Smith's (?) Mileage Ticket Case

Ever since the "congressional bee" has been buzzing around in the hat of H. C. Smith, of Adrián, that gentleman and his organ, the Adrián Times, have been loudly proclaiming his wonderful legal achievement in winning out in the supreme court in the famous mileage ticket case, which was carried on under thetitle of "Smith vs. the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Bailway Co.," by which proceedings Attorney Ganeral Maynard attempted to compelí the railroad eompany to sell a thousand-mile ticket, good for a man and his family, and Henry has, ever since his nomination, Deen telling the farmers and laboring men that his success in this case has been their only salvation - joyful tidings to those people who are constan tly buyïng tickets in 1,000-mile chunks. No one would question Mr. Smith's right to boast over this notable legal victory, nor begrudge him the privilege of appropriating the glory in such a telling manner lor the aid of his congres3ional aspirations if the facts warranted, but careful investigation fails to reveal how he can consistently claim ny credit for the victory, or wherein he is the philantropist that he claims to be. In thefall of 1893, Mr. Smith applied at the Lake Shore ticket office in Adrián for a thousand-mile ticket, good for himself and wife. who was at this time taking treatment in a Cleveland hospital and had occasion to make frequent visits to that city. The ticket was denied him, and October 20 of that year a petition was filed in the circuit by him, praying for a mandamus to compelí the issuance of the ticket. The matter was then postponed, but whether the postponement was due to the fact that the Wabash railway i pany informed Mr. Smith, who was then and is now its attorney, that they did not like to have its attor neyscommencing suits of this character against other railroads, or that bis wife was traveling to and from Cleveland on a Lake Shore pass, granted after thesuit had been commenced, we are unable to say;at any rate the matter was indeflnitely poatponed. Sotne time after the eommencement of the proceedings, the legislature of the state of Micnigan authorized the attorney general to bring suit against the Lake Shore road to. determine the validity and extent of its charter. In looking around foran opportunity for a test case, the attorney general discovered this suit of Smith's and tried to get him o revive it. Mr. Smith refused to do this unlesá the state would employ his flrm. This was flnally agreed to, and the case was argued, Nov. 16, 1895, by Attorney General Maynard and R. A. Watts, of the flrm of Watts, Bean & Smith, and the state paid this firm a fee of $300 and expenses, which the records of the auditor general's office will show. Outside of the use of his name as complainant, Smith had no more to do with this case than the governor of the Fiji Islands. Even though Reformer Smith had personally conducted this case, he. received his pay for it from the taxpayers of the State of Michigan, and we would like to enquire, who would not be a reformer at the rate of $300 per reform. - Hudson Gazette. The total equalized vaJue of the real and personal property of Michigan as fixed by the state board of equalization at its last meeting in September, 1896, is $1,105,100,000. The aggregate of state tax to be collec%ed in December is $2,158,770.67, or $221,136.56 less than last year. The rate is nine and five-tenths milis per dollar of valuation. Among the purposes and amounts that go to rr.aks up the total levy are the follow ing: University, orie-sixth mili tax, $184, 183.33; University, special, $3,000; state Normal college, $61,150; Central Michi gan Normal school, $12,000. The amount of state tax apportioned to Washtenaw county by the auditor general is $60,557.32. In addition to th state tax assessed this year, Washte naw county is also indebted to the state on account of past levieo in the amount of $536.21. The last legislature increasad the per capita tax for the support of the state naval brigade so that there will this year be paid for that purpose $11,208.20, as compared with $2,802.05 paid last year. According to the plan provided a tax of one-eighth of one mili per dollar on the taxable property, the war loan of $500,000 will be wiped out in four years. August Oversmith, of Whitmore L.ake, vas brought here Wednesday to serve a forty-day sentence for assaulting and threatening the life of Philip Duffy, of Northfield. It seems that so.ne day last week the two had some trouble and Mr. Duffy put a black eye decoration on Mr. Oversmith. The latter came at him a couple of days ago with a knife and some threats. Nobody was hurt except Mr. Duffy's feelinps, and by the time Mr. Oversmith has served out his time these will be considerably eased.