Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-10-30
MORE TROUBLE FOR OLD rowsER.

The Milwaukee Sentinel, the sic EN-
Towser" of the tax lodging concerns of
the state. and the Milwaukee Tammany
society, has another cause for fresh out
burst of anti populism. That's Towsel 3
long suit and principal occupation A
few months ago those citizens of the
state who stood for honesty in tax mat
tiers and election reform were referred
to by Towser as political ours" Now
they are 'populists and revolutionists.
The Sentinel will be obliged to again
revise its code of epithets for use on the
supreme court of Illinois, which has
just rendered an important decision. par
ticularly offensive to and 'agin our peo
pie. " Not that it financially affects 'ou
people" at present, but the fear thai
proximity to Wisconsin might make thu
populistic disease Of the supreme court
catchin'.
Here are few things contained in the
Illinois 'popu istic" decision:
The decision is that the state board Of
equalization must assess the capital
stock and franchises Of corporations at
fair cash valuation based upon mar
ket values, and that the bolrd may be
compelled to reconyene after adjourn
meut to perform duties it ignored while
in session. The Chicago traction, light.
telephone and electric companies are
directly affected by the decision, and,
inferentially, all similar corporations in
the state.
In all twenty-three Cook county cor
porat1ons were mentioned in the appli.
cation for mandamus, and their taxable
properties are estimated at SOS 600, 600
taxes on which will be collected for 1900
1t is claimed that back taxes for twenty.
| five years may be collected under this
decision, but ii Is unlikely that any at.
tempt will be made to do this. The
corporations are threatening 10 leave
the state unless special corporation tax
laws are soon enacted. This Is an old
threat, and will probably not disturb
anyone. The properties are too valuable
and the Chicago field is altogether toe
rich. These corporations are making
millions, and can better afford to paw
their equitable proportion of the tax
than the majority Of other business
concerns. which have hitherto borne
more of the burden than they should
have done The laws of the state of Hi
nois have required that the capital stock
and franchises of corporations shall be
taxed as other property. The state
board has evaded its duty regarding this
law. Last year the board required the
street railroad, gas, electric light and
telephone companies to pay taxes on but
81, 900, 600 on account Of stock and fran
chise values
This decision will be of interest 10 the
people of Wisconsin, who have been
demanding that their legislature shall
pass laws that will compel each indi.
vldual and every corporation transact
ing business within the state to bear q
just proportionate share of the burden
OF taxation To the immediate accom-
plishment of this end the republican
party of Wisconsin pledged itself in its
state convention in the year of grace
1900 To the disgrace of the republican
party OF Wisconsin the legislature oil
last winter failed to redeem its pledge.
The above facts will somewhat open
the eyes Of the people of Wisconsin tC
the real cause for the daily charge OF
populism BY the Milwaukee Sentinel
which is owned and controlled by Mil
waukee corporationists This will also
explain somewhat the object for organ
izing the Milwaukee Tammany political
sn,iety