Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-06-20
TAX COMMISSIONERS
A DISAPPOINTMENT

The Milwaukee Sentinel had the
following editorial on the appoint
neut of commissioners by Governor
La Toilette:
"Six administration senators, at
east two of whom belong in the
always right" list carefully prepared
and promulgated for the information
Of Wisconsin voters bY the Milwaukee
organ of the state administration,
we're responsible for the defeat of the
of Nils P. Haugen's ap-
pointment to the new railroad COM
mission. Senators Hatten and
Sanborn, who previous to last Satur-
day could not be pried out Of the
railways right" column" with an
issued by court, and
Senators HudnalI, Stout, Wilcox, and
Wipperman, four men who ducked
their heads every time they heard
the word "stalwart" spoken above a
whisper, voted with the railways
wrong" senators ITO defeat the con-
firmation. The vote stood II for and
16 against Haugen, had these men
voted the other way the result would
have been II for and 10 against. Thus
it came about that the governors ap
pointment was refused confirmation
by the governors followers.
The lesson taught by this incident
is that there are men in the senate
who consistently and persistently
have labored to carry out the rail-
road commission reform as publicly
advocated by the head Of the state
administration, whose ideal of a COM
mission differs radically from that of
the governor. Nils P. Haugen is a
professional politician and a persistent
Office holder. He was admitted to the
bar number of years ago and is
therefore entitled to be regarded as
a member of that profession also,
But during the last twenty-five years
he has either been holding Office or
strenueuSly striving to break into
Office.
Personally, Mr.. Haugen is an agree
able man when he is not talking
politics with those who disagree with
him-at such times he overplays the
part. Politically, he is his masters
man. Since he was appointed to his
present office as member of the tax
commission he has I'd merely as the
mouthpiece of the governor. II Gov.
La Toilette does not agree with the
opinions of Commissioners ellison and
Curtis, Commissioner Haugen signs a
minority report. 1t frequently hap
pens that there is minority report.
The senators " ho refused to counte-
nance Mr.. Haugen's appointment to
the railroad commission are the ones
who believe that body should be COM
posed of men especially qualified by
education, experience, and character
for the position. Prof. Meyer, one
of the appointeeS, has made study OF
railroad regulation from the academic
standpoint. He is the author OF
Railway Regulation in the United
States" and other works on the
subject. He is something of re.
former, but his honesty can not be
questioned.
Half0rd Erickson, the second ap.
pointee, was railroad man before he
became an office holder. He started
in as warehouseman and worked his
way up until he became cashier in the
freight department of the Omaha
road at West Superior. Since 1890 he
has held office, the last eleven years
as commissioner of Industrial and
labor statistics at Madison. 1t will
be remembered that whenever Gov.
LA Toilette was in need of figures to
prove any contention advanced by
him he had no trouble in getting
them. Mr.. Erickson is one of the
most expert statisticans in the
country. He proved that the cost of
living had increased at greater rate
than wages since 1896; he also proved
that freight rates in Wisconsin were
from 20 to go per cent higher in Wis
consin than in adjoining states.
Manifestly the appointment of one
such man was enough. With Erick-
son and Haugcn both on the COM
mission, Gov. or Senator La Toilette,
as the case may be, would have been
the commission. The senators who
were sincere in their desire to have q
good commission, one that would
make pretense, at least, OF keeping
politics out of the boards proceedings,
were fully justified in registering
their protests when the nominations
were sent in, even if they were forced
to take a position that was calculated
to cast shadow on their record for
Railways right" loyalty to the head of
the administration. They would
have been warranted in objecting to
Erickson; they could not find any ex-
cuSe for accepting both Erickson and