Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-01-21
Taxation u Railway Corporations.


the public service corporations were bear
ing much less than tair share Of the tax
burden. The Legislature of that wear as
sembled under the strongest obligations TO
the people of this state TO eqnalize taxation.
movement was made toward the dis
charge Of that obligation by passing
through the Assembly hill increasing the.
license fee upon the gross earnings oI the
railroads from TO > per cent While this
would ha fallen far short of the amount
which should he borne 10y the railroad COIN
pantes. Ii would have proven Il very sub
stantlal Increase. This bill WAS beaten In
the Senate. II was M this period In the
contest that the hin was brought forward
creating the tax commission. The hiil re-
CclVed the support of the opponents as well
ing lobby agents and railway company at
torneyS. 10 them ii presented the relief Of
The passage Of the measure was urged as
a great puhlic necessity. II was maintained
that the members of the Legislature eoula
| not give the subject OF taxation the time
and attention which its Importance required
| that 1t demanded men trained for the task
| clothed with power aud authority 10 prose
| cute The fullest Investigation, enabling them
| 20 plave before the Legislature the ripe
| work OF their research for its guidance ana
direction.
| While IL was then well understood thar
| the Increase la railroad taxation sought TO
! be enacted at thar session was much less
/ than the amount fairly due from the com
pHuies. nevertheless the creation % the
| commission was accepted In good faith upon
! the promise made uy the REPRESENTATIVES, of
| the caiirpad companies that the results ct
| the work II the commission would be ac-
/ CeptCd aud acqUrseed In Able. ronsefcu.
| tlous. and cunsevN alive men We're appointed
1 upon the tax commission aud prosecuted
| their Investigation Tor a period Of nearly
! two years. making their first report tu the
/ Legislature Whlrl assembled january =. 1901
/ That Legislature had cen chosen by the
peuple Of WISCONSIN with the plain Gudrr.
/ standing chat tAeY woald rVeelyc yhc repor,
/ Of the tax commission and carry out It's rec.
| concentrations rQUsilziDg the burdens OF
/ taxation.
| The report presented hy that commission
/ exhibited original, Intelligent research. able
reasoning aad WeI-e0uSidered conclusions
I 1t left nothing 90 doubt or con lecture. bur
piaiuly pulBted the way fer The LegiSIa
lure u made it clear that II the railroads
! were taxed AZ their actual value AZ thu
/ SAM, rate as other taxable property ~ the
| state, they would pay million dollars q
/ year more than they were then paving
I The creation of the tax commission wa,
I 4 deliberate ayOws on the part OF the legiS
/ lators OF their Inability 10 deal With IN,
/ complex subject of taxation without assist
! altCc There waS well grounded reason fol
/ this Putting aside all question of the In
| triCats character OF the subject, the hrlel
! period covering the legisla tive session. the
/ confusion arising from the multiplicity OF
/ legislative duties, the many interruption,
( and distractions 80 which they are fne~lta
4 bly, subjected. leaves little figne for taal
research and dehberation essential TO wise