The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-25
Chicago Corporations Holding
Franchises 10 Be Taxed.
RESULT OF TWO YEARS FIGHT.
Women Instructors Were Persistent and
Finally Wss Suit by Which $2,0oo,oOo
VIII Be Addss 10 Gifts Revenue.

Chicago. Nov 25,-The victory OF the
chicago Teachers federation, which has
been working for equitable taxation. has
been made complete by the proceedings
I'm Springfield sat,rday aud nearly two
and q quarter million dollars net will be
added 20 the returns for 1900 to the badly
depleted treasury OF Cook county.
By the reassossments OF Wednesday
and Saturday made by the state board
or equalization more than f20O,moooo OF
valuations have been put on the as
ressment books TO represent the value
OF franchises OF Chicago corporations
that lodged assessment last year
The most remarkable tax light began
about two years ago when the Chicago
public school teachers were told their
salaries would ne reduced because the
revenue from taxes was insufficient
Miss Goggin aud Miss Haley We're
known as The brightest and most active
members. They were appointed TO serve
AS "A committee TO discover what could
be done TO increase the public school rev
enues.
They learned that the great franchise
owning corporations OF Chicago were as
sesged on only small part Of their prop
erfy. that the law provided that fran
chises should be taxed that the state
board of equalization Was the only as
sessing body in the state that could he as
SEES a franchise
CORPORATIONS HAD FRIENDS.
These two Young women set out to get
The franchise values Oh the assessment
books Wherever they went. 90 official
circles they found the corporations had
more friends than the public schools.
They were hindered and discouraged at
every step.
They pcrsevered.
And when the state board met In the
IAN of 1900 they appeared before this body
and asked that the franchises be as
sessed The state hoard treated them with
nnconcern.
The .'tay commissioner" Of the corpor-
ztfrr1r WIRE, li.,lAred- -ahnLlL The sIaIs hoard
were contemptuous. and they accomplish
ed nothing
Then the teachers appealed TO the
conrts Al frst i'm Chicago, and for want
of jurisdiction. the suit dismissed.
They then went 10 Springfield and Judge
creighton permitted the fling of a mand-
anus petition. The hearing came up be-
fore Judge owen a. Thompson. OF Jack
sonville, who was holding court in Spring
ncld.
A long trial resulted. I'm which Miss
Goggin and Miss Haley presented their
case IN a manner so complete that the
sornora tlons were dumfOunded. Judge
Thompson handed down his decision last
Nav which has since come to er reg araea
as famous contribution To legal iudg-
mcnts In this decision he sustained the
teachers contention aid ordered the
state board TO make thu assessment OF
The franchises.
and I'm the October term the highest tri-
bunaJ handed down its decision. This
document. which was written by JUS
tice John P Hand. sustained Judge
Thompson i'm every particular
The state board had no Alternative then
bat to assess the franchises al their mar
ket value.
ASSESSED AT ONCE.
The Union Traction COMPANY sought "a
evade the effect OF the decisions OF the
state courts by appealing 10 the Federal
courts hut succeeded IN getting TEN
porary iriunction from Judge Peter $
C;rosscup. OF the United States Circuit
court. II was ordered by Judge Thompson
that the state board make the assess
ments not later than NOV. -, ana. IN
view of this Judge Grosscup, sitting with
Judge j. Otis Humphrey Ia Springfield
lost no time in hearing the case on q
motion for permanent Injunction. IL was
heard and decided Saturday and the tenn
l,orary Injunction was dissolved
The state board in the meantime. had
aSsesscd The other big corporations. and
Immediately ON the decision OF Judges
AGrossclip and Humphrey. the state board
assessed the franchise OF the Union 'Irac-
ton company for the year 1900 ~ $4,000,
WN
The teachers ask that s235.Ooo,0oo Of
franchise values Tor the year 1850 be
placed on the asscssmont books They
s,iccceded IN getting more than 500 MOps
of values on the books that were omitted
last year
They added more than &,WOWa To the
,crmancnt annual revenues OF the city
but the greater victory they won was i
bringing the ovcr-rich corporations %
nheY tie law. and thns lessen the unjust