Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-18
WISCONSIN, QUERY
Will La Toilette Go as United
States Senator
OR WILL HE REFUSE?
REFORMS THAT HE HAS ADVo-
GATED AND ACCOMPLISHED.
Democrats Are Now Taking Heart and
Hope to Win the Next State
Election.
OR WILL HE REFUSE?
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Star
! MILWAUKEE,, Wis. July 16, 1905.
The burning question in Wisconsin today.
| as 1t has been for the last six months, Is
| will Governor La Toilette go to Washington
| as senator will he remain here and re-
| fuse the preferred toga2 The governor HIM
| self Is somewhat non-commital and requests
| newspaper men not to quote him In any
| wise indicating that he has definitely made
| up his mind. THAT is a question" said he
today, when asked whether he intended to
| accept the senatorshfp next November.
which 1 prefer to let rest until the time
for action comes. My first duty, as 1 said
at the time that the legislature gave me
majority. is to the people of Wisconsin. and
there are still political conditions in the
| state which might prevent my leaving the
| state even to accept a United States sena-
| torship. 1t is a question which must still
| remain in allegiance until Congress assem-
| bles. am pledged to stand by the reforms
| 1 represent and If can best do 1t here, then
here remain. but IL I find that am free
| to assist in any way toward the enactment
| into law of the reform policies that Presi-
dent Roosevelt stands for, of course no man
| could ask for better opportunities than the
| next session of Congress will probably af-
| ford.
Opportunities Within the State.
However, 1 sometimes think the oppor-
| tunities offered within the state of Wiscon-
sin are great enough to occupy the atten-
ton Of any citizen of this country either in
| a public or a private capacity. The history
Of reform legislation In this country for the
past few years indicates that there fS
plenty to engage our attention in state and
| municipal governments. Nor Is 1t neces-
sary for a man to hold office to contribute
In a very large measure to the betterment
Of even the best present conditions. The
healthy public sentiment now everywhere
being developed among the people can be
cultivated. as private citizen. very eff
fectually from the platform and through
the public press. The prosecution of graft
ing local public officials now going on In
about four-fifts Of the states of the Union
Is certainly a strong indication of the efrec-
tive work being done and also that still
more strenuous efforts are needed. This Is
particularly true Of Wisconsin. although
political conditions here have aided US as
much and perhaps more than in any other
state There are some political conditions
yet. however. which have not entirely clear
ed up to the satisfaction of our local lead
ers. The last legislature in Wisconsin.
which adjourned last month. made great
record compared with previous sessions.
| but many of the laws will probably have to
be tested in the courts before everything
will be working smoothly. Some measures
| failed which should have been enacted into
law. but I feel that the gaps will be closed
| in due time
| Although Governor La Toilette is not yet
ready to announce decision with regard to
the acceptance of the United States senator
| ship because he feels an intense interest
| in the new state measures of reform and
| desires to hold the reins until he sees them
| working smoothly. the people OF the state
generally expect that he Will accept the
| senatorship when Congress meets.
The Chief Reforms
The chief reforms that La Toilette has
| stood for in Wisconsin and which have been
I enacted into law. are, first. primary cleo
ton under the strict rules of registration
| and the secret Australian ballot; second,
! the equalization of taxation by the strict
| enforcement of the ad valorem principle on
| all classes of property and especially on all
! public utilities. permitting the smallest pos
| sible percentage of all classes of property
| to escape and none at all, If possible. not
| legally exempt, and third, the enactment
| of law to control the rates and regula-
| lions of all railways within the borders OF
| Wisconsin by a commission TO be appointed
| by the governor.
| The Australian ballot primary election
| law now upon the Wisconsin statute books
| Is regarded by lawyers and reform politi-
| clans here the most comprehensive ever
| placed upon the statute books of any state.
| 1t has not yet been tested in practice, but
| will first go into effect in the election of a
| mayor in Milwaukee and other cities in
| Wisconsin. 1t provides, briefly stated, the
| selection of all candidates for public office
| by plurality vote in primary election, in
| which the candidate for all the officers to
| be voted for at the election following the
| primaries balloted for together under
the strict rules of a regular election. 1t
| provides for the selection of the candidates
for all political parties and the nomination
| also of Independents by petition. Even
| United States senatorial candidate must Sc
cure his nomination at primary election,
| embracing every voting precinct in the
| state. The senatorial candidate who thus
| secures the plurality vote in each party will
only be voted for in the legislature.
Reforms in Taxation.
The reforms inaugurated in taxation by
Gov. La Toilette have had surprising results.
| When he took up the cudgels for refoim he
| found only 45 per cent of the real estate
listed for taxation. Is per cent of the per-
| sonal property and about 20 per cent of the
| railroad property, collected under a gross
| income system. Through the means of
| legislative reforms from 1901 TO 1904 the in
| crease In assessment of real property was
| about 20 per cent, I'm personal property
| about 20 per cent and upon railways the in
crease was still more marked. Suits are
| now pending against the railway compan-
| ies of the state to collect taxes to the
amount Of half million dollars. which the
railways failed to return under the gross
| income system The railways now owe the
| state over million dollars in taxes. which
| are being collected through the courts for
| the purpose of testing the laws.
| The new Wisconsin railway commission
| has just been organized under the law, CIV
| ing it the power to correct the rates and
| regulations of all railways within the state.
| This law passed during the session last
| month. While the opinion generally pre-
| walls here that railways will secure tests
| in the courts for all the main features of
| the law before obeying its provisions, no
| doubt is expressed by lawyers that ulti-
| mately 1t will have to be obeyed within all
its features 1t gives the commission not
only the right to fix rates and change reg
| ulations upon complaint and hearing, but
also provides that 1t may initiate any ac-
| ton 1t chooses upon the rates or regula-
| lions of the railroads within Wisconsin.
| Very strict provisions are included COM
| Polling the publication of all rates and the
| posting of the same in public places, as
| well as furnishing them to the commission.
| Any deviation from these published rates
| In the way of favors rebates Is pun
ished by heavy fines, except that if special
| rates are made for any cause then they