The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-05-12
Wisconsin Legislature Befud-
died Over the Question.
MUCH OPPOSITION TO Bill
Chief Criticism Is That 1t Is Made
UnworkabIe in an Endeavor to
Reach the Corporations
Mahon on Warpath.


| it looks as though the legislature will
adjourn without passing an income
tax bill The original bill on this
subject was discussed for weeks, the
| result being that the committee draft
| ed a substitute This measure, &C
| cording to experts, is impossible, and
| one of the members of the state tax
| commission made the statement that
| if the bill became law that special
session of the legislature would have
to be called to amend it to make it
| possible Of administration. Nils F.
Haugen, a member of the state tax
| commission and recognized as one OF
| Wisconsin's experts on the question or
taxation, appeared at public hearing
on the substitution bill and frankly
| confessed that he could not endorse
| the measure. Tt is growing so late in
the session that some of the leaders
have practically reached the conclusion
| that the income tax proposition cannot
be worked out by the legislature I'M
less the members are willing to re-
| mann mere I'll SuIuIilCI. SOLIllJlSSlCA-Cl
Adams also is opposed to the measure,
it is said, on the ground that is is
not workable in it's present form.
These measures maintain that the bill
will impose added taxation upon those
who now are paying what is conslc-
cred a just proportinate share.
Further objection is urged that the
| of ooIInn%incr 11nHnr ifc
visions and the involved system, in
Commissioner Haugen's opinion,
makes the plan impractical. He be-
lieves that a workable income tax
plan can be arrived at if time is given,
and favors postponing action for two
+ years when a complete system can be
presented to the legislature for it's
consideration.
The chief criticism to be heard as
to the new bill is that it is made I'M
workable by an endeaver to reach the
corporations Instead of. devising a
plan which will supply system to
take the place of the present person
al property tax, to supplant it. it ap-
pears the present bill seeks to supple
ment existing systems in this state
and adds new scheme.
= y =
| Assemblyman Thomas J. Mahon is
out on the warpath against the book
trust. In connection with his bill to
create a text book commission, Mr..
Mahon served notice on the assembly
that the book trust was MAINTAINING an
active lobby, and that if the members
would open their eyes they would find
out what was going on During Mr..
Mahon's absence his bill was with
drawn from the committee on print
ing and sent to the committee on ed
ucation, which Mr. Mahon apparently
believes is not any too friendly toward
his BILL or at any rate not as friend
lyg as the committee on printing.
When Mr. Mahon returned he put up
stiff fight to have his bill again sent
to the committee on printing and he
carried the point. He promises to
make some sensational disclosures
concerning the book trust lobby if
that lobby continues in it's present
course
| Assemblyman Axel Johnson's efforts
to fix time limit to legislative ses-
sions in this state failed. He intro
duced a bill limiting the sessions to
100 days with an extension of twenty
days upon majority vote of the mem
bers. The committee reported in a
substitute fixing the time limit as
12O days with twenty days extension.
Mr.. Johnson argued for the bill, de-
claring that the graft ridden states
are those that have no time limit in
their sessions. He charged that even
in the progressive state of Wisconsi1
that too much time is spent in horse
play and political play. Speaker In
gram took the floor and spoke against
the bill He said Wisconsin. unlile
many other states, is passing through
a constructive period, and that the
legislature must proceed slowly and
with care and close study. He said
that the legislature is working from
twelve to sixteen hours a day and
that it is misconception to assume
that its efforts are not appreciated by
the people The speaker won over
Mr. Johnson. whose bill was buried
beneath heavy vote.
\ \ 4
The resolution to investigate the
charge that United States Senator
Stephenson bought his seat has been
put over another week. The investi-
| cation, it was explained, was delayed
because OF the illness of Senator Brod-
enstab, who will present a minority
report generating Stephenson. That
there is a Lorimer connection and the
possible action of the United States
senate as to that case is discussed
freely among the senators here. That
some of the senators have visited
Chicago lately is known and it is,
stated that their visit had something
to do with the Stephenson matte,