The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-01-19

OF all WaSe-e34ne1 injured III the COufsS
of their employment should be substi-
tuted for It,
ut seems to me that Of ell plans thus
far pat in operation. the German system
is the best. 1t Is compulsory and re-
ouires no contribution from employees in
accident cases. So long as the consttu-
tons of the state and nation remain az
they are, any system of workmen'S COM
pensation established here, unlike that of
Germany, cannot be compulsory, but must
be optional OF, elective. I have faith that
even with this exception and in the face
Of constitutional difficulties. the ingenu-
ty Of the legislative mind will find a way
for the enactment of statute which
will do for us substantially what the
German law has accomplished"
Conservation of Natural Resources.
1.-THE conservation of the natural re-
sources of the state is question of vital
public interest It is a comparatively
new subject having received but little
attention until a few years ago. The
general movement in favor Of conserva-
ton, nation-w wide and all-enbracing as It
now is, has found expression in this state
In more sober and sensible attitude rel
alive to the preservation Of the fertility
Of the soil, the care of our forests and
the utilization Of our water powers. The
time has come, therefore, for the adop-
ton Of a definite general policy In Wis
consin concerning these subjects to take
the place of the special and sporadic leg
islation characteristic Of the past"
Income Tax.
Governor McGovern recommends that
the proposed sixteenth amendment to the
constitution Of the United States, which
confers on congress the power to enac;
an income tax law, be approved, and also
that a state law taxing incomes be en-
acted. The enactment of such law
the governor says, will compel men OF
great wealth who now in measure es-
tons to contribute their just share to-
ward the support OF the government Con
Guiding this subject the executive says:
TO what extent an income tax may
become substitute for our present per
sonal property tax or any part of it
probably. time alone and experience in
the administration of such a law car
tell. Until we have had such experience
1t may be well to proceed with caution
in the matter Of the Immediate abolition
or Reconsideration Of the present personal
property tax"
The present method of taxing auto
mobiles is. according TO the governor, ut
terly inadequate. The present plan OF
advalorem taxation is not adapted tc
them. Instead there should be provid-
ed a license fee based upon weight OF
horsepower Of these cars, and the rev.
enue should be applied to highway pur.
poses.
Minerals.
The taxation of minerals Is a subject
which should receive attention and the
laws relative thereto possible revision
says the governor The mineral wealth
Of the state under the present law prac.
t1cally escapes all taxation. This situa.
ton may be met by taxing the lands az
we now do without regard to their min.
eral deposits and then levying upon the
latter an occupation or privilege tar
when they are mined, proportionate ir
value to the amount Of ore removed.
Telephone Companies.
The state treasurer reports that under
the present method of taxing telephone
companies on their gross earnings, fifty
eight companies paid no tax whatever
last year. while forty-f1ve other COM
pantes paid less than one dollar each
The satisfactory results obtained by the
taxation Of railroads, street car and tele-
graph companies on % advalorem basis
seem TO the governor % justify an ex-
tension Of the advalorem system to al
telephone companies in the state. Ir
this way these companies will be taxed
upon a basis just and fair to ali and
many thousands Of dollars will be added
to the public revenues
Initiative and Referendum.
The great task of the time is how tc
make and keep the government really
representative of the people. The initia-
tive, the referendum and the recall have
been proposed as effective means for ac-
complishing this result, says the cover
nor. They have engaged the thoughtful
attention Of the entire country, and ir
the recent campaign In this state receiv-
ed the endorsement of all political par
ties
Concluding an exhaustive discussion Of
these measures, the governor says:
These measures, intended as they are
to bring the government closer to the
people and make it more flexible In
strument in their hands Tor the promo
ton of the public welfare cannot be in
PRODUCED in Wisconsin by mere legisla.
tive enactment. Under the constitution
Of this state, all legislative power is
vested In the senate and assembly, and
any attempt to confer such power or any
part Of it. upon others. even upon the
people themselves, without an appro.
pirate amendment to the constitution
would be Intellectual. Believing, as I do
in the wisdom and practicability of these
reforms, 7 most earnestly urge the pas
sage Of joint resolution by this legisla-
ture for the submission to the people OF
an amendment to Section 1, Article 4 OF
the constitution Of this state, so drawn
as to permit the exercise by the people
of the powers to which I have here re-
ferred"
The governor next takes up the subject
of home rule for cities. On this subject
ne says:
EVERY consideration of good citizen
ship efficient local administration and
wise public policy suggests q change in
this regard. and the enactment of legfs-
Iation which will confer upon cities full
powers of local f-government, includ-
ing the right to adopt the initiative, ref
erendum and recall"
Good Roads.
The governor urges the creation of a
state highway commission to supervise
and assist counties and towns in the
work of road building. He says:
1.-THE state commission should have am
pie authority to protect the states in
tsrests, and should be provided with ade-
uuate funds so that all work done with
state aid may be properly inspected be-
fore it is finally accepted. The policy OF
state aid should be one Of real co-cpera-
ton between the state and it's subdfvi-
sions not only in e financial way but also
in the matter Of supervision and organi-
cation OF forces in the actual construc-
ton OF roads"
The value of the legislative reference
department Of the Free Library commits
sion is pointed out and more liberal f1nan-
cial support IS urged
The governor urges the passage Of a
law authorizing the publication of the
revised statutes as soon after the close
of each session of the legislature as pos
sible.
On the subject OF public health the
governor says:
Boards Of health. public hygienic lab
oratories and other similar agencies