Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-03-09

il TO engross'
Chairman smailey ment and third
reading unanimously after a debate
OF a little over an hour.
The bill had been made a special
order Tor 1880, but at that time Mr..
Crowley made a motion TO postpone
consideration until after a long calen'
dar had been cleared up which really
meant that the measure would not be
reached at all before another session.
Mr.. Smalley. chairman Of the tax
committe, opposed the motion, as did
also Mr.. Barker, and it was lost
Then Mr.. Smalley submitted an eX
PLANTATION OF the amendment which
the tax cOmmitte had onered the day
before, stating that it merely made
more definite and certain provisions
OF the bill. Then he added n new
amendment, which struck out lrom
the bill the word bonds and ne eN.
planned that the committee did not
want 10 commit itself yet TO the
question of taxing mortgages, bond
and other intangible prOperty-thai
the taxation OF such property was
likely TO come up in another form,
and that the committee was not dis
posed TO go on record yet. The
amendment was adopted without d.
vision.
Mr.. Crowley offered yet another
amendment of a highly important ma.
ture. II provided that the taxes
levied on railroad property in any
county should be Immediately re
turned b. the state treasurer TO that
county, and he volunteered an ex
PLANTATION of It also, saying that his
plan would give to counties having
large railroad interests, which thOsa
counties were Obliged To guard with
costly police and fire protection, re-
turn To which they were fairly en-
titled.
Mr.. SmalIey objected, declaring
that such an amendment would tend
TO give to a few counties practically
all the benefits OF railway taxes
Counties without railroads would get
no benefit whatever. The Crowley
amendment was rejected 5S TO %.
Then Mr.. SmaIley entered upon 6
rather extended statement with refer
ence to the original bill. It's sole oh
iect. he said, was TO tax railroad prop
erty exactly like other property. The
bill is in accordance with the best
thought OF four years of work by the
tax commission. IL constitutes tn
tax commission a board of assessment
10 determine what amount or taxes Is
To De paid on all classes Of property
and also the rate, and to require the
railroads TO pay their due proportion
IL also provides that during the years
IsO3-4-5 the railways shall pay ON the
license system as now, but that Il
the, Overpay or underpay, according
TO The new method, they shall rebate
OF have rebated TO them the right
amount, as the circumstances chance
10 be.
Mr.. Bradford here offered ar
amendment which provided that the
board OF assessment should embrace
three persOns-One To be elected, onS
to be appointed by the governor with
confirmation by the senate, and one
TO be named by the supreme court
except that the present railroad com
missioner is TO represent the one
elected until an election shall be held
Tn amendment also required tn
reference OF the bill and amendment
10 the tax committee with instruc
tons 70 report il with the Bradford
amendment incorporated. Mr.. Brad
ford declared that his proposition
contemplated no reflection whatever
either upon the tax commission
which was composed Of three OF the
ablest and most honest men, or upol
the tax committee OF the assembly
He was himself thoroughly in favor o
the ad valOrem system. So long al
the present license system prevails
cause will exist for constant discus
sion, agitation and dissatisfaction
The railroad companies especially
will be troubled. BY the proposed
legislation, therefore, we serve no
only the state. but the corporation
and the railroads have not signifieC
their willingness for this change
Then the speaker discussed his
amendment. The commission, h
said. after long study believes the rail
roads OF the state may be fairly
valued at $22O. 600. 900. The railways
sa this figure is One-third too high
The tax commission declares that ii
1902 the railways paid S940 900 less q
taxes than they ought TO have paid