Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-01-19
NUMBER A.

rate so low that the railroad compa-
MES would be deprived of a reason
able profit upon all of the capital
which they have invested, for the
courts would at once set aside any
rate fixed by railway commission
upon a showing by the railroad COM
panies that the rate is unjust.
There are in Wisconsin today, as in
every state in the union where the
railroad companies are free to fix rates
at will, large numbers of individual
shippers and favored companies who
secure special rates and thereby build
up great fortunes at the expense and
upon the failures of other rivals and
competitors in business. No more po-
tent cause exists today in the upbuild-
ing of trusts and combinations than
the tendency to centralize business in
the hands of few through favoritism
bestowed by the railroads. These spe-
cial concessions and rates to shippers
do not appear in the freight bills, but
are directly made through a system of
rebates. The remedy for this evil can
not be found in state legislation alone,
nor in independent congressional leg
islation, but it will come with that ell
largement of the powers of the inter-
state commerce commission which will
secure to them authority to regulate
transportation rates with respect to
interstate commerce and the establish
ment of state commissions likewise
empowered to regulate transportation
charges with respect to state COM
merce.
The duty which confrOnts this leg
islature respecting this phase of rail-
road legislation is two-fold: First, to
enact @ law creating a state railway
commission with full authority to act
in the premises, and second, to so ad-
wise the representatives of Wisconsin
in the United States senate and house
Of representatives by memorial, and
in such other way as may tend to I'M
press them with this importance, that
the business interests of Wisconsin
demand that the oft-repeated appeal of
the interstate commerce commission,
supported as it has been by the mes
sages of the president, for authority
to regulate rates and prevent discrim-
nations should be promptly given to
the interstate commerce commission.
1t may be quite as we'll for us to be
admonished at this time that opposi-
ton to the establishment of commits
sion to regulate transportation rates
will not be limited to the corporation
and their lobby agents before the leg
islature. They will be able to summon
to their support every shipper in Wis
consin who is, or who thinks he is, at
this time receiving some special favor
or concession from the railroads, or
who has, or thinks he has, assurance
which will give him exceptional rates
and advantages over his rivals and
competitors in business for the future.
The shippers will be able through or
ganized effort to make their influence
felt as a commanding one, but it Is
we'll for us to remember that we stand
here representing the interests of all
the people of Wisconsin, the thous-
ands of merchants and manufacturers
who are not receiving special rates
and CONCESSIONS and the hundreds Of
thousands of producers and small ship
pers who are being grossly wronged
in the millions Of dollars exacted from
them in excessive and exorbitant
charges, year after
year They are entitled to an equal
chance with the merchants and man
f. 70 Of. n ini
states. =, -.
Primary Elections.
Concluding an exhaustive discussion
of the subject. of the primary elections.
the governor says:
81 submit that it is not for us to-
determine what shall be the scope Of
a law to nominate candidates by direct
vote. This has been settled by the
people of Wisconsin, to whom the mat
ter has been referred again They
have determined that all candidates
for state, legislative, congressional,
and county officers shall be nominated
at primary election upon the same
day by direct vote unde. the Austral-
ian ballot
Mortgage Taxation.
Taxation in general IS dWelt upon at
length. To the we'll directed admin
of the law creating the office
Of supervisor of assessment ana the
diligence of these county officials in
he field, may be largely attributed the
marked advance made, both in the
uniformity and in the more complete
assessment of the property Of individu-
Ills and private corporations taxable
lnder the law, says the governor.
Since the public interest was first
lroused upon this subject. and through
he effective direction of the assessors.
~ the tax commission and by super
7isOrs of assessment, there has been
added to the tax roll more than $780,
1000 Of intaneible property in the.
Continued on eighth page.