Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-01-09

mined the first step would Nc taken
toward taxing railroads prcportionate-
~ with other property. In Michigan
at cost of $40, 900 the value OF rail-
road properties was determined
through an army of assessors, VINO
added up the value of every rail-, eY-
cry station and every freight truck.
This seems absolutely sflly. AS TOT
the real estate of Wisconsin, In some
taxing districts it is assessed on a val
uatlon as low as one-third of its value
and In others as high as % TO ~ per
cent. There is no uniformity as eF-
erybody knows. but Ii would be pos
sible to find the average rate OF YaIu-
alton. as all sales Of real estate are
listed. II would be q tremendous cal
culation. There are some 1,4OO taxing
districts. most of them township dly1-
sions. But from these, from the reg
lister of deeds and the secretary OF
state. a fun record of real ests.te
transfers where there was genuine
consideration could be made. If the
sales were compared with the as
sessed value. the result woG.d be sug-
gestlve. as to how realty and how cor
poration property is taxed. 1t IS I'M
derstood that the commission has
worked on some such line as this.
Edward seofeld, Governor.
Well, we inaugurated the state Off
GERS yesterday, and now 1t Is Govern
or LaFoIIette, while Edward Seotield
retires into private life. He has
made noteworthy governor and the
administration will be well spoken OF
by posterity. A plain business man,
he has conducted the administration
on business principles, and left his
marks. especially on the bookkeeping
methods of the state. The money is
better accounted for than before Gov
ernor Scofield applied his sawmill de-
tail and accuracy to the common
wealth till. He has been a dignitied
executive; a neat dresser, quiet man
nered. an unaffected speaker, whether
on train bound for Ashland or
whether jostling greatness in the lob
by Of the Fifth avenue b0tel, Sfofield
has done Wisconsin, crtdit. There
was nothing sliifIy IN his makeup: no
one could conceive OF him doing any
thing dishouorable. 1t was not given
him to figure as a slashing reformer,
and he was in no hurry for even some
of the enactments brought about in
his time. but an examine tlcn .: his
administration will reveAi an amaz-
ing amount of solid achievement.
Veteran observers of life learn TO
tie up TO what is known as the "ay-
erage man" He aceomplishes more,
wears better and is easier to live with
than phenomenons This applies to
business men, to wives and 10 part
ners at croquet. Scofield was a glori-
Gus protagonist of the average man.
Economics Under scofieId.
Senator Elect Mosher of New Rich-
mond Is reported to have retrench-
ment and reform up his sleeve. and
the capitol force as the object OF his
rehabilitation.
Whatever he may find elsewhere,
II Is a fact that he opens up ON the
state superintendent of public property
at the very time when that depart
ment il getting many congratulations
for good service. Moreover, the last
report (Oct. /, 1900 makes this quite
clear. The most recent report that
Senator M0sher quoted from was
some years ago.
| called on Superintendent Scott for
something official and he gave me
this:
Inc uA%nuTNtllEHbS vi tlfc utttdAt-
ment for wages in the last eight years
are as follows:
For the year ending Oct. /. 1898
S6T 800, so; 1894. S63, $780, 10; 1895. $751;
54g. 50: 1896. 500, 714.22; 1897, S65, 943,-
As: 1898. S5S,012.3 b: 1899, 60,23T.56;
! 1900, S5S, 5SS.01.
During the session OF 1897 the leg
| islature Increased the remuneration
OF a large number of the employees Of
| the department The total expend-
| ture of the department for wages dur
| ing the past four years outside Of the
| superintendents salary, was S242
| Sal. 50, as compared with $246. 04452
| for the four years next preceding
"yThether or not the work and labor
performed in the capitol building and
park and executive grounds and man
sion compare favnrably with that
heretofore expended upon tile same In
the same time, leave to the determin-
| alton of those who by long years OF
residence in the city of Madison have
become perfectly familiar with such
| transactions.
by reference to my report you viii
notice that | said: 1T is gratifying
| to be able TO state the general ex-
penses for the four years ending Sept
| 80. 1900. excluding all special apprJ-
priations made by the legislature in
| each case, and the 81, 1896 unearned
| insurance. have been $40. 1029 81 less
than for the four years ending Sept.
| 30, 1896
This reference was not caused by
a decrease in the amount expended
| by the department for wages. but Is
| due to the fact that the work around
the capitol building and park and ex.
| ecutive grounds and mansion was
largely performed by our own EN-
| nloyes whereas heretofore good por-
| ton of il was let To outside parties.
You will also notice by the report
that the disbursements for stationery
during the past four years footed NJ
| with SIS. 2S5. 81 for the four wears next
preceding. showing a savilg in the
| stationery account alone of S4,O3T. 80
| Notwithstanding the fact that the de.
partment was required by the legisla
| ture To furnish stationery to the tax
commission, the Wisconsin free Ii
| brary commission, and numerous
| other commissions. to a large amount
| which had not been required of the
department at any time previous.
| Taking the general expenses Of the
| department. including the amount dis
bursed for wages and the stationery
| account for the past four years, the
| records show that in that time we
| have expended S33, ! 4053 less than for
| the four years next preceding"
I A