The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-02-11

wisconsin tax system to a state of bet
ter unity, the legislature has added adj
ditional duties from time to time until
the cost is also greater than it should
De, measured by the results secured to
the people.
Cost of Bureaus.
Thebanking department. cost $4S. 153.
The industrial commission, including its
work of factory inspection, blue book
compilation and printing, its investiga-
ton OF various subjects, cost in 1914 a
total of $127,S06. The dairy and food
commission cost $67 ,3.47. One of the
agencies of the state that could be dis
pensed with is that of the bureau which
revises the statutes Inclusive of print
ing the cost last year was 5,215, of
which about 1000 is for salaries paid.
Until the new system came into use,
Wisconsin statutes were revised once
every ten years and the legislature
passed the revision and the governor
signed it just as any law would be
passed. Under the present system a
permanent bureau is in constant work
ing order. Revisions are made every
two years and the laws of each session
are incorporated.
1t costs Wisconsin 1922 to pass
upon the qualifications of its employees
who are under civil service, another
part of the system which has grown in
to costly expansion.
The state board of health last year
expended $43,6 GIT and the fish and game
department $164,O20. In the superin-
tendent of public property department
the total expenses were $l73,SS7. The
board of forestry expended $36,498, and
the Wisconsin National guard in all
branches cost $16S,OoO. The, free library
commission and legislative reference IL
brary cost $58,128; the geological and
natural history surveys, $4,000; the
state board of agriculture, $27, 044;
board of immigration, $16,841; printing
board, $12,575; state highway commits
sion, exclusive of aid to counties, $685.
66S. The fire marshal spent $26,307; the
grain and warehouse commission, $751;
362; the state board Of public affairs
for surveys and other expenses, $31 1861.
To Work for Saving.
The legislative committee appointed
under the Johnson resolution consists
of Senators Whitman and Fairchild and
Assemblymen Van Gordon, Harrington
and Helm. These five men, if they do
their work as it should be done and the
legislature accepts their report and rec
concentrations, will be instrumental in
saving the taxpayers thousands of dol
lars. This can be done in bringing about
common sense economies in the payroll
without in any serious way impairing
the service of the state.
When it comes to handling matters
which relate to big savings in expendi
lures and which can be effected by cut
ting off unnecessary service of chief
benefit to those the state pays for the
work larger field is opened up.
The entire program of paying bonuses
should be revised. Those alone of an
educative necessity should continue.
There is big list of boards, societies
and associations the appropriations of
which, though small, can well be saved
without damage to the public interest.
It can be said of the members of this
investigating committee that in both
houses their selection is based upon the
desire of the members to get at the
facts Of the situation.
This work should have been prepared
by the state board of public affairs and
presented to the legislature in the form
of a report to guide it in bringing about
necessary economies.