The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-03-15


profit by it for some years, as his new
term begins soon. Salaries cannot be
increased during current terms, un-
less the judges wish to resign; and I'M
der retrenching governor that might
not be followed by reappointment.
Clever Lawyer from Superior.
Among new men are always few
who by virtue of ability, spring to the
front. Assemblyman Lenr0Ot, a
smooth-faced, nervously constituted
young lawyer of Superior, has early
attracted attention. AS he has been
Republican chairman in his city and
is now on the second term as county
chairman, the indications are that he
has the powers to sustain his prestige.
Mr.. Lenroot is of Scandinavian stock,
his father reaching Boston in 1850,
Polk county five years later, and going
to Superior in 1870, when the city had
$500 people and boom was on. Du-
luth, across the bay, was not thought
of Until later The assemblyman was
born thirty-two years ago, and pol
ished off a common school training
with study in business colleges in Du-
luth and Minneapolis. AS with many
lawyers. stenOgraphy was his ladder.
and he was reporter for the supreme
court in Douglass county. After sew
en- years study he was admitted in
1897. He married the daughter of Cir
cult Judge Clough. who. after twenty
years on the bench is now in Califor-
MIA, his wife being in poor health. Mr..
Lenroot has two girls 10 and s years
of age, and just now talks with his
family through the window of Madi-
g nt.,O fol eli
ing beset one Of the little girls some
weeks ago.
Mr. Lenroot's great bill is the one
allowing citizens to vote on franchises,
if 10 per cent. of the citizens disap-
prove of the common council action.
This is a measure which passed the
Pennsylvania law house some years
ago. 1t is now blocked in the senate,
but Mr.. LenroOt hopes to get it out.
A uniform system of taxation, Wis
cOnsin, Minnesota and Michigan par
ticipating, is plan on which Mr.. Len
root is working, and MeSsrs. Mills.
Overlook and linn having conferred
at st. Paul with Minnesota commits
sioners. The Michigan commissioners
will soon meet our representatives
either in Milwaukee or Madison. Mr..
LenrOot says copper and gold is being
unearthed up in his section. and BOs
ton capital is even at the point Of put
ting up gold stamp mill.
Trying to Advance Railway Taxation.
Last week was largely given over
to railroad hearings, and an able lot
of attorneys these "counsels'' of the
great corporations are. With Govern
or LaFollette insisting for a term of
hot
and the tax commission naming $780,
900 as the merited increase, it would
seem an easy matter; but the ability
of these visitors has had weight. Tax
Commissioners ellison and Curtis were
called in by the joint committee, Of
which Senator Whitehead is chairman,
and the dispute between them and
e Bowers of the Chicago and Northwest
ern and the others at times WaXed hot.
The railroads object to the ad valorem
plan of taxation; they object to find
ing the value of railroad by calculat-
ing the stocks and bonds; they Ques-
ton the findings of the tax commits
sion, and most of all they insist that
railroads pay more now than other
property. If there is any weak point
in their armor it is they offer no bet
it clear that the state must always
put able men on the tax commission
to meet the arguments of these corpor-
alton attorneys, at least one of whom
has $4,000 year salary. The rail
ways already contribute large sum OF
money to the support Of the state; il
is easily levied and collected. The
question of whether they pay their
Shor iS no3stc ND no to
mission has apparently worked it out
carefully that they should.
Great stress has been laid upon this
sentence in Governor LaFollette's mes
sage: 1T is but just to note in this
connection that as appears by the
above tables. the railway companies
have been fairer than the average of
individuals, who, as to the great mass
of personal property. assess them
selves; the percentage of assessed of
market value of the railways being
20 $500 as against - 9-1O0 for all 9TH
err personal property in 1892
The discrepancy is in the return of
taxable personal property by the
labor commissioner. Mr.. Erickson
$500, SOC. 0O0-and $250.0O0 900 by the
commission. Judge ellison stated that
the estimate of the tax commission
covered only the personal property
which is actually uncovered and sub
ject to taxation under the laws Of the
state, while he presumed that the gov
errors figures included all personal
property which should be taxed
Railroads will probably have to pay
more, When the proposed increase is
divided up among them it is not
sensational increase, and as one of the
attorneys frankly admitted. it will
come out of the people anyway
Primary Elections Getting Warm.
AS for the primary election bill, we
may look for exciting Developments
from now on. Friends OF the bill eX~
pect clinching testimony from unex-
pected quarters soon. The bill Will be
materially amended, but it is Il mis-
take to regard it as dead. When con-
sentative men like Stout, Riordan and
KreutZer are willing to go at least part
way in trying the new plan. in addi-
ton to the thick-and-thin LaFollette
senators. the idea that at least direct
vote for city and county officers will
not be tried, is misleading. There is