| Show I I I I I MANY M COMPANIES COMANS AFFECTED ACT Those That Enjoy Municipal Fran Pran Franchises Franchises in Chicago Must Mut Pay Chicago Oct 24 2 The tax decision given ghen today by the Illinois supreme court relates to twentythree three local cor corporations corpOrations enjoying municipal fran franchises franchIses franchises Including traction trac ton companies gas companies and electric companies whose total capital stock stack was estimated ed to be all al of which had escaped taxation previously and was likely to be omitted again by b the state board which adjourned last De December December December cember without assessing this vast amount of oC property The trial of oC the case ce was begun be before beCore before fore Core Judge Thompson in Springfield March March 23 2 and the decision was was handed hande down May lla 2 commanding the board to reassemble June 13 and assess aSes these corporations in accordance wih with the rules of or the board In regard to the assessment of capital stock But the board not only neglected to make the assessment but repealed the rules of oC the board on the subject which had been In force for thirty years year and had been sustained by the United States supreme court curt as the only onh fair and legal plan of assessment What was considered the weak point In the teachers case was that the mandamus was asked while the board was stilt still sti in session and while it I was protesting that It I meant to do the very ery I thing which the mandamus required The teachers contention was that the board was a continuing body and that i it had hd refused for years to make these I assessments aSSEssments and that If U a mandamus could not Issue until after acer the board had adjourned It I might as well wel nevet be Issued at all 1 and there was absolutely absolutely i no way to compel the board to perform Its Is manifest duty The teach teachers era ers view vI w of oC the case seems to have been sustained ed by the supreme court Broad as Is II the sweep of this de decision in itself its logical results are much greater as a the decision it is said sald really realy applies apples Just as well wel to rail railroad ri railroad road roa corporations and every ever other cor corporation corporation porton in the state and may lead to the collection of at back taxes tes |
