Taxing Railroad Lands

Frcrtn llio ]i:isi Sagiaaw Courier wo extract the followiag Rtetonient oi th graiftme of the lauti graat taüroud com]i:i!iii:s, which re Rcekictg ■ : i . ■■ itiofl of Uieir lands by thi "PreVioua to the last Legislatura pub Uc liitids gruuted to railroud oovnpanies to a.id in the conih'uctmti o! suoh voiids were exempl f rum aU btrl t&xea iiupoaed by the öovornui siich btuds sliall liave pusod into Imuds of purohasers. l'Ue last Legisln ture made mi act tnaking such landt, taxablo, the same as other lands in tho samo locality. The tand grant rui of ims Btate questioa the logüH.ty of tliis iet. of tlie Legislatura, and propose to to test i t, nd the FÍSní & Para Marqut'tte Railway Compatiy has been seli ei cd to tuke the initiativo. Wftii tliia ob■L't in view, Hou. "VViu. I, Wwliber, aolicitor for tho F. & 1'. M. Eailwaj prop mj ütárU ïör Detroit nezt Mom'lHy to argui Jndge Emmons, Jud;;' of the Ciruuit Oourt of the United States for tho Basteru District of Michigan, a inofioii íoi n injunctiou to rostrain the Siiperviscu'j oi 3sooola county i'rom extending taxoa 011 anda bolonging to the railway company. l'ho railroads intcrestod in ibis moveneiit ure the Grand Eapids & Ind-iana, ba Jackson, Lansing Saainaw, the Marquefte, Houc-kton ifc Oiitonason, jbicngo & Northwustuni, uiid Flint & Pure Marquette. It is claimed on the part of Uio rftilïyad companies that tbo grantfrum tUe Ujiiteq Stutes to the State of these lamia tbr railuad purposes, vestod the State vvith a rust estáte, and the State did not ba■ome absolute owner of the hinds. Tlio only use the State could wake i.i' them vas to conf'er tho lanas on Bomo laiho'ad ompany, or itself st-ll tilo lands and coii';r the proceeds on a ratíroaí company. to bo used in eoustrucling the rnilrond, Tbe Statu eleoted to pass tlw Uudg over to the railroad opmpauies thaij the proceds, and it is claimed on tbe the raiiroads, that the State ftgreed, in paSHSg tiio lnuds ovor to ttic ïaüitrad ixjuijiaines, that tin; Qompanio (saab coiupany) should be taxed in tbe saaie initini'i and at the sanio rate only, as other oompailies organizad under the geheift! raiiroad law. Another point is made, tUat even if tliis were nut so the general ruilroad law of 1871 is itself a contract, exempting liioso lands for a limited period, wliicii hiis not yet expirad. Auötheï claim ia that, nu.lfr (,.,. nonstitutional pvovisious ot' the State, railroad compauies can only be taxed by a speeiflo tax, and that tho hioriey, viicu such tax is paid, is specially-ilppropïiatBd for (iducational purposos, and for th;i1 reasou it ia not competent for the Jjegialature to chango the mode of taxntion so :is to have the money, when pald, used for ether purposes. Wm, L. Webber, soiicitor for complainauts; Li. Darwin lluglies and Aslilty Fond, of couuael.