The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-01-21
empt from the uniform rule.

| empt from the uniform rule.
1t may be claimed that these corpora
tions are already subject to local taxa
| ton upon their capital at home OF
abroad. In these respects they are not
peculiar, nor are their relations to the
public distinguishable from those bank
ing corporations, or from those of rail
road, plankroad and insurance COM
panles. 1t IS true that express com
panies, in addition to a nominal tax, al
ready contribute indirectly 20 the sup
port of government, by contributing TO
the gross receipts Of railroad companies.
But the farmer, the manufacturer and
the merchant also contribute Indirectly
to the treasury in a similar manner.
without exemption from ordinary taxa
| tlon on that account.
1t is true, also. that the state derives
no direct revenue from the Wisconsin
earnings OF sleeping-car companies, or
from the so-ealed colored freight lines
organized without the state. Past. leg
lslatlon as to the taxation of public cor
| porations seems to have been founded
upon the theory that the exercise of
any valuable franchise within the state
implies an obligation to share in the
! burdens, as well as in the blessings of
| government. The exemption of earn
| lngs from telegraph lines, express COM
| panles, sleeping cars and colored freight
lines, is apparently inconsistent with
this or any other theory of equitable
| taxation. Possibly the local tax upon
elevator property is now sufficiently
| large to exclude it from the list of dis
examinations, but the foreign sleeping
cars and colored freight lines above
named, as well as telegraph and ex-
press companies, pay a tax merely NOM
lnal.
DISCRIMINATION.
AS to the latter corporations, COM
plants are frequently made that the
fees charged are discriminating, or ex-
cessIve, and that the public are often
compelled to endure losses OF incoveni-
ences, for which the laws afford no ad-
| eQuate remedy. While [ am in posses
| sion of no facts of sufficient authority to
warrant recommendation OF specific
! Legislation, l suggest such action on your
| part as shall be necessary to bring these
| corporations clearly within the range of
public supervision, and that in order to
a more definite determination Of the
relation of these companies to the pub
| lie, the Board of Railroad Commission
ers be instructed to report to the next
Legislature any and all material facts
| within reach, cancerning their organiza-
| ton and management.
| THE ELECTION LAWS.
Again [ call the attention of the legis-
lative department to the costly and COM
plicated machinery for conducting elect
ions in this state. More than $1,000
| were required from the general fund the
last year for the single item of election
blanks, and the local expense incident
to registration in all the election pre-
cincts throughout the state-amoJlnting
to many thousand dollars mOre-in my
opinion far exceeds the benefits derived.
1t is charitable to suppose that the OBJ
ject sought to be attained is the purity
of the ballot-box. But It is difficult to
see how this purpose is essentially pro-
noted by the existing requirements of
the act. In it's application to towns,
some of It's provisions are especially eX-
| pensive, superfuous and obnoxious.
The average number of the voting pop
ulation of each town is considerably less
than 200, and the changes in the regis
try list from year to year so insignificant
number OF legal voters, as to obviate
| every necessity for those slow and tor
| tuous approaches to the ballot box some
times deemed expedient in less conserv-
ative communities The qualifications
of electors are clearly and wisely pre-
scribed by our state constitution. The
impractibIe character Of some of the
provisions of the provisions of the exis-
| fi1,cr 10, tho na4I1ra1 and
manifest consequences of an effort to
attach to those qualifications superabun-
dant conditions, not contemplated by
that instrument, and in clear violation Of
lis spirit. Under the law as it is, no
one is denied the right of suffrage who
accompanies his ballot with the appro-
pirate proof of qualification, and under
the law as it is large numbers fail to
comply with the requirement of previous
registry. [ advise the abrogation Of 10
reasonable and efficient safeguard. Most
heartily [ commend every effort to pre-
vent all corruption and punish all crime
intended to subvert the honest will of
the people. But provisions of law which
are in their nature offensive, expensive,
practically inefficient, or actually ineffi-
cient or actually void, furnish no pro-
| tOCGlDu anu CGSSi Z i1O IiOlSli>C. hOCoi
dinghy [ recommend a repeal of such
parts of the present law as require a
preliminary registration of electors, and
the enactment OF any eompensating pro-
visions that may be deemed requisite to
secure an honest expression OF the will
of electors, and faithful and intelligent
discharge of the duties of inspectors at
elections.
TIME OF CLOSING POLLS.
also renew in this place the recon-
mendation of my previous message, for
more liberal legislation ID behalf of
working men, by an extension of the
time now provided by law for closing
the polls in the larger cities. Experience
has clearly established the fact that q
large fraction of our laboring population
are now practically denied the privilege
of the elective franchise, under laws
that do not permit the exercise OF that
privilege without pecuniary sacrifice,
It is too often the fact, moreover, that
laboring men compelled to cast theil