Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-01-22
Creation of the Tax Commission
and the Great Work Which
1t Has Accomplished.
Considerable Space Devoted to the
Subject of Primary Elec.
ton Law.
What the Governor Says Concerning
Combinations in Restraint Of
Trade-Other Subjects.

Governor LaFollette's message to the
state legislature begins with a state
ment of the condition of state finances.
The balance in the general fund of the
state treasury on January l, 1908, was
$685., SS4.54, a sum sufficient to meet
all current expenses. The governor
discusses at length the subject of tax
alton and the work of the tax COM
mission. He recommends that senate
bill 220, limiting the amount which can
be collected under the mill tax law to
mends for examination the strong pre-
sentation of the subject in the report
of the tax commission.
On the subject of taxation Of rail-
way corporations the governor says:
in the contest for equal and just
taxation prior to 1889 it was well un-
derstood that the public service cor
porations were bearing much less than
a fair share Of the tax burden. The
legislature of that year assembled un-
der the strongest obligations to the peo-
pie Of this state to equalize taxation.
A movement was made toward the dis
charge of that obligation by passing
through the assembly bill increasing
the license fee upon the gross earn
ings of the railroads from four to five
per cent While this would have fall
en- far short of the amount which
should be borne by the railroad COM
panies, it would have proven very
substantial increase. This bill was
beaten in the senate. 1t was at this
period in the contest that the bill was
brought forward creating the tax COM
mission. The bill received the support
of the opponents as well as advocates
of more equal taxation, including lob
by agents and railway company attor-
neys. To them it presented the relief
of postponement. The passage of the
measure was urged as a great public
necessity. It was maintained that the
members of the legislature could not
give the subject of taxation the time
and attention which it's Importance re-
quired; that ii demanded men trained
for the task, clothed with the power
and authority to prosecute the fullest
investigation, enabling them to place
before the legislature the ripe work
Of their research for their guidance
and direction.
Appointment of Tax Commission.
while it was then we'll understood
that the increase in railroad taxation
TO no oto Of that CnccjOn
was much less than the amount fairly
due from the companies, nevertheless
the creation of the commission was ac-
cepted in good faith upon the promise
made by the representatives of the
railroad companies that the results OF
the work of the commission would be
accepted and acquieSced in. Able, con-
scientious and conservative men were
appointed upon the tax commission,
and prosecuted their investigation for
a period of nearly two years, making
their first report to the legislature
which assembled January 8. 1901. That
legislature had been chosen by the
people Of Wisconsin with the plain
understanding that they would receive
the report of the tax commission and
carry out it's recommendations equaliz-
ing the burdens of taxation.
1.-The report presented by that com.
mission exhibited original, intelligent
research, able reasoning and WELDON
sidered conclusions. 1t left nothing tc
doubt or conjecture. but plainly point
ed the way for the legislature 1t made
it clear that if the railroads were taxed
at their actual value at the same rate
as other taxable property of the state,
they would pay a million dollars q
year more than they were then pay"
inc. You will soon be in pos.
session of the repof: of the tax COM
mission. 1t represents nearly four
years of labor by the able members
of that body without bias or preju'
dice, prompted solely by the desire con.
scientiously to discharge high official
obligation. | am confident you will
place that reliance upon the work of
this commission that the public has al
ready sealed with its approval. If the
Inauguration of the investigation of
this subject by the commission was in
good faith then in good faith those
for whose guidance It's work was
planed are bound to give heed to it's
findings and recommendations. In de-
termining that we should abandon the
license fee system of railroad taxa
ton in Wisconsin, the commission will
simply reaffirm the declaration made
two years ago that the license fee sys-
TEN would he superseded by more
scientific method of railway taxation.
Taxpayers Have Been Patient.
1.-THE taxpayers of this common
wealth have been very patient while
investigation was being prosecuted.
They have shown great forbearance
with delays and postponements here
tofore. They have sustained wrong
and injury which can never be re-