Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-10-18
Governor La Toilette Here.

The train bearing Governor and
Mrs. La Toilette arrived over G.. q N.
w. Ry from GAINESVILLE, Tuesday morn
ing at 10 o'clock A. M. His Excellen-
cy and party were met at the depot by
a reception committee and band OF
music, and escorted I'll rough Main
street to Turner Opera House where
the Governor addressed an audience of
perhaps 400 made up of due proper
tion of Republicans and Democrats.
The Governor was introduced by
Gustav Buchheit who took the occasion
to refer to the speaker as "Our able,
honest and faithful Governor. A
hearty welcome was freely accorded.
In opening his speech Governor La
memory of the late Lieutenant Cover
nor, saying Il wish to express my
thanks for the welcome which you
have extended to me in Watertown
this morning and at the same time
l am reminded that one who greeted
me here two years ago, and whose
personal and official life was for time
closely bound with mine, has gone
from US. During the time l was
associated with him came to know
Lieut.. Gov. Stone as l had not known
previously during the twenty years of
political acquaintance. / learned to
know his broad, generous nature and
to admire his broad minded purposes.
The governor laid. especial stress
upon the evil of the influence OF pub
lie service corporations in national,
state and municipal legislation. He
used the examples furnised by St. Louis
and Philadelphia showing the corpor-
alton in regard to municipal affairs and
continued:"It was only three years
ago in our city of Milwaukee that a
franchise worth millions of dollars to
the street railway company was given
| to that company without one cent of
compensation. 1t was granted against
the protests of good citizens of all
parties. The people met in public
halls and on the streets and showed in
every way that they were opposed to
giving that franchise away for nothing.
But the council of that city paid no
heed to these protests. 1t was given
away under the same municipal gov
ernment which that city has today.
If it was sold, the public treasury of
that city never received anything for
it. Nothing could stop the carrying
opt of that unholy compact"
= In his argument in favor of the
primary election system, the governor
dwelt upon the point that caucuses
are always manipulated to put through
slate, and that a man who is On the
other side of the majority present in
a caucus is liable to see the
minority win through the sharp prac-
tice of politicians.
MANY have been against the game
SO often" said the governor, that
they have discovered the dice are load
ed, and they will not play the game
any more. y
The governor discussed the subject
of equal taxation paying special
attention to the subject of mortgage
assessment, favorlng system that
would assess to each, mortgagor and
the mortgagee, the property inter-
est OF each in the mortgaged premises,
thus avoiding double taxation and
bringing to the light much assessible
property that has been in hiding.
In the case of nonresident mortgage
holders, he would have the assessment
made as indicated and should the nom
resident mortgagee fail to pay his
share of the tax then the mortgagor
should pay it and that amount stand
as partial payment on principal or
interest of mortgage.
The speech was we'll received. but
somehow the Governor does not seem
to realize that the people care but
little about primary election theories
but are acutelY alive on the subject of
taxation. Not only here but all over
the state, the Republican ticket will
lose more votes on account of the
Governors standing on the question
OF taxing mortgages than upon any
other issue. One may argue that it
ought not of right to be so, but the
fact still remains, and monied men
are not as a class favorable to the
proposition. 1t is a matter of business
with them and they will vote and use
their influence to safeguard their
business interests.