Commonwealth Ex Rel. v. Kelly

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Schaffer,

Owing to the public interest in this case, the chaotic condition which the situation involved in it threatened to bring about in the granting of mercantile licenses in tlie City of Philadelphia where it is alleged there are upward of 60,000 such prospective licensees, the uncertainty in the assessment of the mercantile license taxes, and the threatened loss of revenue to the Commonwealth, if the taxes were not lawfully assessed and duly paid, we assumed jurisdiction of the proceeding by writ of special certiorari. As prompt action was necessary, if unfortunate…