The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-08-31
For the First Time Looking
Sharply After His
Saw Mills.
HIS VIEW OF STATE POLITICS
AIl-ImpOrtant Tax Commission Re-
port-Delevan Institution - state
Fair-Live Stock Interests.

thing for him as it takes his mind off
politics. Hitherto for four years he
has given very little time to business,
whereas Governor Upham kept III close
touch with his MarShfield interests.
Governor ScOfield is fortunate in haV-
ing a son, George, who is splendid
business man, but now the governor is
looking sharply after his new pur-
chaSeS Some three or four hundred
men are employed and recently he
spent some two days at work with
the men with the result that the out
put was increased some 100000 feet.
This means $50 or 500 daily profit on
the right side Of the books. That is
quite an item.
The political situation does not
please Governor ScOtield, of course, al
though he has been wise enough not
to be embittered thereby. He has
been frank to say he looks for the
defeat Of Mr.. LaFollette, with the rest
of the ticket. His friends, of course,
do not agree with him and Governor
ScOfield is very amiable in discussing
the matter. Fe honestly thinks Bob
is not to be trusted and has an idea
that it is his (ScOtields) duty to warn
the people against a series Of cOnspira~
cies which the governor thinks he sees
on foot. He says frankly that he is
prejudiced for he has always taken
to heart the fierce attack on his adj
miniStratiOn) and asks no one to be-
lieve him but says with playful def
ance, You wait and see" Governor
ScOtield's published attack on Mr.. La
Toilette was issued only after many
of his closest friends begged him not
to, although one or two Republicans
in the front rank as leaders encOur-
aged him. The governor has a second
manifesto which he has threatened to
launch but the advice of his intimateS
has been so strenuous that even the
governor has been moved to withhold
it. Those who have seen it say it is
a vigorous manifesto and touches on
the charges of political combinations
with politicians and corporations. In
deed, the governor says frankly that
it is issued on his own motion in the
face of protests of Republicans whom
he most esteemS. The theory gener-
ally accepted here, that any influential
people who think they have a string
to Mr.. LaFolIette will find they have
been Outwitted, is not accepted by
Governor ScOfield. AS the fight on the
latter is over and there is no Oppor-
tunity to crowd him to reprisals it is
unlikely that this second statement to
the people will ever be issued SEQ
field was assured on the publication
of the first one that it would be fol
lowed up on the next day by material
from other sources, but in this he was
misled and left to stand alone. The
disposition now is to give Mr. LaFol-
lette a chance not only as candidate
but as governor, and his friends are
confident that all will work out we'll.
Certainly it is a great question, if in
the capacity of governor of the whole
people one has a right to make war of
this sort; yet it should be said for
ScOfeld that he feels he is the Gus
todian of the people; and he feels so
deeply that great allowance should be
made. A man bereayed Of his son is
freed from cenSure
Echoes from the Tax Com M ission
The biggest thing next winter and,
indeed, one of the most important
events in the history of the common
wealth will be the report of the tax
commission. This is made, not to the
governor, but to the legislature and
likely will be sent to the members in
advance OF the session so that they
may come to Madison we'll informed.
The rooms of the commission are Il
busy place, in addition to the three
members of the board and Secretary
Smith, stenographers and expert &C
cOuntantS being occupied with columns
or hgureS. The tax roll of the state
is ,1N
way, a man dropped into the capitol
the other day with system of mental
mathematics which enabled him in six
seconds to compute this total, adding
up the items of seventy counties. He
formed class of three or four of the
department officers who paid good
sum for the instruction and they re-
port that the system was Il good one
but requires time to perfect. it so as
to be of practical use.
The hearing Of the telegraph compa-
mics the other day was only partial.
some of the companies asking for more
time in which to compile their figures.
An attorney for the Postal Telegraph
company put in an appearance but he
was very unsatisfactory, All he knew
was that his company was opposed to
cu case III ldA0S. lie CnOu2Dt the
present plan best, presumably because
the company pays only $500 year on
some seventy-five offices. Many a citi,
zen III the hardware or shoe business
pays more taxes than this. When the
tax commission endeavored to find out
the finances Of the company, the share
holders. etc, the stranger said he had
no books with him and was as ignor-
ant as child. The members of the
commission were pretty we'll annoyed
by this time and one of them. looking
the clever attorney in the eye, said.
suppose it should seem wise to rec
Ommend tax on your company of not
81 mile but $40 a mile, what would
you say?"
The man hesitated, looked fright
'ened and finally stammered out. "Why.
should say it was confiscation and
would compel us to cease business
Well now" continued the commits
sioner, ''if you don't know the ex-
penses and receipts and the profits of
your company what makes you think
such tax would necessitate the clos
ing out of the Ibusiness?''
Commission Reasonable Body.