The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-10-20
UNDERWOOD TALKS ON TARIFF
Congressman From Alabama Declares
That Republicans Have Failed in an
Effort to Write a Tariff Bill in Con
gresse

The Hon. A. J. Schmitz of MilWau-
kee, Democratic candidate fol-. governor
of the state poured hot shot into the
Republican administration of state af
fairs before a crowd of 500 people on
Market Square Thursday evening when
he opened the campaign in Kenosha
county. Mr. Schmitz did not speak long
but anything that his address lacked
in length was made up in the vigor
of~his expression. Schmitz did not get
10 talking until after nino clock as
the Hon. Oscar A. Underwood of BERN
inghan, for sixteen yearsrepresentative
of the Alabama district in congress
who was the first speaker at the meet
ing, spent more than an hour in talk
ing Republican tariff and Republican
extravaganza.
Schmitz spoke of taxation in Wis
consin under Republican administration
and made his chief point on the fact
that the last Democratic administra-
tion way back in 1894 Governor George
w. Peck had run the state with tax
levy of $4,000 while during 1909 the
tax levy for the s5a, 70 passed the three
million mark. He declared that the
material wealth of the state had not
advanced in proportion but that the
taxes had been more Of burden on
the people from year to year, to aid in
building up the Republican machine
which had perpetuated itself in power.
He charged that the money of the peo-
pie was being squandered in multiply
ing commissions under state law whose
functions were of doubtful value to
the state and that the number of ap-
pointments had been so compounded in
recent years that, at Madison, Office
holders were falling over each other in
an effort to side step and keep on the
pay roll of the state He showed that
the state taxes paid by Kenosha county
in the, Peck regime were but $50, 900 and
that last year the state demanded a
stipend of $38, 500 from this county as
state taxes. Schmitz declared that he
was in sympathy with progressive leg
isiation when directed along lines in
the interests of the people but that he
was opposed to legislation passed for
the sole purpose of continuing the
present administration in charge of
the affairs of the state He pledged
himself to bring to the people lower
taxes and business administration
which would put Athe treasury of the
state on firm footing again. He took
the usual slap at the game warden sys-
tenn and declared that the cost of main
tanning this system was increasing an
lually Notwithstanding the fact that
almost all of the wild animals in the
state had long since been practically
exterminated, He urged the Democrats
who had followed LaFollette into the
Republican party to return to the fold
and gave them an assurance that their
apologies would be accepted and that
they would be welcomed back with
open arms into the party of Jefferson
and Cleveland
Schmit4 made good impression on
the crowd and many times during his
short speech he was interrupted by
prolonged applause.
Congressman Underwood in his hour s
talk addressed himself to the tariff and
declared that the Republican party had
failed in an effort to write tariff, law
on account of the fact that the party
was divided and that every member OF
the upper and lower house had sought
to protect his own constituents rather
than to work for the general good of
the entire nation, He charged that the
Paynee-Aldrich bill was moi a tariff
revenue bill bat one made with the sole
idea OF increasing profits. He declared
that the unreasonable profits given to
coterie of manufacturers under this
tariff law were directly responsible for
the advanced cost of living. Under
wood took a hit at Republican extrava-
ganee and declared that during the last
Roosevelt administration more money
was spent than during all the admin
istrations from Washington to Lincoln
and that the expense of this admins
tration exceeded the cost of the Lincoln
administration during the civil war by
$3O,OO0,O00.
Attorney Calvin Stewart, Democratic
candidate for member of congress in
the First Wisconsin District acted as
chairman of the meeting and the Demo
cratic candidates for county offices oc-
cupied places on the platform.