Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-07-28
How the Democratic State Admins
tratiOn Oppresses Farmers.

1t is sublime spectacle, and one to
which the attention Of the people OF
Wisconsin should be especially directed.
The Democratic State Government
seeking to levy tribute in the form of
a peddler's licence upon farmers who
are engaged in selling produce. The
Democratic Governor, Hon. William
Il. Taylor, by his authorized agent,
Mr.. John W. Haggerty, first played
the spy upon farmer who had come
to the city to sell load of sheep; then
endeavorlng to extort $3 from him,
and when he refused to submit to the
extortion, seizing his horses bits,
pushing him violently from the wagon,
and driving it off. The victom OF this
shameful proceeding made complaint
against the man Haggerty for ASSAULT
and battery, aud the case was tried be-
fore the Municipal Court on Tuesday
last. Tie Jud e very properly charged
the jury that the law concerning ped
dlers and hawkers does not apply to
farmers dealing in produce, and the
defendant was found guilty and fined
S5 and costs. 50
1t will be quite useless for Gov.
Taylor and the Democratic State Ad-
ministration to seek to escape the re-
sponsibility for this outrage upon
aw-ablding and respectable farmer.
Ebert the State Treasury Agent, and
Haggerty, the Special State Treasury
Agent, derive their authority from
commission over the signature of His
Excellency. Moreover, this man
Haggerty was once before arrested for
a similar proceeding, and was found
guilty of the offense. If Gov. Taylor
did not approve Of this conduct, il was
in his power TO remove him; but he
did not remove him, and Haggerty
very naturally felt that he was sustain
ed by his superiors, and accordingly
repeated the outrage.
Let it be clearly understood, then,
what Gov. Taylor's position is on this
subject. "a farmer takes a load Of
sheep or potatoes, or any other pro
duce of his farm, to the nearest market
and sells them. Gov Taylor holds
that he is to be considered peddler,
like one who travels about the country
selling matches, lightning-rods. or any
other commodity; that a spy is to be
| put upon his. track; that license fee
= to be demand of him, and if be re-
s,ses, he is. to be assaulted and his
team seized to enforce submission TO
the extortion. To provide against any
farmers escaping this experience,
Gov. Taylor has appointed for this duty
two men who are cely fitted for just
that kind of work, and whose efficiency
is stimulated by receiving one-third of
all the money that they succeed in ex-
torting. The license fee for peddler
using a vehicle drawn by two horses is
$40, and it is the sum that Gov. Tay-
lor is endeavoring to levy upon every
farmer in the State who carries to
market the products Of his own toll.
1t may be claimed that the law un-
der which these outrages are practiced
is the work Of Republican legisla-
ture. This is true only this far, that
the present law concerning hawkers
and peddlers was passed by the legis-
lature of 1872, both branches of which
were Republican. But the law itself
is proper one, designed to collect a
license fee from peddlers who come
into the State to compete with our
merchants, and who, for the most part,
escape taxation in any other form.
The law is confined to this class, that
is, to those who are peddlers by ayoca
ton, by very explicit provisions, and
its operation was limited to them un-
7 der Republican administrations. It
remained for Gov. Taylor and the
Democratic State ADMINISTRATION to per-
vert the law SO as to make it the in
strument of such monstrous wrongs
upon farmers.-Mzwouhee Sentinel