Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-01-22


deduct charges made by the State for care
of the fund. s975.22, would leave a net in
come of $6,lS564. This amount will be
entirely inadequate for the support Of the
University.
The constitution of our State prescribes
that " Precision shall be made By low for
the establishment Of a State University at
aud near the seat of State government, ="
AMI that " the proceeds of all lands grant
ed by the United States to the State tor
the support of University. shall be and
remain perpetual fund, Ito be called
the University Fund) the interest of
, which shall be appropriated to the support
OF the State University" 1t seems to me
to be very plain deduction from these
provisions that it was the intention of the
trainers OF the constitution to provide that
the University, i. E., the necessary build e.
lngs, DC, should be established by the
State, and that the income of the Univer-
slty Fund, donation from Congress,
should be used for the maintenance and
support OF the University so established
Instead OF this, the State has, however.
never paid one cent either for the estab.
llshment or the support or the maintenance
OF the University, but it has compelled the
University to erect the buildings on it's
own credit, the debt to be paid from its
own fund. This has led to the embarrass-
ment under which it is now laborng. In
addition to that, the State has for MANY
years past charged the University Fund
with the expenses of its management.
l am credibly informed that the
o'a'e OF Iowa gave to it's Univer-
slty Its Old capitol, outbuildings and park,
as We'll as S2o,OOO for erecting new col
lege edifce, and the State of Michigan in
1888 loaned 100000 to its University.
and has never required it to be repaid nor
even exacted any interest for several
years. Wisconsin, I think, has rot acted
the part Of kind parent in exacting pay
nent Tor the management of fund so lib
orally bestowed Oh the University, which
oy the constitution it was in duty bound
to establish, but for which it never paid
out one cent. In the present financial diff
hcuitles the money paid annually for sew
erai Years to the State for the management
OF this fund, would be great aid to the
University, and | would therefore recon.
mend that the law exactiug this payment
be repealed, and restoration be made of
the money retained by the State for this
purpose since the date when the provisions
Of the Revised Statutes on the subject were
put into operation. The same policy
should be pursued in regard to the School
funA, but as the common schools are
mostly supported by taxation, change liz
that respect will make but little difference.
feel 1t also my duty to urge upon You
again the propriety of ENGRAVING upon the
University protessorship Of military en-
glneerlng and tactics, that our yourg men
may have an opportunity to study military
science, study unfortunately too long ne
elected in the Northern States, and the
necessity of which has become SO appa-
rent during our present national struggle.
CAPITOL EXTENSION.
L congratulate you on the prompt COM
pletion of the west wing of the State Gap
ltol. The work has been faithfully. we'll
and cheaply done. The cost of the west
wing, including all extras, amounts to
$o7 ,591 30, being So, 406 IS less than the
appropriation made tor that purpose, and
l6,O42 81 less than the cost of the east
wing, which is considerably smaller in
size than the west wing.
The continuation of the work of build
ing the Capitol, seems to be very desira,
BILE. The old building is at present of lit
tie use, and without considerable repairs
will probably soon become entirely unfit
for occupation. Without it, however.
there would not be sufficient room for the
present and coming wants OF the State.
am informed by the Architect, that the
south or north win of the Capitol, com.
WI io
OF the old building are now standing.
would cost only $25 600. If either Of
these wings were finished, there would be
sufficient accommodation for all the State
offices, and l therefore respectfully COM
mend this matter to your careful consider
alton. A committee appointed by you for
this purpose, could receive accurate infor-
nation from the Architect upon the whole
subject.
TAX ON RAILROADS, PLANK ROADS, Go.
A decision of the Supreme Court made
during the session Of the Legislature last
winter, in the,case of Kneezand u.s. the City
Of Ms1aoaukee, pronouncing unconstitutioa
al the law taxing railroads and plank roads.
by requiring them to pay per centage on
their gross earnings, in lieu Of ali other
taxes, as and thereby declaring void
all taxes assessed and levied in this State
tor many years past, threw the Legislature
into great embarrassment relative to the
course to be pursued to remedy the past,
and to make legal the future levy of tax,
es. A joint committee was finally ap
pointed by both houses to digest the ne
cessary legislation, and an adjournment of
the legislature had. Before Its re-assem-
bling however, the Supreme Court, upon
a motion for a re-hearng in the case in
which that decision had been made. after
careful consideration, came to the conclus
ion that, while their opinion as to the IN
constitutionality of the law taxing rail
roads and plank roads remained uuchang
ed, sound application of the rule of
stare declsis demanded that. in view of
the fearful consequences to the State. thew
should fall back upon a decision under
stood to have been made by their prede-
cessors in 1856, holding the law to be
constitutional. This last decision made
action on the part of the legislature IN.
necessary so far as the past was concern
ed, and to remedy any defects in the law
tor tnture taxation was left to the NEXT
legislature The Chief Justice in deliver.
ing his opinion upon the last decision uses
the following language:
Besides, 1t Is not as if we were fixinc
by our decision the future policy of the
State, so long as the constitution remains
unchanged. live were-if we were bind.
ing the people or the legislature to an m
equal and unjust rule of taxation heraaf
ter, the question would be of far greater
y