Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-08-29

dawn on the public mind and the peo-
pie become keenly alert to the neces-
sity of protecting their interests by
demanding careful, economical man.
agement and insisting that personal
preference and political partisanship
be completely removed from the pub.
lie service. When that time comes
the civil service must be a perfect
Organization, having behind it the
united support of the people. Every
man who takes a civil service exami-
nation must feel confident that he
will have fair, equal chance in the
contest. The law must not he used
as cover to protect the followers
of any political party. If man sue
lcessfully passes the examination and
secures an appointment, that position
should only be secure to him so long
| as he faithfully performs his duties.
| II rem secure places through the civil
service law and when they are COM
fortably installed in their positions
use their time and influence in behalf
of any political party, the civil serv-
ice win be discredited in the minds
of the people.
mo greater crime can be COM
mitted against the public than to
have men in official positions advo-
cate certain measures in the interest
of the people and when enacted into
laws commence to manipulate them
to their own advantage. With the
awakening of public responsibility
the people are going to judge for
themselves the sincerity of purpose
of those who are in the public serv-
ice. Men are inclined to question at
times the construction that our courts
place upon the laws. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that the safety
of the individual as well as the Sc
curity of property depends upon the
wholesome regard in the minds of the
people for the majesty of the law and
respect for the honesty and integrity
of our courts. Men who attempt to
discredit the courts, array one class
against another and arouse distrust.
in the minds of the people, in the
hope that they may ride into promi-
nenee on the waves of unrest which
they have created, should receive the
censure of all right-thinking citizens.
Recent developments have shown
that the government owes the people
| greater protection in their dealing
with insurance companies and other
corporations. The average citizen is
not in a position to know all the ms
and outs of an insurance policy and
| the workings of a great insurance
company. The state must impartial
! ~ and efficiently furnish the informal
| ticn to it's citizens. Insurance COM
paEies wishing to do business in the
state of Wisconsin should convince
the authorities of the honesty of
| their methods and of the solvency of
| their companies. Every transaction
SHOULD be public and the policyholder
| by applying to the insurance, depart
ment should be able to secure the
name and address of every other poll
cybolder in the company. The form
OF policy should be prescribed by the
state. Every policyholder as we'll as
the state insurance commissioner.
should have free access not only to
the books and records of the COM
| panies but also to the official meet
ings.
I'm Wisconsin today any set of
men can secure a charter permitting
them to organize corporation by
paying small sum into the state
| treasury This charter bears the great
seal of approval of the state of Wis
consin and the stock issued under
that charter can be sold by the pro-
moters to the people throughout the
state. A large share of the corpora
! lions created are legitimate, bona
| fide companies, organized and capt.
| taliZed in an honest way. AT the
same time many companies securing
| charters from the state are promoted
and the shares are placed on the
market without reasonable evidence
of their honesty of intention. The
state Of Wisconsin should not author.
| ize the creation of corporations, and
| permit them unrestricted to do bust
ness. Neither should this state per-
nit corporations of the same charac-
| ter, organized in other states, to come
| here, do business and sell their shares
to the public without restriction.
Beautifully engraved certificates of
stock with gilded borders, bearing the
seal of corporation, can be made
mighty attractive to the investor by
agents receiving large commissions
for disposing of the shares. The Off
GERS CT the company may be wealthy
and prominent citizens, and while the
corporation has been authorized by
the state, that very authority relieves
the individual from legal RESPONSE
bility. For the protection of its citi-
zens the state should not grant char
ter to any corporation without an In
vestigation of it's purpose and rec
ord of it's financial responsibility.
Corporations should not be per-
mitted by the state to organize for
amounts in excess of their true capt.
tai, or be allowed to capitalize their
good will, or future prospects, and
then sell their shares without restric-
| ton to innocent purchasers. II the
STATE required all of these companies
to organize under its supervision, cap
italize only for their true value, and
have their transactions made public,
believe that the people of the state
would be relieved from many of the
u,,.cpg c III at rasI11f from the formation