Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-04-26
NEED FOR GREAT CARE
New Revenues Offset by Larger
Appropriations.
$4,000 INCREASE OVER YEAR ,ss.

$780, 900 INCREASE OYER YEAR ,sa.
Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars
for Green Bay Reformatory-An Irish
Lawyer Who May BE Tax Com missioner
General Griffin of Eau Clairel--No Meet
Sugar Bounty This Year Citizens to
Vote on Kindergartens.
Madison. April 25.-This session of the
legislature viii prove an expensive one
as regards appropriations. 1t requires
courage for members to vote against
appropriation bills. The people who
want appropriations make the argument
with the members that it don't cost
them anything" that some time the
honey will have to be spent-why not
4 w?
conscientious member will vote
right where there is principle at stake.
Whatever the cost to him, but when the
proposal to give the Green Bay re-
formatory $4,000 for new construction
came up, it was easier to vote for it
than to refuse to do so. The board of
control only asked for $4,000 and the
claims committee (Which keeps watch
of all appropriations discouraged it,
Yet the $4,000 proposition got every
vote In the senate. The members who
come from normal school districts are
| themselves after big money; so, too.
with Madison representatives and the
members from towns that have char
liable and penal institutions-they all
want as big appropriations for them
selves as possible. And to go preach
ing economy would seem inconsistent:
| and to vote for it might call down
revenge.
Much Money for Institutions.
But the outlook for a big budget as
result of this session is ominous. Sem
ator Baxter of claims reports that
his committee books show appropria-
tons approved by the legislature In
| 1885. $1,S60.79i, and by the session of
| 1897, Si,S99,149. The exact totals of
those sessions as shown by the statute
books he has not gathered, but the
amounts would be substantially the
| same. For this session, to date, how
| ever. he finds appropriations approved
| by 30, \ branches (barring this $4,000
| Greer Bay reformatory item, which has
! vi to be approved in the assembly,
| of $2.426,G34. Making the most favora-
BILE comparison with 1850 and the in
| creased budget is 1855, 900. 1t should be
| said that there are no more big appfo-
| priation bills clamoring for pas sage.
| Moreover, the state is running I. new
normal school (Superior) and the re-
| formatOry. which were not in existence
| in 1895, and the other institutions are
| growing naturally and cost more to
| operate. But the fact remains that half
million dollars is big sum of money.
1t is doubtful if enough new taxation is
| uncovered to meet it.
| Reforming had Boys.
| Speaking Of the Green Bay reforma-
| tory apart from this $4,000 for added
buildings. there is appropriated 100000
| for maintenance for two years-$50, 900
| a year. There are now at the reforma-
| tory between thirty and forty patients
| though there are accommodations for
| 1876 patients-the most modern, almost
| luxurious quarters for young men
| whom it is hoped to redeem from a
| vicious life. 1t is said to be doubtful if
| there will be that number of inmates
| by the time the next legislature meets.
| Yet the reformatory has $4,000 a year
| to keep" them and to do some other
minor jobs. The Waupun prison has
| about $50 convicts and receives $3.50.
| a year. An ingenious senator has q
| calculation that ii would be money in
| the states pocket to take the whole
batch of reformatory youth and board
them at the Hotel Pfster.
The Men for Tax Commission.
We are all waiting to see what the
governor will do with the three APP
pointments to the tax commission. The
| more the legislature puzzles as to how
| life insurance and railroad companies
| should be taxed justly, the more the
| idea of the commission pleases people.
Railroad lawyers have ably argued
against the 100000 increase in taxes
voted by the assembly and undovbted-
ly made an impression on the senate.
The Northwestern Life insurance tax
is more likely to be left where the as
sembly put it, but Judge Orion and
Mr.. Hall are not free from worry about
either Governor Scofield himself is
said to be dis posed to a conservative
course.
Amid this confusion as to what is a
fair basis of taxation, one readily sees
what a help a tax commission will be,
furnishing an authoritative plan. Gos-
sip favors General Michael Griffin for
the $4,000 position at the head of the
commission. The C. A. r. men and
many others are strong for him, while
Mr.. Hall thinks he has been too long
in politics and has acquired associa-
tions that will hinder him in aggressive
recommendations of reform. Mr. Hall
would be pleased with the appointment
of Mr.. A. |. Turner of Portage. 1t is
expected a Democrat will have one of
the places.
An Irshman Who Has Succeeded,
General Griffin was born in Ireland 81
years ago, and has been in the state
since before the war. He served all
through the war ard has been at the
head of the q. A. r. of the state. Since
1876 he has practiced law in Eau Claire.
He has been city attorney; assembly
man QS76); state senator (80-SD, and
was four years in congress C95-99).
Sugar Beet Bounty Killed,
The scheme for a beet-sugar bounty
is defeated in the senate, after hav-
ing passed the house. The reports from
Michigan killed it, That state has just
appropriated $500, 0O0-not because it
wanted to, but because the farmers
push" was too powerful to be re-
fused-at least so the opponents of the
Wisconsin measure argued. The mat
ter can rest for two years, but it is
terrific disappointment to the Wheel
err brothers, who have labored at their
own expense all winter for it. Wiscon-
sin will let other states do the expert
menting and we can profit by their
losses. A new argument against the
industry is that sugar beet growing is
most proftably done on intensive"
lines-that is on small areas carefully
cultivated, as in Germany and Scandi-
navia.
kindergarten by Popular Vote,
Many communities are trying hard to
get kindergartens, but some educational
managers and as rule, all politicians
run away from this innovation. Sem
ator KreutZer of Wausau, one of the
most useful members of the upper |