Chicago Great Western Railway Co. v. Minnesota

Citations

• 216 U.S. 234

Syllabus

<p>On the authority of Great Northern 'Railway Company v. Minnesota, ante, p. 206, held that:</p> <p>As against the plaintiff in error, the act of Minnesota of 1903, requir- ’ ing all railroad companies to pay a tax equal to four per cent bf its gross earnings, is not an unconstitutional impairment of a legislative contract created by an act pássed in 1856 imposing a tax. of two per cent on a railroad company whose franchise was transferred • to plaintiff in error.</p> <p>The judgment of the state court in which it was held that the legislative contract of exemption from taxation in favor of a railroad company . which was under consideration did not pass unimpaired to another corporation acquiring the franchises of the former, and constitute an irrepealable contract so that the rate of taxation could not be subsequently altered by legislative enactment, affirmed.</p>