Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-06-10
QUESTION is A SERIOUS ONE
Farmer and Teacher Writes on Tax
alton and Abuses

Mr., EDITOR: Several nonths have passed sine,
people met the excessive burden thrust upor
| them by a bunch of unworthy political demago-
CUES; but the extreme exaction has been satisfied
but not forgotten, ard there seems to be Rener-
7 al feeling among the property. holders that any
further encroachments on their property rights
VIII meet strong resistance and the Madison bunch
are not doing as much for citizenship as they are
to feather their own nests; that we have too much
state capital control and not enough home rule is
conceded on all sides. and the governor clanornr
for another expensive commission Ito buy and sell
farm products and the state superintendent in a
La Crosse speech advocating that domestic science
and manual training be added to the already over
loaded rural school course neeessitating the re-
arrangement of county school houses and the pur.
chasing OF more expensive apparatus and the en-
ployment of more expensive teachers thereby in
| creasing the excessive burden of local taxation.
Now we like to look upon our public school system
as blessing and an institution supported for and
in the interest of education. but when We investi
gate we have come TO the conclusion that il is be-
ing conducted in the interest of the professor and
state school graduates and the grip of state con-
tro and supervision will soon be strongly fixed
as i now is in state affairs, which appears to be
entirely controlled by the state university. We
give the reported opinions of some others. Boris
Sidis, N. A. Phi D.: The present school system
squanders the resources Of the country and wastes
the energy and lives of our children" Dr. Wills:
Teachers are so busy telling about the so-ealed
frills' they don't have time to teach. Too much
time is spent on frils and not enough the basic
principles Of education" We might mention 9TH
ers.
do not believe in long tenure Of Office, and hon
estly think our departments should have house
the great school not excepted. For instance. the
reported increase in attendance at the university
expense Ia 800 per cent the latter being entirely
out of proportion 70 the former And all persons
holding state positions by appointment must have
been students at the institution, say nothing Of
legislative dietations. But
Let one underestimate
The potency Of knowledge
Our widely famous Badger State
Is governed by College.
While firmly believe in state aid for both
schools and roads. also as firmly believe they
should both have local control as much as possible
and state authority should be almost entirely elm
mated The visiting Statesman" state school
inspectors are another fraud and a very expensive
one. Ono TO inspect high schools and one to u-
speet graded schools and still another to inspect
rural schools and all getting high salari. hotel
bills. and county superintendent could do all the
work and make all necessary reports.
In own high school we taxed TO support
four hgh-salaried teachers to instruct about sew
enty pupils. which is an outrage on honest eiti-
zens. teacher WHO cannot instruct forty schol-
airs is not worthy &c follow the vocation; and a
course that robs property holders to pay so many
teachers in well classified school is not written
in the interest Of education and should be con-
signed to the Aaiaes. But the new law creating
cabinet for the coSuty superintendent. and is re-
ported to be of his selection in some countless
may make things better though are a doubt
ing Thomas. With the county school tax increas-
ed $50 per cent in y years. and according TO the
county superintendent annual report, the total
expense in the county has increased 25 per cent
in the last year. and Is three times as much as
twenty years ago. the question naturally arises
are w getting value received II is certainly the
partial cause Of the great increase in taxation.
We have heard a great deal about the tax re-
form measures" and che Wisconsin Idea" and
how much the commissions are saving the people,
also when the railroads and other corporations and
interpretations had to pay their just portion Of
taxation IL would pay all expense Of state and
snug sum TO be handed back to assist IN local ex-
pense But no. the state expense has increased
over 800 per cent. and instead Of surplus there
is deficit, and state employees have increased
over 500 per cent requiring direct tax. and vau-
atoms being raised in this county over 100 per
cent and still are not satisfied and reduction
in the mill tax. Now the question is, who is the
legislature defacto? Or 10 the constitutional body
merely ecncurring bogrd7 And are the laws IN
the interest Of graft or justicey The stallion law
drafted by who was never a member Of the
legislature and he travels around and boasts what
great thing it is for horse breeding but be does
nj mention the graft the veterinarians get out Of
IT. and does not tell the people we have no such
laws for cattle. hogs ard sheep. and improvement
10 this class greatly exceeds that Of horses The
present tuberculosis la~ is graft for the veteri
narian. IL bovine tuberculosis is 30 very danger
Gus why not the states and nation stamp II out
same as foot and mouth diseasez II / remember
rightly the present ginseng law was drafted in
Wausau. The eugenic Law was written ia I'll
waukee. and By woman.
A great Utopia we see.
Advanced. while others lag on.
Where none may wed on any plea
Without q doctors tag on.
Our tax requirement. was about same a. Dr.
Porter. Il is not much, oh. no. But what does
II Ne to get this anount7 Three Of the doctors
good Jersey cows every yeays provided there is 20
Increase and be must keep twelve head Of calves
to mature into cows On his farm al the time Mr.
Minshall would need a span Of good three-year-o
horses every year and would have 70 pasture and
iced six head with no accidents Here It takes
the price. Of sig two-year-oid steers and you'd