The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-09-21
TO BETTER THE CITIES
Model Charter Before the Next
Wisconsin Legisla"
ture.
SCOFIELD AND YA2D0E CASES.
Judge Must Acquiesce TO Forward
Application in Murder Case-fin-
gree and Wisconsin Taxation.

Madison, Wis, Sept. 18.-Last week
was state fair week, and this week in
Milwaukee meets the National Mu-
nicipal league. This annual meeting
of gentlemen publiciStS was sneered at
ten years ago when it began sessions,
but it has enlisted so many notableS
its president is James G. Carter, who
with Choate heads the New York bar
that the cynicS smile no more. 1t
will be a useful session in Milwaukee.
where there is an active knot OF re-
formers. The thing chiefly sought by
this association is the Introduction by
the states through constitution and
enactmpntS, of the model charter
This is framework of municipal gov
eminent for cities, big and little and
next winter it will be urged on our
own legislature. 1t is the product of
a committee which did its work under
the auspices Of the National Munich
pal league and its president, Mr..
James G. Carter, who represented the
United States in the Bering sea con-
trOversy, and one of the two or three
great leaders of the American bar.
The committee based it's work on re-
ports Of the condition Of leading Amer
lean cities, the works of DR.. Albert
Shaw, editor of The Review of Re
views, on the condition and govern
ment of European cities, ard the
works of Mr.. Frank J. GOodnow, pro-
fessOr of administrative law in Column
ba university. Both of these gentle
men were active members Of the COM
mittee and had associated with them
of
utatiOn-PrOfessO Leo S. Rowe of the
University of Pennsylvania, Charles
Richardson Of Philadelphia, Clinton
Rogers Woodruff, secretary of the Ma
tional Municipal league, also of Phil
adelphia. and Mr. George w. Guthrie
of Pittsburg. The chairman Of the
committee, to whom the inception of
the work is due, was Mr.. Horace e.
Deming, a brilliant and very able law
yer of New York city, WHO probably
did more than any other single man
to make the charter what it is.
This model charter is styled ''The
Declaration of independence OF the
American City"
Pingree's Tax Commission.
Michigan has been wrestling with
tax commission, as is Wisconsin.
When Pingree became governor three
and Il half years ago, the theory OF
Michigan tax laws was that all prop
erty should pay taxes upon its real
value, except that of railroad, tele-
graph, telephone and express compan-
les. These concerns pay taxes on their
earnings. Governor Pingree was pos
tive the corporations were escaping
their share, but his efforts were de-
feated at every point except in hay
ing bill passed providing for state
tax commission, whose duty it is to
see that people who have been escap-
ing taxation shall be placed on the
rolls for the proper amounts. In that
state, as i'll Wisconsin. the local tax as
SCISSOR had his own standard OF yalua-
ton. Each community sought to get
off as easily as it could and there was
a premium on low valuations. Espe-
cially were the copper and iron prop
critics to the nCrthWard escaping. The
tax commission, though it has been
operating less than a year, has al
ready placed over $3.50 100000 worth
of property on the rolls, and the
amount will probably reach $3OO,OOO,-
000
AS Wisconsn's tax roll is now
something over 5000, 100000, such an
addition in this state would of course
be cOnvulsive. y. r. Hall has contend
ed that the railroads should pay ST.
100000 a year more than they do. But
there are no great untaXed sources
like the Hecla and Calumet mines for
our tax commission to discover" and
put on the rolls. Pingree accom-
plished Il partial tax reform through
the tax commission act; the railroad
taxes are still paid under the old sys
tenn. and the Democrats accuse the
Republicans Of not keeping their prom
Use as to equal taxation.
Pardons by the Governor.
There are so many applications for
pardon made to the governor of the
state that a formal circular is issued
setting forth the law on the subject
and the rules pertaining to it. Notice
must be given of the application; must
be made to the judge who presided and
to the district attorney who prose-
Cuted, at least three weeks before the
application is filed with the governor;
and notice Of the application must be
published in the county where the of
Tense was committed. This gives an
opportunity to those interested i'll
keeping the convict in Waupun to
know what is going on. Then the ap-
plicatiOn must be accompanied by a
full record of the court proceedings; a
statement of the reasons for asking a
pardon. with attidavits and letter
from the district attorney, stating his
views. If the convict has committed
murder, favorable recommendation
from the presiding judge or OF the
judge in office at the time of applica-
ton must be secured, or the matter
does not get before the governor. In
certain cases the governor may par
don or commute sentence, and he may
impose conditions. One Of the favor
tie conditions is that the convict shall
let drink alone for a certain time. Oc-
.casionally these pardOned convictS
turn up in the police court for drunk
enness, of course. The usual plea for
pardon is based on ill-health, some
times the need of the man to support
his family. Even if the prisoner does