The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-06-20
LEGISLATURE NAY
AID ex-governor.
WILLIAM r. TAYLOR MAY RECEIVE
A PENSION OF $4,000 4 YEAR
FROM THE STATE.
NOW PENNlLESS AND OLD.
$irst Executive to Put Railroad Regula-
ton Into Practice-Thirty Years
Ahead Of Times.

MADISON, Wis, June 15.-LSpo-
ciaL IA bill to give former GOV. WI
liam Il. Taylor a pension Of 5000 an.
nually for the remainder OF his life, has
been fayorahly reported by the comm.
tee on claims in both Aou-,a If the Leg
islat, sc and viii probably 20 through
wit,~ut contest. At the present Time
the man who scourad the railroads ia
the early seventies, as champion of the
Granger movement, just as La lu.
lettc has been doing, has been living al
the Gishult Home for the Aged. a semi
charitable institution, just outside the
city limits Of Madison.
Penniless and Old.
lie is now pcnuicss but is considered
IN good health for the advanced agy UI
81 years Relatives Of the man would
probably care tor him were II not I.r
his cCccntr.Cltips Two years ago, rather
than give up some Of his old habits, l'
bescached his relatives for aid to get the
required 500 10 90 10 the home aud W.
assisted particularly by Attorney X. ".
Ba,hiOrd, a leading member OF the Mad
isou bar, whose first wife was ddugAl',
OF GOV. Taylor Mr.. Rdshiord was PR
waite secretary to Gov Taylor during tu'
lattrrs term Of Office. GOV. Taylor lost
bis wealth through unfortunate invest
meas and speculation.
Hit the Wheat Market.
Wis said nearly all the money he could
raise since leaving the governors char
has been lost IN hitting the wheat
market, or in taking flyers on the stock
exchange About two years ago he sold
his old homestead in Cottage Grove TOR
$500. With this money he ilrtcd with
the Chicago market for several days,
Then he came back to get assistance %
go to the Old Peoples Home,
The last days of the Farmer gov
ernor," as he is called in history, are as
pathetic as his first days were piuiui.
His mother died when he was three
weeks old. and SIX years later his father,
q sca-captaIn, was lost in mld-oCcan,
lie was born without Il home and was
raised amid strangers, and he may
spend his last days IN n home that Is
not q home. but a retreat for the relies
of past generations If, however, the
Legislature passes the bill to grant him
pcusion, and there is every indication
that it will, the grand old man will once
more come back to Madison to minglc
among friends, will 90 TO Cottage Grove,
his old homestead, and will spend the
last days in plenty.
Swept Into Office.
Gov Taylor was swept into office during
the granger movement in 1873. The
Democrats and Erangcrs fused that year
and Taylor was put at the head Of the
ticket. He was the only one on the
ticket elected. During his term, the
famous Potter law, creating commits
sion to regulate and fix railroad rates
was passed, not so different from the
present commission.
Tho agitation was thirty
years in advance Of its time The
supreme court, in a noted opinion by
Chief Justice Ryan, sustained the val
idity Of the Potter law, but the succeed
ing Legislature repealed It, GOV. Taylor
WAS not reelected but was succeeded by
Harrison Ludington Of Milwaukee.
UnluCky Business Venture.
After retiring from office Gov Taylor
formed what was known rs the Fort
Scott (kanl Cement company. The pro
perry was sold under the hammer of the
law and Gov Taylor lost $1,000 on th"
venture.
lie vas interested .u the oronborr,
bu moss #uh number oi other mo-.
aud tWU.M H.l money iu the doo.
w atn D. .UtI ILn .uslra'rr chair T..
had "a m0wg#-. .u 49,. '"m .I >IDOF'
ami urgur Ma'..u. reduced p. Hu'.
the farm v"r .uaI VIII. '.. @nmnN i.
tloa had oa aul "" j"" fer. 80 l.n.
Of MADISON II. NlD. Ny ~ ..,aH mG-
ragc secured e,..u 81. mH',u "a
tlc stale a.u. IT, rh. l.a. muI /
al Chippewa i.... iIn. .yu hg l.n
second marag" William Taylor. ..-
ing iu MaII u.
G:ah.lt Home for the Aged
The Gi-hult I.mr tor I'r ag.J Maa
founded hr UHn I#'n John johnson. bead