The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1905-12-07


Madison, Wis, Dec. Gov. Robert
NJ. LaFollette appeared Tuesday before
the Joint body of the Wisconsin leg $.
lature, called in extraordinary session
and personally read his message. He
was cordially received.
A large crowd gathered, including
number of students of the university
and many Madison men and women as
well as nearly all of the state officers
and employees. Gov. LaFollette read
his message from printed copy.
Four recommendations are made in
the message regarding the revision of
the railroad rate commission law. In the
first he recommends that the commits
sion be authorized to prescribe a UNI
form system of keeping accounts of the
business transacted in Wisconsin by
the railroads and that all roads should
be required to file with the commission
from time to time reports OF their in
come. He wants separate accounts
kept Of the business DONE by the rail-
reads In this state, and in other states
q we'll as an account showing the val
10 Of each railroad in this state. His
second accommodation provides that
the law be so amended that special
mileage tickets, Communication tickets,
excursion tickets and party tickets can
be issued at less than the regular rates
for the national guard and G. A. X.
sncampments, students, home seekers
etc.
His third recommendation provides
for additional power by the commits
sion to investigate rates. His fourth
recommendation gives the commission
power to decide what safeguards shall
be erected at any railroad crossing in
thia state.
Regarding railroad taxes the govern
or says that $1,144,399.30 in railroad
taxes are now due the state, the pay
ment Of which has been held up by
litigation. He says that the holding uT
of Just taxes by the railroads is a ser
ious embarrassment to the state
and had the taxes been paid the STATE
tax levy would not have been neces
sary, He recommends that Legislation
be enacted at once which in the future
will compel the prompt payment of al
railroad taxes leaving the railroads
the right to RECEIVERS such taxes II |
shall be found that they were unjlls
or wrongfully collected. What tn
governor wants is first the payment o
railroad taxes and litigation afterwards
II necessary instead of litigation frs
and payment last, as he holds is nov
the case.
The investigation of public servic
corporations and insurance companie
ID one Of the most important feature
Of the message He takes the railroad
to task for maintaining what he call
expensive Hobbies and for resisting tn
prompt payment of taxes.
"The people of Wisconsin have a
least q good right to know jus
what money has been expended by tn
railroads and other public service cor
porations OF this state In salaries, il
lobbying. In political campaigns an
legislative entertainment" he says, "a
the people of New York have to know
the same facts with respect to the lif
. insurance companies of that state.
d no more q betrayal Of trust rela
don for the president Of life insuranc
companies to pay himself a salar
amounting to plundering Of policy
holders. than for railroad presider
to pay himself salary in excess Of th
value Of the services he renders to th
railroad company"
He suegssts that q legislative invei
uoakioa which would uncover III fae'