Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-01-17

mortgage, two different claims are
made by those opposed to the assess
merit of mortgages: one, that the in
terest rate is increased to an amount
sufficient to make the borrower pay
the taxes; another, that an agreement
between the borrower and lender is
insisted upon by the latter requiring
payment by commission or otherwise,
sufficient to reimburse the lender for
the amount of taxes which he is re
quired to pay upog the mortgage. II
is fact, however, as shown by the
last census, that the interest rate in
California is lower than in adjoining
states, though this may be in part due
to Independent causes. After much
discussion of the subject, Missouri
adopted at the recent election a con-
stitutional amendment similar in ef-
feet to that of California. But there
is further answer to be made to the
objection to taxing money, because it
is claimed it will increase the interest
rate. 1t is manifest injustice to each
taxpayer to compel him to pay an ad-
ditional tax, occasioned by allowing
several hundred millions of money
and securities to go untaxed in this
state, IN order to maintain lower in.
terest rate for the advantage of the
comparatively few who borrow.
Primary Election Law.
"For MANY ware tba OWL. 80 A.
caucus and convention system have
multiplied and bafiled all attempts at
legislative control or correction. The
reason for this is elementary. The
evils come not from without but from
within. The system in all it's details
is inherently bad. 1t not only favors,
but, logically and inevitably, produces
manipulation, scheming, trickery.
fraud and corruption. The delegate
elected in caucus is nominally the
agent of the voter to act for him in
convention. Too frequently he has
his own interests alone at heart, and,
for this reason, has secured his selec-
ton as a delegate. AS a consequence
he acts not for the voter, but serves
his own purpose instead. This fact
in itself taints the trust from the out
set, and poisons the system at it's
very source. No legitimate business
could survive under a system where
authority to transact its vital matters
was delegated and re-delegated to
agents and sub-agents, who controlled
their own selection, construed their
own obligations, and were responsible
to nobody.
From the very nature of the case
such system must build up a strong
central power. The opportunity
offered to acquire a mastery of party
nominations, thus controlling great
political organizations, and with them
patronage and legislation as well, was
certain to be seized upon by men pos
sessed of the talent of combination
manipulation and political manage
ment. Hence, today, it is well under
stood that the whole complicated bust
ness is managed by a central power
from which emanates all orders, an6
to which even instructed delegates il
| convention are, in some mysterious
way, quickly made subservient. This
controlling power is the established
political machine. Its overthrow is
always possible; but since it is the
inevitable result and logical outgrowth
OF the system, such overthrow can
only be temporary, and the machine
will either be restored or give way 20
new machine constructed upon the
same lines and operated upon the
same principle of supreme authority.
THE demand of the voter today is
clear and explicit He asks that
there be restored to him the citizens
right to vote directly for the party
nominee of his choice. He asserts
that denial of this right, or doubt of
his ability to exercise it, is an inn
parchment of the principle upon
which state and national government
is based. There is no valid objection
which can be interposed to this
reasonable demand upon the part OF
the citizen, and submit that the legis-
lature should primarily address itself
to the business of framing law that
shall accord to him, in full measure,
the sovereign power of the ballot.
The plan of such legislation will not
be found difficult of practical applica-
ton. The details should be plain and
simple. The specific provisions of such
legislation are to be determined by the
legislature, not by the executive depart
ment of the state government. The
legislation should be so framed as to
insure to each voter an equal voice in
the selection of the candidates Of his
party, without let or hindrance on the
part of any man; accompanying this
should be such provisions as will in
sure an accurate registration and de-
termination of the will of the people
as expressed in such primary election.
Care should be taken that sufficient
time be given the voter carefully to
consider the character and merits Of
each candidate seeking nomination at
the hands of the people. When this
has been done. and not till then, the
mandate of the people, expressed at
the pools last November, will have
been obeyed. A primary election con-
Quoted under such law will enable