The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-10-14
Mr.. Hobart's Speech at Oshkosh.

make a brilliant effort, and wound up his
remarks in the following language
Gentlemen, nearly four years ago, the
Republican party came into power in this
| State; they came into power claiming that
/ the government had been wrongfully con-
Quoted, that it had been badly administer
| ed, that its funds had been squandered, that
its laws bad been violated that fraud and
corruption had crept into every depart
ment. Did not they come into power
with the declaration that the taxes had in
creased until they had become burden
/ to the people! Was not that said upon
every stump in Wisconsin, and was not
pledge made that the taxes should be re-
duced, and that a retrenchment and reform
should take place Is not that true
Didn't they say that this reform and re-
trenchment was possible, and that they
were the men to bring it about7 Did not
you, gentlemen, many of you vote at that
time with the belief that reform was &C.
tually going to take place. The taxes at
that time were between two or three hun
dred thousand dollars, which had arisen
from hundred and ninety thousand dollars
under the Democratic administration.
on said it was an evidence OF corruption,
that our taxes were too high that a change
OF government was necessary to remove
this evil, and to bring about reform.
Well, gentlemen, you have had four years
of Republican administration in Wisconsin.
Will you tell me to what an extent your
taxes have been reduced; will you tell me
| W falya vi,
tell me what Office has been abolished
what salary has been reduced | do not
know. put it to you, if you know; if you
can point out wherein this reform has been
made. say, instead of reform. our bur-
dens have been increasing in ratio more
than demanded by the Improvements of
the State, which can be exhibited. / say,
instead of diminution of officers, they
have been increased, and now, gentlemen,
our taxes have arisen to what? Why,
from two hundred and seventy three thou
sand dollars, which was the tax under
BarstoW's administration.
Gov. Randall: They were three hundred
and fifty thousand the last year.
Mr.. Hobart: Gentlemen, the Governor
says it was three hundred and fifty thou
sand
A voice: We did not complain 80 much
about the taxes, as we did about the steal
ings. Uaughter.)
lIobart-Then if two hundred and sew
enty three thousand dollars covers steal,
ings to be complained of, what kind of
stealings are four hundred and eighty three
thousand dollars to complain of? This is
what we raised the last year. And now |
propose to attend to the Governors state
ment The Gov. says it was three hun
dred and fifty thousand. | have from the
Secretary's office, certificate of the tax
es of the several years. [ thought that
question would be raised, and therefore
applied and obtained from the records of
that office, and | have the certificate before
me. The first year of Barstow's admins
tration, the expenses were two hundred
and sixty four thousand dollars. The sec
Ond year it was two hundred and seventy
| three thousand dellars. The tax under the
administration which follows, was, the first
year, three hundred and forty nine thou
sand dollars, and now the expenses of the
State thus far, this year, have been over
four hundred thousand dollars Is it a
fact, gentlemen, that it requires half mil
lion of dollars to manage the State Govern
ment of Wisconsin.
! A voice-this was to pay for arrear-
ages.
| Mr.. Hobsrt-whose arrearages was
those
A voice-tbe gentleman asked us ques-
ton, and | wish to answer it.
(Cries to throw him out of the win
dow.)
Mr.. Hobart-Gentlemen there is no
right so sacred, as freedom of speech. and
truth never will suffer by investigation.
After few questions and retorts, Mr.. Ho-
! bart proceeded.
Gentlemen, will briefly allude to some
other things which have occurred, which
have been distasteful to the people of Wis.
consin, and | believe justly so. They have
had the laws of this State put in an up
roar, their intentions may have been pure
and they may have meant to place them
in the best possible form, but instead Of
that, we have had a revision of tho Stat
utes, but which has been followed by no
adequate result, and at large expense
do not impute any bad motives to the men
who did the work, but say that they have
been placed so that no lawyer could under
stand them, and | say that that book
leaves the laws of Wisconsin in worse
condition than they were before it was
touched; that is the opinion of both demo-
cratic and republican lawyers. This is
the condition our laws have been placed
i'll under this administration, and what new
laws have been placed there? | speak of
the burdens, and it seems as if the govern
ment was made for the purpose of taxation
was made to accumulate money, and to
distribute it, And now they have made
an Assessment Law Was that agreeable
to you; did you demand change, or the
change which was madc;d did you desire that
the assessor should put every one of you
on your oaths; did any one of you ask the
passage Of this inqusitorial law The old
law allowed the assessor to put any man
on his oath; was not that sufficient? Laws
should emanate from the people. and not
from political tricksters; they should ema.
nate by petition.
Was not the people satisfied with the