Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05
LAFOLLETTE'S MESSAGE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO VISION
SIN LEGISLATURE ON R. R. RATES

MADISON, Wis, December Gov. Rob-
ert e. La Toilette appeared today before
the joint body of the Wisconsin legislature,
called in extra session, and personally read
his message. The governor was cordially
received
A large crowd had gathered, including
number of students of the university. many
Medison men and women, and nearly all of
the state officers and employees
The governors message is a lengthy doc
ument and contains over 40 pages of closely
printed matter. Four recommendations are
made in the message regarding revision of
the railroad rate commission law. In the
first he recommends the commission be au-
therized to prescribe a uniform 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 on
their income.
He wants separate accounts kept of the
business done by the railroads in this state
and in other states as well as an account
showing the value OF each railroad In this
state. His second recommendation provides
that the law be so amended that special
mileage tickets communication tickets. ex-
curson tickets and party tickets can be is
sued at less than the regular rates for the
VI. a. II.
students, homeseekers, etc His third rec
concentration provides for additional power
by the commission to investigate rates His
fourth recommendation gives the commits
sion power to decide what safeguards Shall
be erected at any railroad crossing in this
state.
Railroad Taxes.
Regarding railroad taxes, the governor
says that 81 LA, 399. 80 in railway taxes are
now due the state, the payment of which
has been held up by litigation. He says
that the holding up of just taxes by the
railroads is a serious 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 all railroad
taxes leaving the railroad the right to re-
cover such taxes if it shall be found that
tney were unjust or wrongfully collected.
nat the governor wants is, first, the pay
ment or railroad taxes and litigation after
ward, If necessary. instead of litigation
first and payment last, as he holds is now
the case.
The governor pays considerable atten-
uon TO the primary election law and pojnts
out that the strongest point that can be
MADE by the opposition to this enactment is
the tact that a candidate may be nominated
under the present law by less than ma
Jorlty vote He suggests that provision be
made by amending the law so as to enable
the voter at the primaries to indicate upon
the ballot his first and second choice OF
the candidates presented for each office
In the event that no candidate had re-
celVed majority of the frst-choice votes
then the Second-choice votes could be
counted, resulting in nomination by ma
Jority vote. The plan recommended is that
used in Australia and provides that If
after the ballots have been counted no can
didate has an absolute majority of the
frst-choice votes then the ballots cast for
the candidate receiving the least number
bf votes on the list are assorted with ref
erence to second choices to the remaining
candidates. If no one then receives ma
Jor1ty of first and second-choice ballots. a
similar assortment of ballots of the lowest
remaining candidate is made on the basis
of second choice and added to the votes of
the other candidates, and so on until some
candidate has majority of first and sec
ond choices With this amendment the
governor thinks the primary law would be
much stronger.
Public Service Corporations.
The investigation of public service cor
porations and insurance companies is one
80. O.,