Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-11-01


dwelling alike of the farmer, the oper-
ative and the artisan.
The taxpayers Of Wisconsin are in
vited to scrutinize the facts as to the
management of state affairs by the
present officers. They came into
power under the promise that they
would reform the management and
reduced the expenses OF the state gov
ernment; they have failed to do this,
Instead of reducing expenses they have
greatly increased them. \ compare
son of the figures taken from the oifi-
cial records show tLat the expenses
during the three years of Democratic
rule, 1923, are largely in excess OF
the expenses for the last three years of
Republican rule, 1SSS-9-90. That the
state tax is to be reduced this year is
wholly due to the fact that there is a
large amount OF money in the treasury
derived from unusual sources. 1t is
owing entirely to this extraordinary
income that the taxes are reduced.
The records, instead of showing econ
omy or good business management.
show the most wasteful extravaganza
and reckless methods. Had the pres
ent state officers been As economical
as their Republican predecessors,
there would have been no state tax
this year, and there would have been
a handsome sum left in the treasury.
Any taxpayer can satisfy himself OF
the correctness of this statement BY an
eXaminat ton Of the reports OF the Sec
rotary OF State. Our opponents seek
by the use of irrelevant figures, and
statements Of expenditures over which
the state officers can exercise no con-
troll, to establish the fact of their econ
omy. They have rs yet presented no
statements, containing
only such items of items of expense as
are under the control OF the state Off
GERS. Nor will they do this. Such
statements, which are the only fair
ones to make, in all cases, show in
creased expenses during the past three
wears
The extra money received by the
present administration amounts to over
$500, 900 in excess OF the amount re-
ported as on hard. This $780, 600 re-
presents what has been expended IN
the last three years in what was eX-
pended in the previous three years for
precisely the same purposes. There
has been collected from the ex-treas-
urers and applied to the reduction OF
the state tax for this year 1897 1872 So.
The Democrats claim much credit for
this, and it might be accorded them II
it were not for the fact that they have
in extravagant expcndi-
lures the entire amount, SO that the
tax PAYERS have not had the benefit OF
O dollar OF it. It has been asserted and
proved beyond controversy, that the
present state officers have in no dlrec~
ton shown good business management
on practiced economical methods. On
the contrary, the undisputed figures OF
the public records show that their adj
ministra ton has been characterized by
extravaganza and waste.
It is with the doe pest caagrin that
we discharge the duty Of calling the
attention of the citizens OF our state to
the attempt to rob the treasury
through the unlawful letting Of the
printing OF the roster Of the soldiers.
The attempt was one Of the boldest, as
it was one Of the most stupid, ever
made to defraud the public. a con-
tract was secretly made by the Gov
ernor. under the advice Of the Attor-
ney-General to let the printing, III de-
tiance of the constitution Of the state,
which declares that al pointing shall
be let to the lowest bidder, at price
nearly three times as great as it would
have cost had it been sent to the staJe
printer and been done under his con
tract. hiu liUO IllI N-Ai9A'~iiSC "a W.
contract been ascertained--ai though
every effort was made to heepit secrs',
in utter defiance OF the law which re-
auires that all ntrac It's Shall be placed
on file where they may be Inspected
the state would have lost q very large
sum. It was only after the threat OF
LEGAL proceedings that the Governor
was frightened into cancelling the
contract. Before its cancellation the
Governors private secretary had sod
an interest in it for q bonus Of
$50, 900, and $1,000 OF the money so re-
ceiyed was used to pay note on which
the Governor was an indorser and
which had gone to protest. After the
contract was cancelled, the parties
purchasing the interest in it brought
suit again st the Governor, his private
secretary, the Attorney General, AS
sistant Attorney General, and other
state officers. to receive the money
paid. The people of Wisconsin We're