Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-02-27
senatorial Battle snined.

| on Tue ScndIOTSulp nave DerH iHtiO-
duced. Assemblyman GraSsie has one
resolution seeking to morally bind the
members of the next legislature to sup
port for senator the candidate secur-
ing q plurality OF the votes In the pri-
mary election. This is understood TO
| be q move In favor Of Senator Spoon
| er, as it is felt that there will be no
opposition to him on the part Of the
so-called staIwarts, while the sO-called
half-breeds may have seyeril eandi-
dates, which would give Spocner the
lead. though he might not have a ma
tority OF votes To give the half-breeds
still another chance In the event of
aueh a contingency Mr.. Nye of Supe-
rior has bill providing that in case
no candidate has q majority at the
primary election the two highest can
didates shall go on the regular ballot
and be voted on at the general cleo
ton.
Still another bill has come In from
Mr.. Sprague. Of Elkh0rn, combining the
vote on United States senator to the
candidates voted for at the primary
election. The feeling seems TO be
that none OF these measures will go
through. When the provision was
made In the primary law for the nom
inati0n OF candidates for United States
senator 1t was admitted that such nom
ination could be only advisory and
could have no legal binding on any
legislator. although 1t is expected no
legislator would oppose majority
party choice. The prelude of what
will doubtless be a warm fight two
years hence may be said to be now
sounding.
Mortgage Taxation Again.
Two subjects OF particular interest
days and nights to the legislators be-
fore the end OF the session. being the
forrens system OF land registration
and mortgage taxation. The TOrrens
system has been repeatedly turned
down by past legislatures, but Senator
Stondall, who ehampicned 1t two years
ago. has again brought il to the front
this winter. A more intricate subject
to deal with is mortage taxation. Wis
consin has had mortgage tax laws be-
fore. has one now In fact. but they
don't seem to work. In his recent
message to the legislature Governor
Davidson urged that an effective law
be enacted. A great many members
OF both houses have spoken out In
favor of the exemption from taxation
Of this form Of credits. but il is said
the lawyers OF the senate are hard to
rouse on the proposition.
The farmer members as a whole. it is
said. are IN favor OF mortgage taxa
ton, but 1t is probable that many are
Unaware of the intricacfes involved in
such plan. OF course the theory for
the exemption is THAI a taxation OF
both the mortgage and that portion
OF the value OF the laad which is rep
resented in the mortgage as security
presents practically double taxation.
because the land is subject to assess.
ment. The attempt will be made TO
get bill through to do away with
rhis double taxation by removing
from the tax lists all lands covered
by mortgage in an amount equal to
the mortgage for which the land is Sc
curIty.
Accurate Information Secured.
The state tax commission. during
the past two years, has been making
thorough investigation of the mort
cages Ia each county under direction OF
Professor r. s. Adams, of the Uni
versity Of Wisconsin. This data has
been secured from the offices of reg
listers Of deeds and is probably the
most accurate Information obtainable
In addition the commission has had
few expert men assessing property
In different counties of the state, so
that a comparison can be made with
the report of the loca' assessor In each
locality.
Besides this the tax commission
now requires an annual report from
each register OF deeds If transfers OF
real estate with the additional in
formation il the property is mort
gagged. IL Is believed with this data
enough Information can be furnished
10 prevent overlapping or double tax
alton IL the mortgage law ia passed
AL lutdsbEf 70 DE- fOHs
sidered at this session Is that for an
income tax. Two years ago a eonsti-
tuti0naI amendment providing for an
income tax was adopted This win
have to be- put through the IegiSla-
ture again this winter before being
passed upon by the people. There
seems to be no disposition to oppose
the proposed legislation.
Hughes Anti-Tights Fame.
Assemblyman Hughes, the obiiging
Dodge county editor. who kindly con-
sented to stand for the sacrifice so
that the session might not go by with
out n freak bin, is reaping the ex-
pected fame from his anti-tights meas
nre. His picture IL being paraded on
front pages with those of actresses in
more or less abbreviated attire AMI bis
photograph Is In great demand. The
last straw came the other day. how
ever. when yellow New York journal
sent on an order for his autograph.
Perhaps the best joke of II all. how
ever, Is that many newspapers are
taking his proposition seriously and
advocating ii, one Chicago newspaper
iDgeniOusly pointing out how II might
lead TO fewer divorces and other
scandals and increase the sum Of
Ia a