The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1912-01-27
Governor Comes Back at Tax Commissioner
and Makes Specific Charges Of
Misconduct in Office
WARNS THE STATE TAX COMMISSIONER
Shields Attempts To Discount Action. Os
born Candidate for REELECTION on
Anti-Brewery Platform.

other threats against people who have
opposed him. The details of these
charges may be referred to later.
It came to my attention sometime
ago that nephew of Mr.. Shields had
been appointed attorney for the Pere
Marquette Railroad. This nephew is
very worthy and capable young man.
However, Detroit and Michigan are
full Of capable and worthy young at
torneys who are not related to Mr..
Shields. There has been great deal
Of talk to the effect that this appoint
ment was made for the purpose of in
fiuencing Mr.. Shields treatment of the
Pere Marquette properties in the mat
ter of taqation. do not charge that
an attempt was Willingly made 10
bribe Mr.. Shields through favors shown
his nephew. / do charge, however,
that men in public Office are sometimes
Influenced by indirect methods that are
not in themselves improper, but
the result of which is inimical to
the public interest. Soon after Mr..
Shields nephew was appointed the
Tax Commissioner seemed to give un-
usual consideration to the taxes of the
Pere Marquette and they were re-
duced. Since taking employment with
the Pere Marquette about a year ago
the salary of the young Mr.. Shields
has been raised three times. Mr..
Shields contends that l desired to re-
duce the taxes more than he favored,
which is not true but which is not to
the point. ] have no relatives in the
employ of the Pere Marquette Rail-
road. ! do not contend that the Pere
Marquette taxes are too low. On the
contrary, l am inclined to the opinion
that they are too high. l do feel. how
ever, that Mr.. Shields attitude toward
the Pere Marquette has been at least
unconsciously influenced by the ap-
pointment of his nephew. In con-
versation with President Cotter, Of the
Pere Marquette, he told me that he
expressed his belief to Mr.. Merriam,
his general solicitor, that the charge
would be made that Mr.. Shields neph-
ew was appointed for the purpose of
influencing Mr.. Shields. On account of
that belief Mr.. Cotter stated to me
that the appointment of young Mr..
Shields was held up for some time.
The very fact that Mr. Cotter feared
unfavorable criticism on account of the
appointment indicated its improperly.
wish to repeat that the Pere Mar
quette could have appointed any num-
Der of worthy young attorneys not re-
lated to members Of the Tax Commits
sion.
/ expect to stand the brunt of a
great many attacks. Iipromised l the
people of Michigan that / would ''clean
up" 1t is not always a pleasant task,
but it is my duty and ! do not shrink
from it. In my opinion Mr.. Shields
has been notoriously lax in the per-
formance of his duties, and in addition
has done improper things. 1t is stated
that he has undertaken to represent
the brewery interests in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan in their political
opposition to Inc. In my message to
the legislature ard several times since
becoming Governor l have called at
tention to the danger of brewery dom
ination in Michigan. expect to con-
tinue to point to that danger.
wish in this connection to briefly
refer to history. For years the rail-
roads of Michigan were in the political
business. They were most powerful
force and dominated the state. They
had the services of the best attorneys
in the state, Their organization was
directed by the most acutely developed
selfish genius. But the people rose
against them. demanded their rights.
wrested the state from railroad tyran-
ny; and the relations between the rail-
roads and the people are better today
than they ever were before in the his
tory of the state.
wish to caution the brewers. They
can never become the political force in
Michigan that the railroads were.
Their Organization h directed by some
of the cheapest lawyers and benchmen
in Michigan. They are nearer the end
Of their debauching work than they
can dream Of. Decent saloon keepers