Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-21

| 1872, 1 90 100 mills 1878, 72-1OO mills The
assessed valuation for l873'was 1896, 454,875.
| Under existing laws, taxes on railway com
| panf.s are added to the tax on the assessed
valuation of other property, and form con
| siderable portion of the annual revenue
| Whether the amount paid by these companies
| fully accOrds with the principles of Justice and
the REQ ulrements of our state constitution, is
to me g matter of grave doubt, and deserves
your earnest and careful consideration. The
facts set forth and the suggestions made by
the Secretary of State on this subject, in his an
nual message, should not escape your atten.
ton.
Another matter Of great Importance to our
people claims your consideration in this i'm
mediate connection. l refer to the taxation
of telegraph and express companies. know
of no sufficient reason WHY these foreign cor.
porations should not be made fully amenable
to the laws of the State which furnishes them
protection, and be required to bear full pro-
portion OF the burdens OF government. It is
notorious fact that the owners of stock IN
these companies, enjoying special privileges
realize large incomes from their investments
within the State, and that their business here
is prosecuted to the practical exclusion OF pri-
vate enterprise N the same direction Oh the
part of our own citizens. Whine not question
ing the TACT OF their necessity and utility.
am not prepared to concede that the benefit is
they confer are so far IN excess of those con-
ferred by other corporations as to entitle
them to any exemption from the ordinary
obligations of corporations under similar cir
cumStances.
TIME OF PAYING TAXES. f''
1t is worthy of serious reflection, whether
the time now provided by law for the payment
OF taxes could not be changed with great ad-
vantage to taxpayers. Every prudent busl-
ness man eaualzes his payments with refer
ence to his available resources. In business
circles custom requires the adjustment of an
nual balances in January. 1t is apparently.
unfortunate that the payment of taxes should
be added to all the other pecuniary burdens
OF the population at this period of the year,
especially as the state derives no benefit from
any accumulation of surplus funds in the trea-
sury. In the state of Ohio the law provides
for semi-annual pavments-in Jnue and De-
cember. [ am informed by executive author
ity that no Inconvenience has been expert
enced in that state from this arrangement
since the first year or two of its operation
Should the present annual system continue.
the alternative question should be carefully
considered, whether the state ought not to
derive a considerable income during portions
OF the year from the use OF it's surplus iunds
In the city of Milwaukee interest is required
and received on all deposits By the city trea-
surer, calculated upon daily balances.
learn that the receipts of that city from this
source the present year will exceed $4,000,
and that the method is regarded as wholly
safe, and otherwise satisfactory,
SOURCES OF RETRENcHMENT.
s The condition of the general fund, already
Explained, and the existing depression in bust
ness enterprises, admonlsh US to consider well
the sources OF retrenchment It does not be-
come me to prescribe the details OF legislation,
immediately committed to your charge by the
Constitution. [ venture, however, to direct
your attention to several items OF expenditure,
more or less subject to public criticism, some
of which would seem to justify legislative ac-
ton for the benefit of the Treasury.
y The compensation of all State officers should
be accurately limited and defined, and all fees,
without exception, should be paid into the
Treasury. L do not know that the ability and
responsibility expected from the heads of the
executive departments are noWvt 90 literally
paid for but any current impression that the
salaries of these officers are uncertain in
amount excites public suspicion, oftentimes
unjust to the officers themselves and certain
ly demoraizing in it's influence upon officers
of inferior responsibility throug bout the State.
Any precedent or example tending TO encour-
age the morbid spirit of speculation on the
public resources should be scrupulously con-
demned and avoided. So =
The clerical force of the several departments
OF the State government should be paid rea-
sonable compensation for the labor perform
ed, and no MORE thus measurably providing
public office. +. "-4 .f"'
Constructive compensation, by way of per-
qaisites, and the employment of supernume-
raries are palpaole violations of public faith.
and deserve the severest reprobation. 1t is
the scandal of our State, that while the total
salaries and mileage OF the members of the
legislature, as provided by law, amount to
about s50,0e0 per annum, the Legislative ex-
penses, for employees, printing, postage and
stationery, during the few weeks the iegisla-
ture Is IN session, average about an equal
sum- 1t may be claimed that the amount
misappropriated IN this and other similar
cases is comparatively insignificant. But I
know of no departure from public rectitude
which can be fundamentally measured.
1t appears from the report of the Secretary
OF State, that the total amount paid from the
general fund during the last fiscal year for
printing and publishing, including 81, 30i ga
Tor the Legislative Manual, reached $95, &c.
81. am not pr epared to say that til cost of
this work was too much for the quantity, nor
do I recommend any deduction from the just
wages of mechanical labor in this or any 9TH
er department.. The cost Of this service. how
ever. has become great burden upon the
treasury, being for the past year nearly one
twelfth of the entire disbursements from the
general fund.-a cost apparently disprOpor-
Tomato to the public benefits rendered " bile
the ample publicity of the laws should be pro-
vided for through the established channels OF
communication with the public, submit for
your considerable the propriety of adopting
measures for the abolition Of all expenditures
In this department not absolutely essential to
official business and public information.
#F GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The geologicsFsurvey, heretofore provided
for by law, has been prosecuted during the
past year at a cost OF S8,280.00. I feel assured
OF valuable results from this work, both to
the cause Of general science and the material
progress of the state. The vast and undevel-
oped resources of Wisconsin warrant rea-
sonable expenditure in this enterprise. The
benefits which accrue from work of this
kind depend upon the thoroughness and com.
pleteness with which it is done. 1t is very i'm
Portlnt for this fact to be kept constantly in
nina, but IN view of the exist ng pecuniarv
embarrassment OF taxpayers and the def
cheney In the state treasury, it is no less inn
portant that the present undertaking be pros
ecuted with the strictest pos sible economy
consistent with the end to be attained.
IMMIGRANT COMMISSIONER.
While l am not convinced that the office of
Immigrant Commissioner can be prudently
dispensed with, yet it is possible that reduc-
ton IN the expenditures of that office could
be safely provided for, without prejudice to
the interests committed To his oborro Tho