Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-10-09
To our Would be Senator, FIR. Bron-
son.

spouse may be satisfactory 10 Mr.. Warner
but it is not TO the undersigned, an elector of
the county whose right and duty you say it
is 10 know the opinions of those sup for off,
ciaI places" 1t seems to me, in several par
ticuars indefinite and ambiguous.
You say 81 should, therefore, if elected
Senator, do all 10 my power to cause the
revenue laws TO be so amended as to raise by
tax or duties for necessary revenue only, and
that mostly on Injuries"
Will you please state how,as State Senator,
you would cause, or assist in causing the rev.
enue laws TO be amended ? Alter explaining
this will you set foith definitely whether you
are in favor of raising the revenue by direct
tax, or by duties ? Your statement above
being somewhat uncertain upon this point.
What do you mean by Unnecessary revenue?"
Do you mean simply enough TO pay the run-
ming expenses of the government, without
provision for paying the interest or any por-
ton Of the principal of the national debt :?
If you do not mean this but include in the
term Unnecessary revenue" provision for the
payment OF the interest Oh the national debt
and of portion of the principal each year.
will YOU please state wha portion of the
principal you are in favor of paying yearly !?
The term "luxuries" is one of uncertain
meaning, varying in its application with
persons, condition and situat ton. What may
be considered luxury in our part of the
country that is quite common ana is classed
among the necessaries in another. Be kind
enough, therefore, TO explain what you mean
by "luXuries."
You say: "railroad corporations are in
law common carriers, and as such amendable
to common and statute Jaws"
What do you mean by the term " amendable
to common and statute aws"? Do you wish
to be understood as asserting by this some-
what misty sentence that the right of the
Legislature to prescribe the rates OF freight
upon railroad rests upon the ground that a
railroad is a common carrier? Would you
be willing to sanction legislation that would
prescribe just how much Mr. Barnett should
charge for carrying passenger in his stage
teamster should charge hundred weight for
carrying freight between Bloomington and
Bridgeport? These are common carriers
too, and il you have the right to regulate tn e
charges of railroad because it is a common
carrier, you have an equal right to regulate
the charges of these other common carriers.
Are you in favor of the passage of PRO
RATA law for railroads, varying the price for
carrying freight according TO distance only,
and preventing any discrimination Dy the
railroads in favor of shippers in Grant Coun-
ty, as against those who are nearer Chicago
or Milwaukee or do you believe that dis
elimination is sometimes wholesome, espec-
tally when il favors you and your neighbors,
and that other things besides distance should
be taken into consideration in the enactment
of law regulating the changes of railroads,
as for instance, the relative amount of BUSH
ness furnished by the different stations
What is your plan for arriving at an equit-
able arrangement as to freights, as between
the shipper and the owner of railroad stock
You say: "The people of this county can
depend on il am in favor of all the property
in this State bearing its proportion Of the
taxes"
The expression Sail the property in this
State0 rs as you aware, very sweeping.
At present there is exempted from taxation III
this State by express statute property own
ed exclusively by any county, village, town
or school district; property owned by any
religious, scientific, literary or benevolent
institution, used exclusively for the pun pose
OF such associations and not for pecuniary
profits; the fair grounds and personal proper
ty of state and county agricultural societies ;
lands used exclusively for public burying
grounds pensions receivable from the United
States wearing appar el, family portraits and
libraries; kitchen furniture and growing
crops; provisions and fuel provided by the
head OF family TO sustain its members for
six months.
You assert that you are in favor of taxing
all this property. You would tax the district
school house where the poor are educated.
| You would tax the churches, the orphans
homes, the hospltals--property not used for
profit but to do you and yours good You
would tax the resting places of the dead and
in default of payment sell our fathers grave:
for taxes You would tax the pensions Of
widows and orphans. You, farmers advo-
cate and man in favor of relieving the OPP
pressed tax. payers, would lax the fair grounds
| fba fo 70 farr hat
ter the growing crops, that before harvest
time NAV be consumed by fire, destroyed by
winds and rains, or eaten up by insects; the
oihes upon poor mans back and the furni.
lure in his kitchen, his winters fuel and the
bread actually necessary to keep him and his
family from starvation.
If you really mean, what you plainly say,
that if you are elected you will favor such I'M
righteous taxation as this, | cannot support
you, neither can | give you my vote until
your position is better explained upon the
other points | have mentioned,
have heard much of reform, have earnest
ly desired what was crooked might be straight
ened, what was wrong set right, but have be-
come heartily tired Of glittering generalities,
ank indefinite and ambiguous assertions made
by designing politicians, or persons having no
practical method of reform, for the purpose
of catching the votes Of men laboring under
real or fancied grievances. Before l vote
for any man who clai ms it to be his intention
to change the present status of things, want
HIM to state to me plainly just what he in
tends to do, and how he intends to do, and |
want 10 see that what he proposes will make
things better and not worse.
Your inquiring friend,
TAX PAYER.
STATE NEWS.
DIR. Sperry, late of Ripon College,