In the meantime the state Board,
reversing It's practice Of many years,
| actually assessed the capital stock OF
the strect-uslng corporations of Chi.
cagO. The amount of the assessment
was small, compared with what 1t
| ought to have been. but II was u con.
cessiOn to the principle and tn the de-
mands Of the Teachers Federation.
"rhc Board Of Equalization generally
begins Its work In October. The SUI
prcme Court will meet ut Springfield on
the first Tuesday In October. 1t IL the
practice Of the Supreme Court Judges
to prepare decisions during the summer
vacation. As II result, generally when
number OF decisions ready to be hand
ell down. The custom Of the court IL
to take up public eases out Of their
regular order ana decide them ut once.
This II done on the theory that the
public business IL Of greater importance
than the business Of private ltigants.
while the teachers case IL not strict.
~ u public case It involves far-reachlng
public questions In which all the peO-
pie are Interested. Ii cannot he con-
sidered private litigation. These facts
give the teachers hope that their case
will be decided In time for the State
Board meeting this fall. II 1t IL not
decided In time for the board To act
this fall the whole matter will go over
year, so far as taxes are concerned,
although we have some hopes that the
State Board will anticipate the inevita.
BILE and assess the capital stock of cor
pOratl0ns somewhat as II should he as
sessed.
IF the Supreme Court gives Its de-
cisiOn as we hope it will In time for the
boards meeting the case will go back
under the jurisdiction of Judge ThOmp-
son of the SangamOn County Circuit
Court. We have no doubt and ! don't
believe any one has, that Judge ThOmp-
sons decision will be fully sustained by
the Supreme Court.
Back under the jurisdiction of Judge
Thompson the mandamus will have to
he obeyed by the State Board. The
court will set day for the return of
the writ; that Is to say the State Board
will he required to report by a certain
time that 1t has obeyed the mandamus.
Not only will the board have to report
that 1t has obeyed the courts order
but II will have to show In detail in
what manner 1t has obeyed the order.