The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-03-26
MANITowoc, March %, 1869.

CeTe. CTOufey, Esq,
DEAR SIR AS many inquiries have
been made concerning the action Of the leg
islature ut its late session in relation to The
Fire Exemption law (so caled) of 1866,
! will submit through the columns of your
paper a brief statement upon the subject.
During the session of the legislature of
1868 introduced bill to repeal the prop
srty exemption clause OF the said law, which
wa. passed through the TWO houses without
serious opposition, but failed to become u
law because the governor neglected to sign
it.
The reasons for the introduction and
passage of that bill we're:
lst, That the exemption of property
from taxation was unconstitutional, and
wherever allowed would vi,iate the taxes
levied upon other property, and might lead
to expensive litigation aud prove very
mischievous in its tendencies
I'd, That the law operated unegually
and unjustly, giving benefits to tLose fire.
men who were so fortunate as to have prop.
erty, and Withholding them from others
equally meritorious who were SO unfortun
ate rs to have none, or, in other words,
awarding TO the possession OF property
what should only be given to the meritori>
Gus services OF individual ircmen.
| Before the convening Of the late session
of the Legislature the attorney .eneral had
given his opinion that this law was uncon.
stllu,ional. and it was known that if bill
| were TO he introduced for its repeal, il
would pass without opo>ition, as did the
| Ill OF the previous session, aud there
| fore introduced u Till which would protect
the hrenlen Of Manitowoc whether the law
were repealed or not, and at the same
time protect our citizens from its i'll effects
were it not repealed. This bill provided as
! follows:
SECTION !. 1t is hereby made the duty
oi The trustees of the village of Manifowoc
Ia cause TO be annually levied anu collected
| as other taxes are by law levied and collect
/ ed. tax ,qaai TO he amount OF tax assess
ed upon the property of the tiremen of said
village exempted from taxation 10y the pro
| visions Of chapter Asa, of the private and
local laws of 1866, entitled, An act to in~
corporate the State Fuemen's . Association
OF Wisconsin, organ.zed September "a
1868, and to pay orer all moneys so col
ected 10 the acrve freman of said village
severuily In equal sums. and such sums so
paid shall be in lieu of al exemptions as
provided BY said chapter 4S4, ant the pro
visions OF said chapter exempting property
from taxation shall not apply to said vii
lage, except as herein provided.
SECTION 2 This act shall take effect and
be III force from and after its passage
Soon after. Senator Lyndc, of Milwau>
kee, introduced u Till for the repeal of the
law; this bill was placed in charge of Sen
utor Bragg, of Fond du Lac, the special
representative ofthe Firsmen' Association,
who, on consultation with Mr..
| Lyude, myself and other
senators reported an amendment provid
ing for the payment by municipal corpo
ratons to ali active frcmen or fire compan
les of full, fair and equitable compcusa>
ton for their services, In lieu of exenpt-
ing, which passed the senate without op,
position, and, as | believe, the assembly,,
and that it is now the law upon the subj ject
OF co,npensation to fremen. At any rate,
being satisfied with it, and that it would
become law, l used my bill as a dead
head, providing for submission to a
vote of orr citizens of the amendment to
our village charter, which had previously
passed the senate and assembly, and to
which many Of our citizens had after.
wards slgnl6ed to me their opposition.
Truly Yours,
| GEO REEN