Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-03-01

put Mhlcn rs more the result OF an oyer
weening anxiety on the part of some
new member to have his name herald
ed before the world as a reformer, than
any enthusiastic desire TO benefit that
class which he assumes TO speak for.
This fact is made the more plain. in
the entire absence of any well eonsid-
cred idea, OF how the proposed meas
ures are to be enforced after they are
passed, Like the average novel which
brings its characters to the threshold of
nm experimental life and then leaves
them, so the average originator of this
class of legislation, brings his bautling
to the experimental stage, and there
leaves it to rise or fall. having achieved
his own end of transient popularity, and
retires into the obscurity from which
he sprang in the first instance.
A considerable amount of this class
OF legislation has been introduced this
winter, and seems about as capable of
prolific results as any of the mass Of
similar measures that have preceded,
while some Of the bills are positively
unjust.
The objection to these measures lies
in the fact that the people in the end
have to foot the bills. A few years ago
the Potter law was promulgated Its
provisions We're undoubtedly founded
on justice, and if the law could have
been strictly enforced it would have re-
suited i'll much benefit to the people.
But after several years spent in an en-
deayor to enforce its provisions the us
ual reaction set in and but little has
been heard of late from it, In the
meantime, during the period of its
strictest enforcement, the people, as
before, had been footing the bills the
companies having skillfully remodelled
their classiiications in such shape that
little, if any, difference was made in
the old receipts of the different compan-
les. This year bill has passed the
assembly, and,will undoubtedly pass the
senate, if it has not already done so,
taxing the express companies. The
companies protest vigorously, but find
ing it of no avail, viii go quietly home
and put up the rates so as TO meet the
new deal, and the people settle the bill
at the captains Office every time they
receive or send a package. 1t is there
fore obvious that until plan can be in
vented by which practical results from
such legislation can be secured the in
diligence in the theory of the thing pro-
posed is worse than useless.
Furthermore Legislation of this kind
often leads to positive injustice. A case
in point is shown in the measures in
troduced in the present session. Among
the bills presented is one to tax tele-
graph companies two dollars a mile for
each wire which they have in operation.
Ii does not matter whether the company
is large or small, whether tits taking mil
lions from the people or barely pays eX-
penses. each wire must pay good round
the mover stiles all promptings of JUS
tice and throws fair dealing to the winds
Here is line running from Platteville
to Lancaster. More of an accomoda-
ton than business project, yet this in
FAINT industry is to be taxed out of ex-
istence, in direct contradiction to sound
Republican doctrine and even going be-
yond the Democratic battle cry of tariff
TOR revenue only. This is the extreme
of the system. Out of the similar
schemes introduced there is but one,
the bill taxing palace car companies,
that can stand the test of not indirectly
coming back on the body of the people
This class of vehicles are patronized
only by those who can amply afford TO
do so. who are willing to pay for seclu-
sion and quiet. If the company sees
fit to raise tneIr rates to meet the
tax no one will be injured as those who
pay the usual fee are willing to pay the
larger one for what is simply and purely
a luxury,
With other cases, however correct the
principle may be and however much we
may feel that something ought to be
done, il is plain to any one who has
watched the cooperation of this class of leg
islation that the necessary something
cannot be obtained in any bill, however
carefully drawn, until some way is pro-
vided for enforcing all railroad and cor
porate legislation in such n manner as
will save the burden from falling through
the meshes onto the shoulders of the
people.
The subject is one, considering the
growing Importance of corporations in
this country, worthy of the deepest
study and comparison of methods,
until one is found that viii meet the re-
quirements. One thing is plainly APP
parent, in view of the experience of the
past, that no half-baked legislation viii
work the result desired.