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


now gone g effect. Here again, of
course, theI Z i'll be opposition. And
If the value 3 railroad property is TO
be added : viii call for expert
knowledge the governors plan is
TO make a b, of assessment by add
ing TO the n int three tax commits
sieners a civil Gailroadl engineer and
an expert accountant All this is rea-
sonable, If the ST bstitute system be
adopted
How Citizens Feel.
should gather from conversation
that the railway commission project
will add to the governors new friends.
The big shippers are against tin
deed, it was they who have by united
action blocked it in times past-but
among them support of the governor
has not recently been strong. The
retail business men, however, whose
freight transactions are comparative
ly small for short distances, seem to
relish the idea OF state check on
freight rates. An effort will be made
by the railroads to limit their enthus-
iasm by the scare of more politicians"
in Office, and there is no subjer
knot of business men can get S. IN
cry about as the erection of new places
for ofiiceholders. On the other hand,
the subject of taxing mortgages has
made lots of opposition. The report of
the tax commission is not yet in and
what the commission will do with this
matter of taxing personal property is
uncertain. 1t is a fact, however, that
many of the student experts of the
country are boldly denying the whole
oposition-saying 1t is impossible,
that it leads to double taxation, and
that the only way to head Off rich
man who owns stocks and be and
mortgages, is not to seek to tax ese
things, but TO tax his income.
land has beeu doing this for genera
tions, and an old country knows
lots of things that younger nations
must work out by bitter experience.
Nominations by the People.
While many of us are willing now to
try primary elections on a smaller
scale than the full state area, Gov
ernor LaFollette in his message In
sists on the full programme. His rea.
soning that the state platform-which,
II is true, binds the party to the aboli-
tion Of all caucuses and conventions
Is binding, for instance, on the Madison
city district assemblyman, whose con-
! stituents probably feel differently, or,
at least, look to their assemblyman to
use discretion in the scope OF an initial
law-this contention of the governor
is already disputed. 1t may be that
the governor demands all in the ex-
pectation that thus he will get more of
law than il he comedies anything.
At all events, it is like the governor.
and altogether admissible. There are
so many trimmers, so many back-fill-
and-hedge men in public life. that II
! is refreshing to have governor who
| is positive, who knows exactly what
| he wants. Mckinley was not that
way, but Mckinley is not the only
| tyne of puhlicist. LaFollette is a re-
former, with powers and principslitieS
against him. He is a fighter and
great numbers of people relish that
vigorous policy. Only the other day
l sent a young reporter down among
our railroad employees to gather items
Of a general character. 1t was just
after the message. tits a LaFouette
crowd" he reported significantly when
he returned.
The Spirit o. the Senate.
There are thirty hree members OF
J the senate, three II them Democrats
Generally speaking, the quandom stall
warts have a majority in the upper
body. The gulf between the factions
is fixed--that is, a number of these
| senators will never be found in the
governors personal following, except
as men may for expediency's sake
| align themselves with man who wins
and who they think is going TO win
and most of them viii never do that
| The present senate, with here and
there a weak sister, is notable body
of men OF intelligence, public virtue
and right spirit, which few states IL
| the Union can duplicate. And, as
rule, the attitude of the senators to
ward the governor, IL cautious. Is Oh
the high plane OF public duty. White
head, forging his big form through the
| crowd al the inaugural reception, tc
ray his respects; Kreutzer, Riordar
| anG others repeatedly calling at the
executive 0IIce until they found fhf
| governor In to receive them, had moth
ing of the sycophant in it; but a grim
manly determination to do their duty
toward the executive Of the state. AL
though these stalwar{s controlled th'
| organization of the senate, they wen
out of their way to make up the com
mittee which will consider and report
the primary election bill with a ma
jority Of avowed governors support
ers.
Disposition to DO Right
| Thus the session opens up auspl
ciously, with more good feeling thar
most men expected, with many men oi
ability in both houses, with an homes
governor and a disposition in wha
must be strenuous session TO do
every man his duty.
spooner for Third Term.
The caucus Of the Republicans o
the two houses resulted in a unpni
nous vote for John g. Spoon er's re
turn 10 the senate. There was on
complimentary vote for Judge G. M
webb. Of Grand Rapids, cast by Ibavi
Eyaug. n drol little fellow from NJ