The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-06

Madison. Wis, Dec. 5.-Governor
Robert NJ, La Toilette appeared today
before the joint body of the Wisconsin
legislature, called in extraordinary ses-
sion, and personally read his message.
He was cordially received. A large
crowd was i'm attendance.
The governors message is a lengthy
document and contains over forty pages
OF closely printed matter
-Four recommendations are made in
the message regarding the revision Of
the railroad rate commission law.
In the f1rst he recommends that the
commission be authorized 70 prescribe
"A uniform system OF keeping accounts
of the business transacted in Wiscon-
SIN by the railroads. and that all roads
should be required 10 file with the COM
mission from time to time reports Of
heir income. He wants separate ac-
counts kept of the business done by
The roads in this state and i'm other
states. as We'll as an account showing
The value OF each railroad in this state.
Special Mileage Tickets.
! His recommendation provides that
The law be so amended that special
mileage tickets can be issued at less
\ IMAM the regular rates for the national
Nsuafd and q. \. +. encampments, stu
dents. hon1eseekers, etc.
His third recommendation provides
Tor additional power by the commits
sion 10 investigate rates.
Ills fourth recommendation gives the
commission power TO decide what safe
guards shall be erected at any railroad
crossing IN this state.
Railway Taxes.
Regarding railroad taxes, the govern
or says that $1144. 399 in railroad taxes
are now due the state. the payment Of
which has been held up by litigation.
lie says that the holding up of inst
taxes by the railroads is a serious en-
barTassment to the state, and had the
lakes been paid the state tax levy
would not have been necessary. He
recommends that legislation be enact
ed at once which in the future will
compel the prompt payment of all rail-
road taxes, leaving the railroad the
right TO recover such taxes If il shall
be found that they were unjust or
Wrongfully collected.
Primary Election Law.
The, governor pays considerable at
tention 20 the primary election law and
points out that the strongest point that
can be made by the composition 10 this
enactment is the fact that a candidate
tA4AE &c IoAlllildlcu ullueE the present
law by less than a majority vote. He
suggests that provision be made BY
amending the law so as to enable the
voter at the primary TO indicate upon
the ballot his first and second choice
or the candidates presented for each
office. IN the event that no candidate
mas received a majority of the first
choice votes, then the second choice
votes could be counted, resulting In a
domination by majority vote. The plan
recommended is that used in Australia.
Railway Lobby.
Governor La Toilette takes the rail-
roads To task Tor maintaining what he
calls expensive Hobbies and for resist
ing the prompt payment of taxes. He
says:
THE people Of Wisconsin have al
least as good a right TO know just What
money has been expended by the rail-
roads and other public service CORPORA
riOns Of this state i'm salaries. in lobby
ing, in political campaigns and legisla-
live entertainment, as the people Of
New York have 10 know the same facts
with respect to the lie insurance COM
! pauies of that state" He suggests
. that a legislative investigation which
w ould uncover ali facts with relation
To this important subject viii require
much time and labor, bat that no
money SO expended would be wasted.
He discusses at length the insurance
scandals of New York and is bitter i'm
his denunciatiOn Of those companies
which have been caught By the eastern
investigation.