Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-02-19
STATE TAXES.


At Madison last Saturday John A.
Awkward discussed the Rreat and all p
absorbing question of state taxes He
spoke AZ II Democrat standing for good
things in government, with strict econ
omy in Lublc expenditures He
strongly attacked the mounting ex-
penses Of state government and charged
the Republican administration with un-
businesslike methods, with creating
unnecessary offices, and with unreason
able duplication Of work and efforts
and with intoerable extravaganza gen
orally.
In part Mr.. Awkward said:
Every dollar Of taxes whether raised
directly or indirectly belongs to the
people They have perfect right to
demand an accounting. 1t is still true
that public Office il II public trust
and that public officials should render
their account fully anG fairly.
The people want to know why state
taxes are three times AZ high rs last
year, neither excuses, nor insinuations
nor calling Of names will settle the de-
mand of the people to know where the
money went.
There il no sane demand for the abo
lition of all the commissions, nor the
abandonment of the essential parts of
their work but we challenge the rate of
taxation and state expenditures as ex.
cessive, oppressive and coniiscatory.
Some deny that we have made pro
gress in the past twenty five years and
sigh for the ancient order of things.
Their backs are always to the sun.
am not of that school. | am of those
who face the sun and to whom every
morrow brings new duties, new hopes
and aspirations.
The men who believe in President
Wilson are not of that school. We
would keep and guard the good that
has been done There is great room
for consolidation, for efficiency, for
economy, but not for reaction There
must be no retreat from the ground
gained.
But when it is sought rs the COVER
nor aud Prof Adams seek to hold up
the commissions and boards as Il shield
from the attack of unjust and exorbi-
tant taxation, we say No That il
not the issue.
Progress does not mean double taxa
ton, much less does it mean triple tax
alton in ten years. Progress and pov.
erty are not synonymous.
We say the multiplication of taxes
must cease or people will confound
progress with a total want of business
capacity and business methods; will
confound it with II multitude of useless
Offices with duplication of duties ;
with extravaganza, with excessive tax
alton. If SO, then all that has been
gained will be lost.
The dairy and food commission, the
tax commission, and the board of health
were established prior To LaFollette' 8
first term as governor and they have
amply justified their existence, The
railway commission and the industrial
commission have also rendered the state
invaluable service, If my party or
any party candidate should declare in
favor of wiping out these commissions,
would refuse to follow my party or to
support such candidate. Nevertheless,
even in these commissions there is op
portunity for curtailing expenses.
The cutlery against reckless extraya
pance is therefore not directed primari
Nv against the commissions as u whole
We do charge that the work of many
of the boards is duplicated that many
may be consolidated, that some may be
abolished and that expenses of the great
majority may be very materially re
duced with gain to the state,
The people of this state will no long
er endure the present situation, The
public service has been extended ant
multiplied until it has broken down OF
its own weight. 1t has been extended
not only through boards and multi
plication of inspectors but the same il
true in modified sense of the educa
tional, charitable and penal institutions
and each has gone on in its own indie
pendent way.
We demand reorganization of tn,
public service, the application of stric
business principles, the Standardization
of work and wages, retrenchment an,
economy-economy- economy. 1t il
not true, as the governor states, tina
retrenchment is impossible. The PEG
pie are the masters and retrenchmen
and a reduction of expenses to poin