Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-02-03

| the adoption of this clause of the Cali
fornia constitution in Wisconsin. These
money Ioaners have long b an source
1 OF irritation and strife They were
driven from the temple at Jerusalem
some 1900 years ago and were so angered
ABOUT 1t, that from that day to this they
have sought TO despoil the mss as and
have never hesitated ush and rob
the poor, The peopled md with one
voice that the tax br be equally
and fairly distri euted yeen the rich
and the poor, ard this : ae mortgagor
| and mortgage pay tay full amount
OF their property. Ii IN said The
voice of the people is = voice of God .
Ii the capitalists d s ot yield to the
voice of the people, & to their laws,
they are obli7ious q +, air own best in
terests The law < not suit the capi-
taiists but 1t has demanded by the
people and 1t must : remembered that
this is the country = ne whole people,
that they have fns- it what 1t is, and
that they have perfect right to tax
pr perty of every nature as they deem
best This doctrine was long ago laid
down by Justice Marshall of the United
States supp eme Court.
The second proposition of "H. p.
Proctor, City Attorney, may have been
already sufficiently answered. It takes
q considerable quantity of gall to assert
chat the BORROWER ALWAYS HAS
AND ALWAYS WILL PAv TIE TAXES
FOR THE MONEY LoANER" PEI haps
H P. Proctor, City Attorney" knows
this to be true. To assert that men
must always insert in all mortgages the
little 2x4 clause 50 cheerfully furnished
as is the height of impudence. Men are
still permitted to contract in this
country exactly as they see fit and the
new law gives them that privilege in
regard to the payment of taxes upon
the mortgage.
As TO the fourth propositions in which
Mr.. Proctor, City Attorney" says that
taxes are 10 per cent. higher this year,
In the city of Viroqua than last year
because S12S 900 in mortgages We're not
assessed this year in the city, which were
assessed last year, submit the follow
ing; These same mortgages, it is ad-
united, were assessed this year in the
country where the land Is situated as
an interest in the land. This 1928, 600
IN mortgages which were dug up and
assessed in 1909 was $40, 900 more than
was secured in 1901, due to the enforce
ment of the law and activity of the SUI
pervisor Of assessment and local assess
Or. However, it did not include the
$50, 0U0 in mortgages which a. p. Proc
tor, City Attorney" had loaned in the
! name or his son, nonresident of the
state, as appeared from the register Of
deeds records in the fall of 1909. Had
this large amount of mortgages been
taxed Mr. Fl. p. Proctor, City Attor-
nev &c use figure of speech of his
own, would have paid almost 10 per
| cent. Of the taxes that year. have
been informed that the board of equali
zation summoned Mr.. Proctor to attend
before them, employing another attor-
ney to cross examine him, bat that the
city did not succeed in its attempt TO
| tax these mortgages. The necessity for
the new law from this one circumstance
will be seen at a glance. The new law
affects the nonresident as well rs the
resident
n. p Proctor, City Attorney, how
ever, has tue courage of his conviction,
which is much to be admired, and open.
| liz boasts that he did not vote for Gov.
| LA Toilette last fall. Why he spends 30
| much time abusing the governor and
| the administration on account of the
mortgage tax law, which he says, hiss
exempted all his mortgages from taxa
tion, is more than / can comprehend.
| He is ungratefui to say the least. If he
] Is honest when he says that all mort
cages have been exempted from taxa
| ton, and is at all grateful, he should be
| one of the governor most tireless work
ers, But this is $talwartism.
| This is the same II p. Proctor, City
Attorney" who championed the resolu-
tior at the local board of trade last
winter instructing our Senator and
| Assemplyman not to enact any railroad
legislation. but to Ieave the railroads
alone. However, our representatives
| paid no attention to the resolution but
voted for and assisted materially in OBJ
| tanning legislation taxing the railroads
On the actual value of their property.
| This legislation will result in the rail-
| roads paying into the state treasury
more than one million dollars more than
they ever paid before. The idea that
all property should be assessed at its
actual value Is rapidly growing. Per-
haps il is feared that this movement for
| equal taxation will include the Viroqua
| Telephone company, of which n. p.
Proctor, City Attorney" is proprietor,
and all the telephone companies of the
state The last year prior to 1902 tle
Viroqua Telephone company paid into
the state treasury 2t per cent. o. It's
gross receipts, amounting to the magnif-
icent sum Of $40 Al. Had the property
bsen taxed on the adyolorem plan the
same AS other property is taxed in this
city, 1t would have paid In the neighbor
mood Of $500 into tho city treasury.
/ do not desire to precipitate any
newspaper controversy. but am willing.
| if necessary, to discuss this tax matter
publicly at any time or place in the
county with any Rose Republican.
None other need apply.
J. HENRY BENNETT.