The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-06-14

movement has been developed; indeed
in Wisconsin nearly the full develop
ment has been within the past five
years. During this time the gifts of
private individuals to public libraries
in Wisconsin have aggregated $SoO,OOO,
and including the new Historical build
ing there has been spent in this period
in this newer intellectual development
a total of ST 100000. In the past year
$14 600, 600 have been donated to llbrar-
les, perhaps One-half of which was
the gift of Mr.. Carnegie
1t is an honor to have the asSOcia-
ton come to Wisconsin. Waukesha is
the city, and the dates are July $40;
and the selection was made in the face
of attractive invitations from other
states. The president Of the associa-
ton is HI. j. Carr, of Scranton. Well
known librarians are Melville Dewey,
Of Albany, at the head of the library
school, the New York state library
commission, the state library, and in
deed everything else that New York
state boasts along this line. Herbert
/ Putnam Of the Congressional and Ma
tional libraries is one whose influence
is felt all over the United States. He
is a remarkab BILE man. Samuel s. Green,
of Worcester, belongs to the old family
of that name. He had done much in
making his and other libraries schools
for. artisans. j. G. Dana, of Spring
field, Mass. has hobby in the an
neXing of museums and art treasures
to libraries. He devoted his life and
money to collecting utensils, showing
how the objects and tools of ordinary
life may be made beautiful. 1t is in
0rf
and science.
The association, as to twO-thirds OF
it's membership is of women. The en-
joyment they get from these annual
rallies is great. Hitherto the aSSOcia-
ton has been largely Influenced by the
great libraries of universities and
technical schools. This year the OBJ
ject is avowedly to exploit the smaller
libraries; to study methods of librar-
ians in small communities, and the
reaching of farmers by the travelling
| libraries. There is more Of this in the
west than elsewhere, and it is natural
! that the study should be made in Wis
conSin. Thus this convention in Wis
cOnsin may be styled turning point
in the library movement From now
on, greater effort will be expended in
reaching small villages, hamlets and
farms. In this state within five years
the free circulating libraries supported
by public taxation have increased from
80 to 100.
Assessing at Full Value.
1t will be interesting to see what
the 1000 assessors of the state will do
with the new prOpOsitiOn-Orders from
the state tax commission assess all
property at full value. Assessors are
even warned that they will be prose-
cUted if they do not mark property up.
The last legislature did some strenu-
Gus things and one was to increase
the administration powers of the tax
commission. An early expression is III
this new order. Property owners,
whether individual or corporate, must
fully disclose their property, produce
the books and afford any evidence pos
sible to determine the true value Of
their property. The circuit courts are
given ancillary jurisdiction also to en-
force such legitimate inquiry.
We're Worth So 900 100000,
The present assessment is something
over $625, 900 900 and if every one
should give his real property holdings,
the aggregate would be over $4,000,
100000. Take personal property alone:
WiScOnSins 1897 assessment showed
$11O,OOO 900, although the federal cen
sus reported mot for tax purposes six
times that amount. If all reported
their full property taxes would be no
greater but less, for the great bulk of
people. If, however, some districts
assess in full, and others in part, it
will lead to injustice; but that is a
present condition. The effect of the
new plan should be to greatly reduce
the tax rate. A city that reports ST.
O00000,000 property, assessed on a so
per cent. basis, would raise by a per
cent tax $4,000 a year.
If that same city should assess at
full value the assessed property would
aggregate S14,O00,0OO and 1 per cent.
tax would raise the same amount for
the support Of the municipality.
Universitys commencement Features.
The university is getting ready for
commencement, when BOurke Cock
rams speech to the law graduates will
be the most eventful thing. Cochran
, is a little Dlack-haired New York law
yer with a large stomach who began
as Il Tammany orator, but got out of
bad company early. He has made a
succession Of great speeches-as the
one protesting against Cleveland's
nomination and the one resisting Mr..
Bryan at the antitrust conference. He
has been before the National Bar as
ISOLATION number Of times and while
professional orators are often diSap-
pointing Madison lawyers who have
heard Cochran, express themselves as
satisfied. We had eX-President Bas-
com here for some days. He was over
the state university for over a dozen
years and has not been back since he
left (1SSO Bascom has aroused a
great deal of enthusiasm. He is
moral force and that always moves
men. Banquets were given him and
he made number of speeches, all
embOdying the idea that material sue
cess is not the end of life. The gradu-
ating class numbers 300 this year, of
which 176 are Of the college of letters
and science Cthe old-fashioned college
course); and forty-one of the engineer
ing school. There will be over sixty
young lawyers sprung on the COM
mOnWealth.