Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-06-01
Ten Years of Reform Work and Re-
suits In Wisconsin.

Within the past decade "A seeming
~ impossible task has been perform.
ed with complete thoroughness. No
! Judge ard no state officer, no county
officer, no member OF any political
committee Of any party rides OH II
railway pass. Public sentiment has
given effect to the law and the rail
ways have profited by the change.
The exposure of rebate giving has
also tended to reduce the giving OF
passes to shippers, and the state is IN
a fair way to secure half million
| dollars in back taxes through the re-
suit OF the Investigation instituted
by Gov LaFollette.
Greater than all else ever hereaf-
ter the citizen who has the right to
vote at mn election has the same
right to vote at II primary and can
select the candidates whom he de-
sires To support from governor to
sheriff The right Is hedged about
with protection features so that the
secrecy of the ballot ~ completely
preserved and yet the elrctor can
only vote for one candidate FOR each
Office upon the party ticket he would
support at the primary. No uearer
approach to repre- sentative govern
ment can be secured, for the official
now becomes directly accountable To
his constituents. No longer can del
egatcs be bought or TRADED and the
incentive To political integrity has
become stronger than ev,r before.
Platforms are to be prepared by the
state officers aud members of the
Legislature. United States senators
are to be preferred aia choice indi-
Gated by every eiector, In fact it is
hard to conceive of any provision
which has not been given considera-
ton, and Wisconsin presents to you
the most complete and satisfactory
primary election law ever passed in
any state.
The change Of railway taxation
methods, as stated, has added II mil
lion dollars annually In round num-
bers to the state treasury. The ad
valorem laws as passed taxes all the
railways as entireties, including ter
minals and all property necessarily
used in the conduct of transporta-
ton. This money is paid directly
into the state treasury, thereby
avoiding the necessity for state tax
levies, as was evidenced during the
past year. Those who have given
exhaustive study to the railway tax
alton problem declare the Wisconsin
method to be superior to all others
and point to it as II model for other
states.
Our new railway commission law
is an effective measure, but in this
more than in any of the other re-
forms the merit of the legislation
will largely lie with the manner of
its enforcement. A weak commits
sion controlled in whole or part by
the railways cannot give effective
results. Under the appointive sys-
TEN ii is believed better results can
be obtained than under the elective
but there are many illustrations of
weak commissions which have come
from the appointive power.
The legislation mentioned has been
accompanied by other beneficial
laws resulting in she changed condi-
tion in tho legislature. But little
freak legislation has been attempted
and no sand. baggiug of corporations
is now noticeable.
This in brief is the result of the
campaigns waged by Gov. LaFollette
and his friends. Opposed by vast
moneyed interests and an uudefeat-
ed political machine, he has COM
pletely triumphed on an issue of the
people against monopolies. Few men
val. now question has sincerity.
None question his honesty nor integ-
rity. In political sagacity and lead
ership, he has displayed qualities
which entitle him 20 be classed the
equal if not the superior of any pub
lie man of 'ae day. He is no acct
dent No fortunate train OF circum-
stances has aided HIM in accom-
plishiug the wonderful results shown
in Wisconsin. Ii has been reached
by logged persisteucy, to which may
be added an indomitable will, He is
more than trained or eloquent adj
vCcates he is Il logical, forceful ora
tor who can hold his audience for
hour, whether the theme be Shakes
peare, Hamlet, primary elections or