Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-05-14

VIC OR
Wins Its Pointon 7 ak
ing Of Railroad
Bonds
Senate's Conferees
Back Down From
Their Position
Uniform Taxation Of
AL! Property Sureto
Become a Law
Madison, May u.

Railroad property is to be assessed
as other property and will bear the
same rate of taxation as the average
paid by the other property OF the state.
Bonds will not be exempted.
The senate committee on confer
ence receded from its position last
night and asked that the bill be re-
turned to the senate for formal action.
The report of the conference commit
tee was read in the assembly and was
received with applause. The assem-
bly, Immediately voted to return the
bill to the senate and it will be on the
calendar in the upper house today for
final action.
The passage of the bill without the
exemption clause is complete victory
for the assembly and the administra-
ton. There was a great interest TAX.
en- in the work of the committee ana
when it was announced the admins
tratiOn forces. regarded is as
vindication of the position which
they have taken in regard to the bill
| Gov. La Toilette was so Interested
in the measure that he waited in his
Office until a late hour to learn the re-
| suit. There was more rejoicing in the
executive office than there has been
at any time this session. The govern
or showed plainly that the result OF
the work Of the conference committee
met with his approval.
| When the assembly committee pre-
sented it's report Mr.. Bradford and sew
eral of the leaders came to Chairman
Smalley and congratulated him upon
the work of his committee. Speaker
Lenroot expressed himself as pleased
with the result as did also Mr.. Cady
and a number of Others The temper
of the members was shown in the
, spontaneous outburst of applause up
on the reading of the committee re-
port as follows:
J The accompanying senate statement
is a reply to the statement of the as
tsembly conferees submitted Saturday.
The reply is lengthy and concludes as
follows:
J Senate cOnferees are in accord with
assembly conferees in their utmost
desire to stand upon the broad princi-
pie of the equal and just taxation of
each individual and every corporation
Assembly conferees reiterate the
constitutional question raised by them
in the informal conferences already
held by joint committee. Senate con-
ferees express their regret that their
suggestions that the tax commission
ers and the attorney general be called
to the aid of the joint committee were
not acted on.
Senate conferees have relied upon
the reports of the tax commission and
upon the fact that the amended bill it.
self was prepared and recommended
by the tax commissioners as sufficient
V assuring that the bill was not open
to constitutional objections. Senate
conferees do not agree to the position
taken by assembly conferees that the
exemption of the bonds of railway
company, secured upon its property
fully taxed as other property is taxed,
would invalidate the bill; nor DO they
agree that the amendment in question
would justly give rise to "a charge
against this legislature of enacting
Iinequitable class legislation Never
theless senate conferees state that
they deem it urgently necessary that
every doubt that any member of the
ijoint committee on conference may en-
tertain respecting the validity of the
bill be at once dispelled. Senate con-
ferees therefore agree that the senate
shall recede. They ask the immediate
return of the papers to the senate for
the purpose of carrying out this agree
ment."