Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-09-09
this State to sell mileage books at fiat
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The betterment of methods of railroad
taxation, as well as of all public taxa
ton, is a subject Of first Importance and
of great difficulty, which will be best
effected by the least political interference
and the most honest and profound study
of conditions and the true principles Of
taxation. To that end a commission
some years ago was created by law,
which has hitherto given wise and eff
Gent service to the object proposed; and
the Democratic party of Wisconsin
pledges its hearty and continued support
to that commission and particularly to
its efforts now in progress to secure JUS
tfce to the people in the taxation of rail-
road property, and to such further at
tcmpts or amendments as experience and
study, the only safe guides, shall prove
desirable. Primarily. however, the Dem
ocratlc party demands, as partial solu-
ton Of the question of taxation, that the
expenses of government in State not less
than nation, be radically diminished by
restraining it to strictly governmental
functions and by combining expenditures
to necessary public purposes instead Of
extending them, as now, to benefit ad-
ministration favorites or to promote the
political advancement of party or faction.
Primary Law Election.
We are opposed to the primary election
law passed by the last Legislature. 1t is
undemocratic because it destroys the
right of the people to assemble to con-
slider men as candidates and principles
for platforms. 1t takes from the people
the right to direct the official conduct Of
their public servants by the adoption Of
platforms before the nomination Of can
didates. 1t gives to the candidates after
their nomination the exclusive power to
make their own platforms; it would Gre
ate great and unnecessary expense to be
paid from the public treasury; it would
deprive the minority party in every cleo
ton district of the right to nominate its
own candidates, and would in effect place
in the hands of the ma Ority party pow
er to nominate not only it's own candi-
dates but to nominate candidates for
the minority as well. But should the law
be made operative by vote of the people,
we pledge the Democratic party to so
modify and amend the measure as to
eliminate the aforesaid Objectionable fea-
lures. Should the people refuse to APP
prove of the law we promise to so amend
the existing primary and caucus laws as
to secure to every voter the free and
unrestrained right IL express his choice
in the nomination of candidates, to re-
quire the primaries of all parties to be
held on the same day and at the same
time, and to preserve the purity Of pri-
mary elections.
We are heartily in favor of protecting
the fish and game of the State, but be-
lieve it can be more effectually and more
economically accomplished by employing
the regularly organized police force Of
the State and without the Intervention Of
a great army Of game wardens, who de-
vote their time to political and partisan
work rather than to the discharge Of
their official duties
We favor an amendment to section l
Of article of the State constitution re-
lating to taxation, and providing for
graduated income tax, and we pledge
each and all of the Democrats elected to
the next Legislature to support such
amendment as provided by joint resolu-
ton No II of the Legislature of 1903.
We condemn the pernicious activity Of
State and federal officials in party eau
cuses and conventions. We declare that
the said officials have in the past four
years in this State unlawfully devoted
their time paid for out Of the public
treasury, to partisan politics, greatly to
the injury of the public service.
We are opposed to the creation by ap~
pointment of a multiplicity of boards and
commissions which are too often used for
the purpose of political patronage and
are employed for political reasons. We
believe that when conditions are so i'm
portant as to demand the creation of a
separate board or commission Of perma-
nent character, that their Importance de-
mands that the members thereof should
be elected by the people to the end they
may be held directly responsible to the
people
We aver the adoption of laws regulat-
ing the use and speed of automobiles on
streets and highways to the end that &C
cidents from such cause may be materi-
ally lessened if not wholly averted.
We hereby pledge the candidates nom
mated by this convention to the support
of the principles and the ful6llment of
the promises herein made, and we invite
the electors of the State irrespective Of
party, to join with us in the support of
such candidates and of the principles
herein enumerated.
Nothing Left.
81 have had lots of friends who We're
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