Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-10-08

Governments are republican only in
proportion as they embody the viii OF
the people, and execute it."-Jefferson.
1T is the peoples constitution. the
peoples government made by the people,
and answerable TO the people Web
star
''The fabric of the American empire
ought to rest on the solid basis of the
consent of the people. The streams of
.tional power ought TO flow immediate
~ from that pure original fountain of all
legitimate autho yity Hamilton.
"A government of the people, by the
people, and for the people. Lincoln.
The great essential basic principle of
democracy, asserted in the Declaration
OF Independence, and guaranteed by the
constitution, remains the same through
all time; but the maintenance, the
preservation of that right from usurpa-
ton and encroachment under changing
conditions is the duty of each day and
generation.
The citizen who thinks the constitution
alone will preserve everlasting good gov
ernmeht Is mistaken. A great nation
has great and growing problems, increas-
ing ard grave responsibilities. AS Pres
ident Mckinley said in one of his latest
speeches.
"The progress Of a nation can alone
prevent degeneration. There must be
new life and purpose, or there will be
weakness and decay"
The problem in government today is:
protection from public service corpora
lions and political machine domination.
Direct nomination of all candidates by
the people offers a simple. practical solu-
ton. 1t is for us with courage and
patriotism to discharge our plain re-
sponsibility to the state
Do you believe in entrusting the people
with the nomination of their candidates?
Do you believe in a legislature honestly
endeavoring to carry out the wishes of
the people. These are the fundamental
| questions you must answ er by your bal
| lot.
Equalization of Taxation.
As a result Of public discussion of the
| unequal distribution of the tax burdens
| general demand for legislative action be-
came so strong that it found emphatic
| expression in the platforms of both politi-
| cal parties in 1898. The Legislature,
which assembled January, 1899, was,
| burdens of taxation. But the powerful
| lobby Of the public service corporations
opposed such legislation and after pass
| ing the express company, life insurance,
and sleeping car bills, the bill increasing
| the license fee on railroads from four to
| was defeated in the Senate. Had that
| bill passed it would have saved other
| taxpayers 100000 each year since, or
| $2,4OO,0OO by the present time.
The Railroad Is Advocated Tax Commits
sion.
| But representatives of the railway
| companies urged that further investiga-
| ton was necessary to insure fairness to
the railroads. They advocated the es-
| Establishment of a tax commission to make
| such investigation, promising that IL such
| commission fc und that railroads were not
| paying their proporti0nate share of taxes,
| they would accept the decision and pay
accordingly, These arguments influenced
| railroad taxation was defeated, and the
| bill creating the tax commission was
| passed instead. To secure its passage 1t
was urged that the pressing work Of the
| legislative session prevented Senators and
members from giving the subject of taxa
| ton that thoroughness of Investigation
| which its importance required. Besides,
| they required men of special fitness to do
| this work-trained, skilled, experienced
| men who should devote all of their time
| to the business.
Tax Commission Created.
So it was provided in the law that the
| members of the commission should be
men known to possess knowledge of the
| subject Of taxation and skill in matters
| pertaining thereto" They fixed the
| salaries high enough to command the
| ability they sought. The men were
| found They were employed. They
were able men, Of experience and learn
| ing, strong in the confidence Of the
| people.
Delay of Legislation Secured.
It was expensive business for the tax
| PAYERS. 1t delayed the legislation which
had been promised by both parties in
| their platforms Of 1898. But the people
were persuaded to believe that when this
commission did report to the Legislature
| and formulate legislation Is,
pass-then the people We're led to believe
| the Legislature would act upon the
recommendations and pass the bills.
| With great industry the unbiased, able
| gentlemen appointed upon the tax COM
! mission by Gov. Scofeid prosecuted the
| labor was not performed in haste, nor
| in the confusion and distractions which
| a legislative committee encounters, but
with that thououghness and elaboration
| insurirg wise and sound Judgment.
Renewed Promises of Tax Relief.
Two years passed and again in 1900
| the platforms OF both political parties re-
| newed the promises that the tax burden
should be equalized. The people now
| patience would be 1warded. The Legisla-
| ture assembled ana he entire state wait
ed in expectation for the forthcoming re-
| port of the tax commission, which was
| TO light the way for intelligent legisla-
| tive action.
First Report of Tax Commission.
And what was that report? 1t was a
| clear, explicit, able statement of the re-
| suits OF their investigation, proclaiming
| that there does exist gross inequalities In
the tax burden placed upon different
| classes of property in this state, and
! making definite and exact recommends
| tons to the Legislature "for the imme-
! date remedy of the evils which they
have discovered"
First - They declare shat large
| amounts of taxable property are omitted
| from assessments as ordinarily made,
| and that much of that which is assessed
| is unequally valued And In order to
secure a more complete assessment of
the taxable property and make it more
! uniform, to the end that 1t should be
| fairer as between man and man and sec
| ton and section, the commission recon-
| mended that taxpayers, assessors and
boards of review be required to observe
| the law and that some officer or officers
be given specific authority" TO super
wise the work of local assessments.
Report as to Railroad Taxation.
Second: They reported that if the
| railroads paid taxes upon the same basis
as the property Of private corporations
and of the individual taxpayers of the
state. that they would pay over a million
dollars a year more than they now pay;
and that if the other publie-service cor