Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-01-13

ployrent. He says:
Losses due to industrial accidents to
Workmen now fall in the first instance
on the injured employee or in case of
death upon his widow and orphan chill
dren. This burden can be shifted to tha
shoulders OF the employer and thus upon
society as whole only by means of a
lawsuit AS the law now stands. in order
TO prevail in such an action, the plaintiff
must snow that the injury for which he
scehS redress was due to the negligence
OF the employer. Even then his action
may De defeated by showing that he was
sulity or contriputory negligence no mat
Ter In how slight degree, that the acct
cent was due to the ordinary risks of the
employment which the law says he as
sun'ed when he went to work, or that it
was dsle to the fault of a fellow servant
Iestec by these rules probably in not
over fifteen per cent. of these personal
INJURY cases does valid right of action
exist
inc present system which bases the
iieht OF recovery in these cases upon
ntgat.on should so far as possible be
e'pohshed altogether and system of
just promnt and certain compensation
OF all Wage-earners injured in the course
OF their employment should be substi-
tuted for it
LII seems to me that of all plans thus
Ear f'ut In operation, the German system
SNSSr
qulrss no contribution from employees in
dccident cases. So long as the constitu-
lIolts or the state and nation remain as
thSJ are, any system of workmen's COM
pehsat1on established here, unlike that of
Germany. cannot be compulsory but must
pe optlonal or elective. 7 have faith that
even with this exception and in the face
or constitutional difficulties, the ingenu-
ty of the legislative mind will find a way
LOT the enactment of a statute which
VIII DO Tor us substantially what the
German law has accomplished"
Conservation of Natural Resources.
THE conservation of the natural re-
sources of the state is question Of vital
public interest. 1t ia q comparatively
new subject, having received but little
attention until few years ago. The
general movement in favor of conserva-
f5on, nationwide and all-embracing as it
row is, has found expression In this state
IN more sober and sensible attitude rel
at1Ve to the preservation of the fertility
OF the soil, the care Of cur, forests and
the utilization of our water powers. The
time has come, therefore, for the adop-
ton OF a definite general policy in Wis
consfn concerning these subjects to take
the place of the special and sporadic leg
lslauon 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 enact
an income tax law, be approved, and also
that a state law taxing incomes be en-
acted The enactment Of such a law.
the governor says, will compel men Of
great wealth who now in a measure es-
cape performance of their public obliga-
tons to contribute their just share to-
ward the support of the government. Con-
Guiding this subject the executive says:
ITO what extent an income tax may
become a substitute for our present per-
sonal property tax, or any part of 1t,
probably time alone and experience in
the administration of such a law can
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 to
them. Instead, there should be provid"
ed license fee based upon weight or
horsepower Of these cars, and the rev.
enue should be applied to highway pur-
poses
Minerals.
Inc IaXdllOn OF minerals is q 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-
tically escapes all taxation. This situa-
ton may be met by taxing the lands as
we now do without regard to their min
eral deposits and then levying Upon the
latter occupation or privilege tax
when they are mined. proportipnate in
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 tax whatever
last year, while forty-flve other COM
panes paid less than one dollar each.
The satisfactory results obtained by the
taxation Of railroads, street car and tele-
graph companies advalore1n basis,
seem to the governor to justify an ex-
tension of the advalorem system to all
telephone companies In the state. In
this way these companies will be taxed
upon a basis Just and fair to all and
many thousands of dollars will be added
to the public revenues.
Initiative and Referendum.
The great task of the time is how to
make and keep the government really
representative Of the people, The lnitia-
tive the referendum and the recall have
been proposed as effective means for ac-
complshtng this result says the COVER
nor They have engaged the thoughtful
attention of The entire country. and in
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 a more flexible in
strument in their hands for 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
anv 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 ineffectual Believing, as do,
in the wisdom and practicability of these
reforms. I most earnestly urge the pas
sage of a Joint resolution by this legisla-
ture for the submission to the people of
an amendment to Section l. Article T. of
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