Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-05-27
REVIEW OF SESSION
AID vaioren Taxation and Pn.
mary Election Measure
Two Big Laws.
WILL THE PEOPLE APPROVES
referendum In 10O4-Mortgagor May
Have Mortgage Assessed Sep
aFate from Equity.


lawmakers tarricd in town until Fri |
day and even Saturday, but all are
gone now and Madison has settled |
down to comparative quiet for nine
teen months, until a new legislature |
meets which VIII re-elect Senator
Quarlcs or some one else as his sue
cessor. The legislators were given a
free ride about the lovely capital ity,
carriages being furnished by the liv-
erymen. Until one Sc the length and
breadth of these lakes from an alti-
tude, he does not realize that II is the
most beautiful inland city in America,
MS / truly believe 1t TO be
Railroad Taxation.
The second big event of the session
is the new system Of assessing and
taxing railroad property as other prop
erty is valued The value is to be
determined by the state tax commits
sion, who viii have expert accountants
and engineers to assist them. In 1904
the first assessment is made and in
1895 the license fee of 4 per cent. on
the big roads is abandoned. The rail-
roads affect to believe that the state
will get less taxes from them under
this new system; anu every one knows
that An few states do the railroads pay
such high taxes as in Wisconsin to-
day. Nevertheless, In Michigan the
yield was a million more and let us
hope the roads pay more here. It all
comes out of the people by way OF
freight rates; in fact, it is very CON
yenient way 10 pay a states expendi-
lures because easy to get and f.La5
well distributed
TO put the ad yalorem syetya ST.
operation an appropriation Of %40,t 10
was made. One can imagine thst :.
viii cost good deal to make the ~
sessment, to gather the data, etc
Exemption of Credits.
Thus two great measures were CO.
acted. A third-the exemption Of
credits from taxation-failed This
was measure recommended by two
Of the tax commissioners and passed
by the senate AS the governor has
said n good deal about the Importance
Of standing by the tax commission,
this discrepancy has made much talk.
The governor has strong views on the
subject and believes that what are
called credits" should be taxed
A mortgage taxation bill was en-
acted. 1t started in the assembly and
there was Il good deal Of comforting
before n satisfactory bill could be
framed. The senate passed substi-
tute which provided that the mortga-
gor and mortgage might enter into
contract specifying which one should
pay the tax on the mortgage, but IL
was agreed IN strike out all reference
TO contracts IL the bill, and 10 provide
that the mortgagor might at his option
have the mortgage assessed separately
from his equity In the property mort
gagged. In this form the measure went
to the governor and received his appro-
val 1t is the same law that exists in
Massac husetts The law further pro-
vides that mortgages held by insurance
and trust companies and other cor
porations that pay taxes on their earn
ings shall be exempted on the theory
OF double taxation
Commission and Rebate business.
The two big railroad bills that failed
were the ones to establish commits
sion for the regulation OF railway
rates and the bin to es-
tabllsh the rates Of June 10, 1902,
as the maximum rates in the state.
There was also n bill that failed which
prohibited the giving or receiving of
rebates THIS does not mean that 1t
was blocked lIy the railroad lobby any
more than tie defeat of the railway
commission bill in the assembly means
that the lobby controlled that body.
Rather 1t means that each side was
playing politics and II was felt that
good faith was lacking; that being so
tae merits of the bill were obscured.
school Tax znd sBheritances.
Whereas the schools enjoyed a rIill
last year which lowing to full assess
mcnt gave them more money than
they needed, this year Il OF of q mill
assessment istprovided for with an mp
preparation ofaS2o0.00o instead of $780,
600 from the general nd.
II you die leaving more than Sl0,-
600, the stateAcets a share There has
been such law in Wisconsin before,
but the supreme court invalidated 1t.
Thus estates mp to this time have es-
capped. thougll'it was necessary to pass
refund law at this session TO enable
estates to recover
Under the new law there is tax of
one per cent. on the excess of all prop
crty exceeding $4,000 for the huS-
band orwidow ana 2.oOO to each child,
up 10 $4,000 of per cent Between
| S2I.ooo and S50.OOO the tax is III per
cent, from $4,000 10 100000 II pro
| v!des for per cent; from 100000 to
| SS00.O0O il is 2i2 per cent; and over
S5O0,00o is 3 per cent. This is for direct
| heirs. Brothers and sisters pay II Of
! 1 per cent. more than direct heirs nm
/ clcS and auutS pay three times the
amornt 81 ItINct heir: great uncles
and auEtS four times ia excess; any
heirs fuctlrq removed ray FIVE times
/ the Satn "A slsvtx, heir would hc re-