The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-05-13
For Auditor General.

the state cannot be more carefully
and judiciously subserved. than in the
selection of the head of the auditor
generals department. Few OF the
citizens of the state realize the great
responsibilities resting on that de-
partment of our state government
and the varied interests centering In
it. There is required at its head a
man of executive ability, sterling
integrity, judgment of men and
knowledge of affairs; one who will
be devoted to the public good and
who will manage all the details OF
the Office with the interests of the
people in view. In presenting the
name of Edwin A. Wildey for that
position, no mistake is made. Mr..
Wildey is thoroughly a Van Buren,
County man, having been born In
Paw Paw and having always made
his home here. He received good
education and, unlike many men
whose lives are spent in farming,
his studies did not cease with his
leaving school. He has always
been a student of economic affairs
and has given a great deal of
thought to the subject of taxation,
upon which he has come to be a
recognized authority. Comparatively
few men in public life are so well
versed as Mr.. Wildey in the prin-
ciples that underle our state tax
alton. His public career has been
such as to give an opportunity for
information along this line.
He has been supervisor of this
township, and his record for fear
lessness in discharge of his duty and
his readiness to condemn any mis-
management or extravaganza, coupled
with willingness to admit his own
mistakes. made him natural and
logical candidate for the lower house
of the legislature. During the two
terms he represented the people in
the latter honorable position, by his
honesty and integrity he gained
the respect of the members associated
with him, all alike saying that,
whether they agreed with him or
not, they realized his position was
the result of careful and conscien-
tious investigation and, even though
his vote was recorded alone, as was
sometimes the case, he always voted
his sincere convictions. AS a mem
Der of the ways and means committee
in both sessions, he was brought in
contact with those in control of our
public institutions in all parts of the
state, and among them the same
opinion prevails as among his fellow
members, regarding his character
and ability.
In 1898 he was chairman of the
special committee on taxation that,
IN connection with the judiciary
committee with Speaker Gordon as
its chairman, framed the present
tax law. In 1893 and 1895 he was
chairman of the committee on local
taxation, and as such impressed
all those who were before his COM
mittee as pains-taking, obliging and
DESTROYS of enabling them to obtain
the wishes of those whom they
represented. The Legislation pro-
noted by HIM has been of character
to win the esteem of Michigan peo-
pie, notably several amendments
to the tax law having for their OBJ
ject the strengthening of the present
law and making the collection of
taxes less burdensome to the people.
His ideas of what should govern
our state public service are expressed
in bill introduced by him during
the last session having for its funda-
mental principle the betterment of
the public service and at the same
time providing an incentive to the
person employed by making his
tenure of Office depend upon his
efficiency and not upon his "pull."
In appropriations, the ways and
means committee, of which he
was an influential member, inaug-
urated policy of iudicious econ
omy in appropriating funds for
the support of our public institu-
tions. In thorough sympathy with