Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-01-26

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what ex-senator Villas is understood
! to believe, that the disrupted party VIII
get together again.
We have no more genial citizen than
the ex-senator; and his conversation is
ooubly interesting, in that it bristles
with touches of Washington life and
largely of affairs. showing the habit OF
| his thought He has the facts of his
tory at command, as shown in a retort
when some Madison people called on
aim to urge him to join in the recon-
mendation of Professor Jerome Ray
mond of the state university to be presi-
dent of the University of West Virginia.
But, he is too young" said the sena-
| tor.
He is 90" replied Raymond's friends.
YES" retorted Villas, quicker than
| flash, Pitt was only % when he was
made chancellor of the British excheq-
uer, but it has been difficult ever since
| by throwing a stone to hit any like
him."
| One Of the ex-senator Villas prettiest
| traits is his adhesion to his promise.
He is slow to give his word; but the
| liberality of the execution is proverb-
ial in Madison. He is exact in details
| fussy, in fact; and thoroughness marks
everything he does.
| Villas Cautious Endorsement.
When the effort to give Raymond a
| winning push" was being made in
| Madison, President Adams, DIR. Ely,
President Harper of Chicago, and other
notables lined up in his support, so
much So in fact, that it made a strong
| no I'M oil in
| West Virginia. But message after mes
sage from them kept coming over the
| wire why don't we hear from Villas"
| 1t was imperative to get line from
| the senator, and delegation labored
with him. He maintained that he did
not know Raymond except indirectly,
and that no man of 30 should be en-
trusted with university, anyway.
| But, finally, he consented to send
line as strong as he could honestly
make it. TT shall be in your hands
before midnight
Every hour was precious. "a politi-
clans promises are ropes of sand"
Raymonds friends said, despairingly
The hours wore on. Day gave way to
eventide. Finally at 10 o'clock Harry
Villas appeared with the note. 1t was
to the effect that the young professor
had never been convicted of horse-steal-
ing and would not burn the college
chapel, If he was properly watched.
Senator Villas is slow to commit him.
self.
But the Democratic politicians of
West Virginia "heard from Villas" And
Raymond is now their university presi-
dent
a Billion Dollars Escapes Taxation.
At the beginning of the legislative SEES
sion there are always numerous re-
ports, work assigned at the previous
session, or annual compilations front
various departments. The tax commits
sion has done excellent work; and
though the tax problem is about as
deep as that of life itself, a number of
| practical recommendations are made
which, together with Governor SEQ
| fields vigorous discussion in his mes
sage, should open up the whole subject
and give the corner groceries some
thing to talk about for months The
| injustice of the present system is shown
| by the fact that the counties of Clark
and Manitowoc report more than one
| third of the grain and farm products of
| the state. Sawyer county, which is
| heavily timbered, makes no return on
| saw logs, railroad ties or telegraph
| poles. Fourteen counties have no rec
ord Of money on deposit in banks or in
the possession of holders. The commits
| sion thinks that a billion dollars worth
| of property escapes taxation.
If it can be forced to pay, your taxes
and mine will be lessened The levying
| of an income tax is recommended, at
| which you may expect to see every one
who is in the enjoyment of any income
above. say 1,500 shrug his shoulders.
| The income tex is an article of ma
tional Democratic faith; but the lowly
are the only ones who shout very large
ly for it.
The agitation to tax corporations
must be far reaching, for even the rail
road commissioner report finally notes
that some of the railway companies.
under the present law. escape their
| share. This department has long been
a mere department of record and the
| heaviest part of the business, apart
from riding about the state, is the is
sue of a very popular map of Wiscon-
sin, the tracing of the railroads being
| no StllpuS IItpllN clllpIte III llS ENJOY
ment. These maps have hitherto been
given away, the choicer ones on linen
being in most demand. But now the
department recommends that they be
sold for cost price. The recommended
ton to compel street car lines to make
report to the department is n good one.
in that there is now no place where one
can learn the facts as to this growing
branch of industry.
Say Railroads Are Honest.
! Another railroad report is that of the
commission consisting of the attorney
general. secretary of state and railroad
commissioner. appointed to look up the
claim Of A. II, Hall in 1897 that some
railroads falsify their accounts, and So
do not pay their full taxation. OF
course the three gentlemen did not find
anything wrong. They undoubtedly
were willing to. but how could they ?
They sent three clerks down to the big
city. and the spectacle of these limo
cent young men from Wisconsin, armed
with gripsacks and lead pencils, climb
ing up the steps of the general offices