Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-10-25
| GOVERNORS WEAK PLEA.
Tells Voters what He Proposes
to Do in the Future.
NOTHING OF THE PAST.
Ignores All Questions with Exception of
His Pet Hobby, the Stevens
Bill.

| In his speeches this year Gov. La Fol-
lette is pleading for votes mainly on the
ground that die proposes to compel the
| railroad, express, sleeping car and street
railway companies to pay a larger share
of taxes than they are now contributing
to support the public burdens. All other
questions, except the enactment of the
Stevens bill, are entirely ignored. The
scandal of the game wardens, the scan
dial of the book companies and the fore
ing of the state institutions into politics,
are not referred to.
Nowhere in the $4,000 word speech of
the governor first delivered at AIilwau-
kee and since repeated at other places
III the state is there a word, of defense
of the administration policy on these
subjects, policy that has driven thou
sands of lifelong Republicans TEMPORARY
ly into the ranks of the Democracy. 1t
may be the chief executive of the state
feels he can say nothing that will ex-
cuse his conduct, but whether willingly
or unwillingly, he must answer his
critics or stand convicted of the serious
charges made against him.
An Eleventh Hour Issue.
Neither does Mr.. La Follette's record
on the question of taxation bear examina-
ton. 1t was an eleventh hour issue en-
braced. desperately to prevent the loss Of
party control. After the election of 1900
and during the session of the Legislature
in 1901 the people heard nothing of it
from its present self-styled champion
During the entire legislative session when
the governor was bending every energy
and making use of every political re-
source at his command to establish con-
troll over the law-making body, no at
tempt was made to pass taxation legiSla-
ton of Importance. Then the test of ev-
cry Republican member, deciding in the
governors mind whether he was a faith
full Republican or traitor, was his po-
sition on the Stevens primary election
bill. Everything else was neglected in
the fight between the governor and the
StalWarts for control of the Legislature.
The opportunity to enact equitable taxa
ton laws was overlooked and the bills
were permitted to die while the struggle
on the primary election law went on.
La Follette's Great Discovery.
When the Legislature adjourned all
admitted the contest between the fac
tions for control of the Republican or
ganization would be fought out on the
issue of the Stevens bill. The align
ment remained the same until n few
months ago. Then the governor made
great discovery. He learned that
the public was taking little interest in
the so-called primary bill Of Assembly
man Stevens and that unless ne could
invent some other device to win popular
support he must be defeated for renomi-
nation. Accordingly the taxation issue,
which had done duty for Mr.. La Fol-
lette and other politicians in the past
and could be made sufficiently indefinite
for practical political purposes, was once
more brought to the front. 1t helped to
renominate the governor and now he
hopes by careful nursing it may be kept
alive until the election.
In light Of Gov. La Follette's record
on the taxation question it is reason
able to predict that, if elected, he will
do no more to secure a fair taxation
law than he has done in the past. His
record in that respect is entirely talk
ing one, with nothing accomplished,
nothing even attempted.
This is what has been done in the
past two years on the question of taxa-
ton: The public service corporations
have not been taxed higher than before;
instead by the increase of the state as
sessment % to so per cent. their bur-
dens on the same valuation as previous
ly have been greatly reduced. A bill
passed to prevent double taxation (the
Frost mortgage bilD, was vetoed.
Contrast of Platforms.
The Republican platform this year
vaguely hints at reform in taxation. The
Democratic platform defines the partys
position so clearly that it cannot be mis-
understood, and it means just what it
says The Democratic platform favors
absolute uniformity of taxation-the uni
formity required by the state constitu-
ton. 1t proposes to tax all property
alike. It is a policy to which no honest
man, wOrkingman or capitalist, can OBJ
ject. If once put into effect, as it will
be if the Democratic party is victorious
in November, it will dispose of the taxa
ton question for all time to come and it
will also dispose of the ambitions of de-
signing politicians seeking office in the
name of reform