The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-10-19

: followed the accusations OF the cor
pprations against the law into the
courts and fought il out there From
one court 10 another for over two
years ! followed these corporations IN
defense 81 This law and finally landed
IN the supreme court OF the Tnited
states where ! met and defeated all
the corporate power centered in In.
diana. The victory was a great one
for the people Of the state. The con.
stitutionality of the law was sustained
and the assessment against railroad
property. amounting 10 100000 900
was aihrmed-an increase OF sg1 600
600 over the old valuation When the
decision OF the supreme court of the
Jnited States was made final these
corporations owed four years taxes
70 the people OF this state forced
The payment of these taxes 10 the peo-
pie o. the state forced the pavmenr
NJ these taxes into tho proper treas
lries. amounting 10 millions Of iol.
lars ln this great conflict received
hothine and paid my own expenses
DO you now ask the question was
he worth it?" Did he earn his nav
while serving the people as attoinnv
general
Let ne go a step further. By ex
animation discovered that the great
properties owned by the sleeping car
companies he express telegraph and
-~i"pnUne companies. doing business
n Indiana. We're paying no tax on
their Invested capital and valuable
franchises. and that there was no law
IN the state whereby this property
could be adequately assessed and val.
ued Tor taxation So during the ses-
sion OF the legislature Of 1893. / had
prepared a bin providing for the as.
sessment OF this great property IL
was Introduced in the house and after
much delay. occasiOned by a lobby in. 4
terested in the defeat Of the measure /
II passed the house and was transmit.
led to The senate There the most
powerful lobby attempted 10 defeat
the bin and held it up on third reading
until six hours before adjournment II
passed the senate. however. after the
most persistent fight ever made over
a single measure in that body. bore
the hrun' e that 6ght. No sooner
had the bin become a law than these 1
corporations ASA. II in courf II'
Net these suits and fought them until,
ne last hour OF my official life. and
handed The unfinished business over
% my successor in office. The law (
vas finally upheld in all its parts bv (
ne courts. and the property owned
~ these corporations have ever since !
leen paying taxes to the state on the I
anne basis as railroad property. !
I'M not prepared 10 say how much :
axes the people have received from d
hese corporations The sum IS large ?
Is safe 70 say IL is up into the mil
Ions Before the passage of that law s
nose corporations paid nothing on the ;
apifal invested Ii was through my p
eisonal EFFORTS as attorney general p
hat they are paving now. Do YOU z
III ask the question. Was he paid
30 muchs" Il
Let me 20 q step further In 1892 q
le lLl3n Railway and Belt Railroad q
Marion county brought suit 10 set "
SIDE and have held void an assess In
ent Of S6.000.Ooo on their property g
hey refused for about three wears 10 al
~ any taxes. appeared and an az
Nered that suit filed a counter G.
ann asking Judgment for the amount le
their delinquent taxes. The case II
az tried before Judge Reinhard. sit la
lg as circuit Judge. and after hot o,
contested trial with Hon. A. c. Har. 70
for the pltntlrs recovered judg
ent for Sl3oo0d against these two %
fpora 'ens. Pending an appeal Ia ~
e supreme court. went ONT Of OF. iic
2 After that the Judgment was ce
I'd, but received no compensation thi
my work Now 10 you ask. was ed
paid too much?" i
The work did while attorney gen an
ll is still bringing rich rewards 10 th'
e people of the state. and IL viii cci
ntinuc until the end Of time. The chi
'ney forced from corporations ami Of
into the public treasury has made ~
possible ~ ~dfycharge the public I
b Of che state as IL becomes due pas
has made It possible TO support the fni
nal and benevolent Institutions OF be,
state. without borrowing money The
has made Il possible 10 discharge era
obligations OF the various counties was
the municipal governments Of the 'on
te and 70 tighten the burden oil 20
alton upon the whole people. With vh'
; view Of the matter DO you hear tut
neone say. "HIe was paid more than WI
was worth? .
itional Counsel. 'n
omplaint is made that additional itso
nsel was employed In these cases
paid out ~ the funds OF the state con
i is true .wten the corporations tenn
sted by political partisans assailed she,
very existence U the state and the,
ght 10 sap 4 life by defeating the bee,
slative powes Of taxation. the only wou
ms by which government can live oflc
emed,it wise to employ assistance cas-,
hat great emergency 10 aid the gen,
e against the aggression OF cor that