Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-07-23
TAX BILL VETOED
BY THE GOVERNOR
M'Goyern Refuses TO Sign John
son Measure.
CALLS 1T UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Asserts Proposed Law Would 0epiete
Educational Funds and Upset Gen.
eral Financial System Of Cities,
Towns and Villages.

Madison. McGovern has
vetoed the bill for the semi-annual
payment of taxes. The measure was
introduced by Assemblyman Axel
johnson of Polk county. as a result
of the demand of farmers of north
western Wisconsin, who we're familiar
with the operation of similar law
in Minnesota. The governor claims
that the bill would be unconstitution-
al and that the measure is not based
on wide public demand. He thinks
1t would upset the general financial
system of towns, villages and cities.
"A more obvious objection to this
bill is that it is practically unworka'
ble,' says the governors veto message
TT provides for not only two separate
tax collections. but also for two sep
arate tax sales at different periods Of
the year. the first sale covering all
taxes and the second period the re-
manning one-half of them.
The governor says that should the
plan proposed be adopted by any con-
siderable number of counties the re-
suit would be to deplete the various
educational funds during the last half
of the school year and introduce seri-
GUS confusion into the financial system
of all the public educational institu-
tions of the state.
"Our present system Of tax collec-
ton is simple and satisfactory" con-
cludes the Veto st has been built up
wholly and patiently through the la
Dor of many years. Let us not thus
hastily discard it or discard it at all
until we are prepared to replace it by
something we know to be better.
The governor has also vetoed the
August Dietrich bill which would per-
NIT the city Of Milwaukee to introduce
its own accounting system regarding
water rates.
Although the Hedding boxing bill is
on the governors desk for approval, 1t
is said he does not intend to take 1t
up for consideration before Friday.
Assemblyman Hedding called on the
governor and went over the provisions
of the bill, against which many petit
lions have been filed in opposition. 1t
seems to be the concensus of opinion
here that the governor will sign the
measure. believing that 1t Will free
boxing contests of many of it's vicious
features.
A bill passed by both houses and
signed by the governor, providing that
no employee Of a corporation which
has any interest In serving the city
shall be permitted to hold public of
flee, has provoked storm of protest.
Senator Richards of Milwaukee, said
that he intended to introduce cura-
tive measure. which would modify the
more drastic features OF the bill. The
measure is sweeping and any person
even remotely connected with cor
poration would be disbarred from
holding public office. The local agent
of railroad over which the city
receives cons1guments of freight IS
believed to come within the pale OF
the law. and may be disbarred from
holding a seat in the common council.
Letters requesting copies of the act
are coming from all sections of the
state. and the tone of criticism is so
universal that Senator Richards be-
lieves 1t necessary to change the law
before the session is concluded.
The senate had long calendar be-
fore it when 1t convened. Most of the
day was devoted to discussion of
the waterpower bill. 1t is expected to
take up the Walsh bill as a special
order. This is the excise bill, which
the assembly wishes to have returned
for the purpose of lacking on an
amendment which will straighten out
the present tangle of saloon licenses
under the Baker law.
Attorney General Walter c. Owen
has ruled in answer to an inquiry
from J. O. Emery, state dairy and
food commissioner that cities employ
ing sealers must pay all the expenses
incurred by the sealers of weights
and measures Mr. Emery's letter
points out that some cities have been
trying to make owners of public
scales pay fees for the tests. The
weights and measures law was
strengthened in this regard by the bill
introduced by Assemblyman Charles
u. Rosa of Beloit, to which executive
approval has already been given.