State Rights

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 30, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 30.

These be days of revolution. The doctrine of “state rights” in political matters is again to the front. It appears that the city of Hammond, Ind., annexed to itself certain lands belonging to Mrs. Caroline Forsythe, a resident of Illinois. The lady attempted to secure an injunction against the city, but was defeated. It was carried through the Indiana Supreme Court, where she was again defeated, and a subsequent appeal to the United States District Court of Indiana was overruled. Mrs. Forsythe then went to the Federal Court of Appeals at Chicago, and Judge Woods reversed the decision of the Indiana Courts. Notwithstanding this, the city of Hammond will proceed to collect taxes. Governor Matthews, of Indiana, ignores the Federal Court, and is reported to have said that the Indiana Supreme Court was law enough for that state. He remarked: “The Federal Courts have of late years been reaching out and gathering to themselves jurisdiction in matters that are within the province of the states alone. . . . I think it is time that their encroachments should be resisted firmly.” The struggle in the matter will be watched with interest.