Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-04-21
JOHN AWKWARD
ON STATE TAXES

John A. aAylward of Madison, spoke
before tile Mems club of the Univer-
sal church last Friday evening, upon
Estate Taxes and State Expenditures. |"
Mr.. Aylward has appeared before
large audiences in Wausau before,
during campaigns when he was a
candidate for governor OF this state,
and on those occasions he won an Ell
yiaDe reputation rs an orator OF a
very high order and one who present..
ed the questions az issue with the
utmost fairness and impartiality
which stamped aim as being honest
and fearless in his convictions This
had made him many followers and
warm friends in Wausau. The an
nouncement that he was TO speak
before the club on Friday eyer-
ing, brought out all che men-
bers of the club who were In
the city and The resuE was that
eyeay seat was taken at the supper
which was served by the ladies' of
the church, at 6:30 o'clock. MIR Ayl-
ward was introduced by @. G. Yawkey,
president of the club, and he gave
those present a most comprehensive
address on the tax question, as relates
to our state, and it covered every phase
of the situation He ayerred that the.
real question at issue was that the
present rate OF taxation and state
expenditures was challenged as ex
cessive, oppressive, extortionate, con-
fiscatory and destructive of state,
progress. He explained thoroughly
the two sources Of state income, the
direct and indirect, and showed by a.
mass of figures how the state ex-
penditures had increased in ten years
200 percent, from SIS, 342, 023 in 1906 to
SIG, 272, 900 in 1914.
Mr.. Aylward said that in 1915, de-
spite the increased corporation and
railway taxes, the taxes twill be high
er for 1915 than for 1914. While the
exact figures are not obtainable, the
assistant secretary of state estimates
that the budget as adopted by the
last legislature provides ROUGHLY for
about $500, 900 increase over the bud
get of 1914. 20 doubt this is approx
imately true ano If true, the total
state taxes next year will be roughly,
Sl7,000,000. Under the laws passed at
the last session there will be available
TOR the Normal School at Eau Claire
an additional appropriation of 5000, 900;
for the Stout Institute 1865, 900; for
the Southern Wisconsin Home of
Feeble Minded at Racine S3O0,0O for
the Womans' Home at Fond du Lac
5000, 600; for State building at Mil
waukee $4,000: and increases in the
Normal Schools and Charitable and
Penal Institutions, in all a permanent
building Appropriation of over So, 600,-
00). These 40 doubt will justify and
probably exceed the estimate
The speaker also showed that the
attitude of the present state admins
tration was as Tax Commissioner
Adams had expressed it in a recent
speech: "The program calling for
these taxes is going on whether the
people like it or not" And further:
Don't talk about stopping things
that won't be stopped"
1t is impossible for the PILOT to go
into. the details of this excellent
speech, suffice it to say that Mr.
Aylward has the speech in printed |
form and viii be glad to send it tet
any one making request.
At the conclusion of the address,
Mr. Aylward was given a vote OF
thanks. After which there was q.
brief reception during which all took |
the opportunity of meeting the orr
ator OF the evening
There was one thing which VAS
very evident: The audience was in
fun accord with Mr.. Awkward
throughout.