Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-02-20
IMPORTANT CASES
FOR DECISION
SEVERAL TO BE PASSED ON BY
SUPREME COURT.
INHERITANCE TAX ONE
Validity of Measure of Last Legisia.
ture Laying Duty on Ice Another
-constitutionality of New Rich
mond and Portage Acts Cues
toned and Kelley Cure Claim Law.
Madison, Feb. Il

Madison, Feb. Is.
The supreme court meets today to
hand down decisions and hear argu-
ments on the new assignment. Sew
eral of the most important questions
which have ever come before the
court are to be decided at the present
term. Several cases which involve
the question of constitutionality in
important matters are now or soon
will be before the court for determi-
nation, and attorneys and jurists
await their decision with great in
terest
One of the most important of these
involves the constitutionality of the
Wisconsin inheritance tax law,
brought before the court in the case
of the estate of the late John Black of
Milwaukee. 1t was argued at the
first session of the court in January
and a decision was looked for at the
meeting of the court last week, but
the case was held up for further
consideration.
The validity of the act passed by
the last legislature imposing a tax or
license fee of 10 cents ton on ice
shipped out of the state is another i'm
portant question which will soon be
argued before the supreme court.
None OF the ice shippers took out a
license as required by law, and most
of them are shipping ice as usual, re-
CARELESS of the law. The first ship
ment was made by the Knickerbocker
company, from Racine county; the
arrest of the shipper followed and an
effort will be made to bring the law
before the supreme court for final de-
cision at the present term. 1t will
probably go on the first assignment in
March for argument.
Another case involves the constitu-
tionality of the law passed last winter
canCeling the loan made from state
funds to the city of New Richmond,
as relief for the havoc wrought by the
great cyclone in that city. A tenn
porary writ of mandamus has been
issued by the court directing the state
treasurer to follow the law and cancel
the loan, the effect of the writ being
to bring the matter up for final deci-
sion.
The cOnstitutionality of the act ap-
prOpriating $4,000 to cid in the ex-
tension and Strengthening of the Wis
consin river levee at Portage is to be
decided by the supreme court at this
term, it being contended that it VIC
lates the constitutional provision
which prohibits the use of state
money for internal improvements.
The Kelley cure claim law, which
appropriates about $4,000 to repay
purchasers of orders issued by county
judges for the care of Kelley cure pa.
tients at state expense, under a law
which was subsequently declared in,
valid by the supreme court, is the
bone Of contention in another case
involving the question of constitu.
tionality.
A decision is also expected In the
Bayfield, county railway case on the
motion of Receiver Frost to take the
case out of the supreme and into the
federal court.
Decision in Dam Case
The case of the Westport farmers
against the city of Madison in WIZ
James Castle and others seek to com
pei the city to tear out the dam at
the point where the Yahara drains
Lake Mendoza is expected to 0e
among the decisions handed down 20
day. The point to be determined is
whether or not all the owners of ripar-
ian rights shall be made party de-
PENDANTS with the city. The point
was argued in the last assignment by
Attorneys B. j. Stevens, A. l.. and J.
B. Sanbora for the city and by
Messrs. Anderson and Messerschmidt
for the. farmers. The city sought TO
bring all the owners into the case so
that the matter when settled this time
might be permanently disposed OF.