The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-09-21
NO Change IN TAXES.
KenOsha Delegation Makes Deter
mined Fight Against the MiIWau-
kee Tax Dodgers.
oAvANAGH SUBMITS FIGURES

Which Prove to the State Board of Equali-
cation That the SO Called Commission
From Milwaukee Mace Grievous Errors
n Their Report OF Kenosha Industries
Certain That Assessments Will Not Be
Changed-other cities Also Protest
From reports received from Madison
it seems certain that the so-ca1ted tax
commission of Milwaukee have done
a great deal of work for nothing and
unless something rapica1 turns up, the
Milwaukee men will not be able to roll
their taxes up on the smaller cities of
the state. Yesterday afternoon dele
cations from this city and Racine. APP
peared before the Board of Equa1iza-
ton to protest against the reduction
demanded by the Milwaukee commits
sion and the members of the de1ega-
tons state that their visit was a great
success. The speakers before the
Board were City Attorney Heck of
Racine and Attorney James Cavanagh
of this city. Il didn't take the Attor-
neys long to convince the board that
the figures recently furnished to the
board IN rgard to taxes in this city by
Commissioner" Daily were as far from
the facts as it was possible to be- The
delegations made it very apparent to
the board that the cities of Racine and
kenosha had more just system of
assessment than Milwaukee. Tax Com
missioner Brown and Assistant Daily
10
ments of the Kenosha men. They
made no break in the figures presented
by the local representatives and their
arguments fell fiat. The board took no
action in the matter, but attorney
Cavanagh stated this morning that
he felt certain that no change would
be made in the present method of
taxing Milwaukee and the other cities.
Attorney Cavanagh's Great Speech.
From all reports the greatest feature
of the meeting was the strong argu-
ment made by attorney Cavanagh, of
this city. Correspondents to ali the
papers speak in the highest terms of
the speech. The correspondent to the
Chicago Times-Hera1d speaks as fol-
lows:
Representing Kenosha was Attor-
ney James Cavanagh, whose manner
was much mi1der than Mr.. Heck's, but
whose accusations, as his speech deep
ened, became even more forcib1e. The
Milwaukee pamphlet relating to va1u-
ations and assessments in the smaller
cities might be referred to as the Dor
dereau of the conflict that is now at
tracing attention throughout Wiscon-
sin. Mr.. Cavanagh made dramatic
utterance in closing his appeal to the
members of the board.
81 hardly believe said he, ''that
you would convict Kenosha on the tes-
timony presented in the Milwaukee
pamphlet. If you should do this it
would be as much an injustice as the
conviction of Dreyfus.''
General Michael Griffin, chairman of
the board asked if the speaker meant
to infer that the adjusting body was of
the same stripe as the court which
heard the testimony against the now
pardoned Dreyfus. The incident end
ed in a laugh, but the thrust of the
Kenosha man was evidently irritating
to the contingent from Milwaukee sit
ting across the room,
Mr.. Cavanagh said he had no charges
to make, and did not want to cast re-
Elections on anyone present. He had
not proceeded far in his argument,
though, before he was challenging Mr..
Daily to prove certain assertions made
about the Chicago Brass Company.
Mr.. Daily asserted the ''man in the
Office told me.''
In referring to Kenosha valuations
Mr.. Cavanagh criticised the general
system of taxation prevailing in Wis
consin. He asserted that less than
per cent of the personal property in
Milwaukee pays taxes, and that this
condition of affairs was true in other
Wisconsin cities. He believes Wis
consin ''is burdened with the poorest
and most unsatisfactory system of
assessment and taxation of any state
in the Union"