The Detroit times., 1912-01-22
OSBORN WARNS LIQUOR
INTERESTS THAT THEY CAN
NEVER RUN STATE AFFAIRS
Tells Them If They Don't Quit
Meddling in Politics People
viii Rise Against Them
HE ANSWERS SHIELDS
viii Run For Reelection on
Anti-Liquor Platform If
People Ask.
HE ANSWERS SHIELDS

ing that in his opinion Tax CO minis
sioner Shields has been lax in TIN PEI
formance of his Official duties, an
that he Is investigating his SER ice
10 the state, Gov. Osborn has q VeI
ont a statement in which he ansW err
an attack by that ofieil and fiays ~
Michigan brewers. by whom he a
beer informed. Mr. Shields is empi0
ed in the upper peninsula TO lead TIN
fgh, against Gov. Osborn. Gov,
4 Osborn declares that the people VIII
never allow the liquor interests 10
run the politics OF the state. anu u
fhey do not clean house, the puollc
will do so for them. He says II me
Ieople wish TO nominate him on an
anti.brewery domination platform ne
IL willing TO accept and lead the 0attle
asainst the, liquor interests
His letter follows
The attack upon me made by Rohert
H. Shields. chairman OF the state iaN
Commission was made TOR the phrposs
of discounung The result anu tme' 30
rharges made against him whlSl, :
proven true, would lead 10 MS removal
from office. There - a Shlnsse -,
nrb which says. There is no renee tnht
does moi let the wind through, MI
Shields has known for some time that
Il have been dissatisfied with his work
on the tax Sommiissi9@n @ oa,,,,csI @ rrrs-
fiee IL would give him and the salary.
and the time he has given 70 Ite
states service has been lncioehtai. , iie
- fhe ma ger OF The Arcadian MINING
company, the superintendent OK an
Expiorins company, and has other pfl-
,ate busiuess for corporations tiat nas
AIKEN so much OF his time that ne has
r~ciec,ed . the tax commission work
This is the reason why the taxation
ronditions in Michigan are so unsatls-
factory
81 For long T1mp rhF tax r-otfttttts''ttff
rlaimed II had no power OF inltlatlNe
an the Supervision OF appraised Nalues
IN the xarieus counties OF the state.
contend that they always had tns
novrer. hui because there was doubt
as 10 whether they had sdthcieht
power or not the last legislature eN :.
1ended their powers almost wltnoe'
limit This law took ehect AUG =
# 1911 No ATTEMPT was made TO take
advantage OF it; NO organizing Work
of an initiatory character was done
until about the time the tentative re-
mort OF the Special Tax Inquiry Com
mission was made Then the tax com
mission appeared to become unusually
several time during 1911 complaints
neainst Mr. Shields have been made 10
me as governor He heard or the IN
resffgations that followed; and IL was
reported to me that on numerous occA.
fions Mr.. Shields had boasted that
the governor would do nothing in his
case because "he had something on the
rovernor" learned of this threat
for the first time fortnight ago. !
sought an interview with Mr. Shields,
which was not brought about until he
came TO my office last Monday. Jan.
rs. for the purpose OF submitting TO me
the tentative railroad appraisals. This
was three days before he made his de.
fensive statement. When we concludeo
the consideration OF that matter l told
IA NJ I'm, 4 Hf n have A plain talk
with him told him of the charges
that had been made against him; that
wished to be perfectly fair ana
eating them and II found them TO be
true i would remove him from oince'
told him, Furthermore, that his ire
sponsible threat made against me
would only move me to greater activ-
ity: that IL he knew anything about
me that the public did not know
wished Il published. ! toid MN ,nir. ,nst, ~
Perfection than the average man, my
& life II an open book, and so II is.
Among the charges made against
Mr.. Shields Is that he has used his
Cffice 70 intimidate political opponents,
have not Investigated these charges
sufficiently to come TO a conclusion as
20 their foundation. One specinc
charge IS that when ris friend Mr..
Miller. of Houghton. was opposed TOT
the presidency Of the village OF
Houghton by Mr.. Bawden. manager TOT
certain electric railroad properties In
Houghton county. letter was written
&c stone 4 Webster advising them TO
have Mr. Bawden withdraw or their
properties would be attended TO. Mr..
Bawden did not withdraw, and the
taxation OF the Stone A. Webster prop
critics was materially Increased; ~ IL
not claimed that the Stone a Webster
properties are overtaNed. The conten-
ton fs that the increase did not come
until after they had offended Mr..
Shields.
II is further charged that he made
other threats against people who have
4 opposed him. The details OF these
charges may be referred to later
IL came TO my attention sometime
ago that a nephsw OF Mr.. Shields had
been appointed attorney for the Pere
Marquette railroad. This nephew Is
I. very worthy and capable young man
: However, Detroit and Michigan are fun
Of capable and worthy young attorneys
who are not related 90 Mr.. Shields
There has been a great deal OF talk
made for the purpose or influencing
Mr.. shields treatment of the Pere
Marquette properties in the matter OF
B taHation. do not charge that an at
& tempt was Willingly made 10 bribe
Mr. Shields through favors shown his
nephew l do charge. however. that
y men In public office are sometimes In
nuenced by Indirect methods that are
not IN Themselves improper, hut the
result of which is inimical to the pub
n llC iuNtTeHI- 6OOn alltI MI Snltluh
nephew was appointed, the tax COM
missioner seemed to give unusual con-
eideration to the taxes OF the Pere
~ Marauette and they were reduced Since
fakfng employment with the Pere Mar
4 ouefte' about year ago the salary OF
the young Mr.. Shields has been raised
three times. Mr.. Shields contends that
desired TO reduce 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 Perc
Marquette railroad. do not contend
that the Pere Marquette taxes are toe
low. On the contrary. I am inclined
10 the opinion that they are too high
DO feel, however that Mr.. Shields
hftitude towards the Pere Marquette
has been at least uuconsciously innu-
cnced by the appointment OF hi'
nephew. In conversation with
President Cotter OF the Pere Mar.
ouette. he told me that he eSpressec
his belief 10 Mr.. Merriam. HIS genera
solicitor, that the charge would ",
made that Mr.. Shields nephew was ap.
pointed for the purpose OF infiuencing
Mr.. shields. On account OF that be
appointment OF young Mr.. Shields wa,
that AR. Cotter feared unfavorHbl,
crfficinn on account OF the appoint
lnent Indicated Its impropriety / wisl
10 repeat that the Pere Maruuett,
could have appointed any number o.
worthy young attorneys not related 1,
members OF the tax commission.
4 expect 10 stand the brunt OF
nfent man attacks. promised tn,
IannIe OF Michigan that 7 would clear