In this country the owner, even if compensation were provided, could demand the judgment of a court whether the use for which his property was taken was a “public use,” within the judicial definition of that phrase as found in our constitutions. In Illinois he could insist upon his further constitutional privilege of having his compensation fixed by a jury before the restriction became operative. The public authorities of Paris, when condemning land for municipal purposes, were authorized to and did take more extensive areas than were actually needed, seeking by this means to recoup the cost of the improvements by selling the adjacent premises at the enhanced values produced by these improvements. Indeed, the contractors for these public works were themselves authorized, in some cases, to acquire considerable areas outside the lines of the actual improvement, so that the prospective profits thus to be realized might be deducted from the cost of the improvement to the public.[31] Governments in this country are forbidden by constitutional principles thus to take private property against the will of the owner merely for pecuniary profit. Many cities in Great Britain and on the continent have removed the entire population of insanitary districts and have constructed new dwellings, at public expense, in the renovated area. Such features figure largely in the town-planning schemes of Europe, but have been considered inexpedient or unnecessary here. The town-planning bill introduced in Parliament last year by John Burns not only confers power upon municipal authorities to impose a town-planning scheme on any land within or near their boundaries, but enables the authorities to take judgment against the owners of neighboring property for the amount by which its value is enhanced through the operation of the plan. Such methods of procedure, however justifiable from an economic point of view, would be contrary to established public policy in this country. The constitution of Illinois requires uniformity of taxation with respect to both persons and property, and while it permits the cost of local improvements to be assessed by the authorities of cities, towns and villages upon property specially benefited thereby, it not only limits the aggregate amount of such special assessments to the cost of the improvement, but requires the distribution of that aggregate over all property similarly benefited.