Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-04-12
A. R. HALL RETIRES
ANfl-PASS CHAMPION OUT OF
POLITICAL LIFE.
SENSATIONAL STATEMENT
In Announcing Withdrawal Says His
Work of Reform VIII Be Pushed
Vigorously On-Railroads Should
Be Taxed as Other Property-Re-
grets Baumgaertner's Defeat.

Knapp, Wis, April 7.-Assemblyman
Albert r. Hall. the vigorous champion
OF anu-pass reform, has issued a sen
sational statement declaring his re
drement from politics and touching
on important matters of legislation for
the future He SAYS:
I am out of politics and shall not
again be candidate for the Iegisla-
ture. No, am not candidate for
governor, either, and, in fact, want
to retire. | am not DISCOURAGED. for
as admitted, l have accomplished
part Of the work which I undertook
ten years ago, but simply want to be
permitted to withdraw to private life
l shall have to take care of my health;
IN fact l sat at the last session or two
against the advice of my physician. I
must, therefore, insist upon getting
out OF political life.
If it be fact that portion of the
public thinks l have ACCOMPLISHED
something of benefit during my ser
vice IN the legislature I am glad. l am
confident that others will take I'D the
contest where / leave off and work to
the end that the railroads, for in
stance, which have in round numbers
during the ten years in which | have
been at Madison, escaped approximate
ly SlO,000,000 in taxes, will be made to
come 10 time. 1t will require firm
hand, but that hand will surely reach
out to them sooner or later.
L expect much good to come out
of the present state tax commission.
believe that the commission on the
whole is good, but should it prove
otherwise, 1 am confident that the leg
islature will call it to account.
Now that we have the anti-pass
law on the statute books, believe that
many of the temptations which the
railroads have thrown in the way of
the members of the legislature will be
members of the legislature who could
not be reached by the railroads in any
other way have given their votes for
or against measures because of the in
f1uence of the pass. | have in mind
the case of one member whose inf1u-
ence was sought il connection with
the Sioux road tax bill and one who
was approached with direct PROPOSE
tions from the railroad lobbyists
These men will stop al no form of cor
ruption to gain their point and are
constantly making it lrd for the con-
scientious member to do his duty. The
influence of the pass has been seen in
the action of certain members at the
close Of the session taking their fam
lies on long trips. This man and his
family will go to Washington, this one
to New York that one to Florida or
and so on, and the public
pays for it all in the end.
Now as to the matter of the future,
| believe that the only way justly to
tax the railroads is to place the rail
roads on the same basis as all other
property. The license fee is not equit-
able, for the railroads can so easily
manipulate their books as always to
give the public the worst of it. The
railroad property should be assessed
and taxed just as farm property OF
city real estate is assessed and taxed.
Why should not that be the case?
There is no good reason, save that the
railroads do not want that system and
that the railroads have dominated the
legislatures in the past and have sti-
fed just legislation. Wisconsin should
have a state railroad commission en-
powered to fix rates which the roads
charge. Without this system the
roads can simply screw up the rates
every time additional taxes are levied
against them by the legislature, and
the result is that the shipper pays
more tax and the railroads escape pay
ment Of the taxes which it was intend
ed to levy against them. There is
such commission in Indiana and it
results in a great saving to the state
The railroads are called to time and
he commission has power to fix
charges and to see that those charges
ire not excessive. The problem is
lot SO difficult and so greatly involved
is some would have us believe. The
ailroads are simply getting all that
hey can, and they are able to get
5reat deal for they hire the best talent
o be engaged.
Il believe that others will take up
he work for railroad legislation, and
hat ultimately we shall have a just
aw and fair division of the taxes.
Judge orion Of Darlington is qualified
nd fully equipped for the hard strug-
lie which leadership in opposition to
he railroads entails, and there are
theirs who will doubtless lend their
ssistance.
'The defeat of Mr. Baumgaertner in
Milwaukee was surprise to me. His
efat, however, will only delay the
ictory of those who are working
long the lines of improvement in this
rofa -