Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-01-21

These vast expenditures are partly
due to a policy Of expansion of the
states activities far beyond what was
formerly conceived to be the proper
function Of government, to a lack of
business system in organizing these
activities, and to the further fact that
the legislatures have been too gener-
Gus in their appropriations for the
support of the several public institu-
tions.
From the report of the Tax Com
mission, learn that the total amount
of taxes for local and state govern
ment for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1914, aggregates nearly f1fty-two
and one-half million dollars. The fol-
lowing table shows the amount de-
rived from each source classified &C
Cording to the system of taxation
which produced it:
General property tax SAL, 500, $50 90
Corporation taxes $500. 8,437, 10000
income tax .......-.... 1850, 1880
Inheritance tax ...... 458,903 90
Total ........S52,44 4,184.OO
These figures show why the people
are complaining of high taxes and
are clamoring for a change in the poll
cies that have produced such enor-
nous expenditures.
Public institutions that have been
recipients of too liberal appropriations
may not be willing to have their finan-
cial support cut down, and we may
reasonably expect strong opposition to
any effort to inaugurate a financial
policy that will conform to the de-
mands of the people. However, re-
gard my election as governor as a Qon-
tract with the people to reduce the
expenditures of the state government
to a reasonable basis, and propose to
fulfill that promise so far as it is with
In the power of the executive to do so.
Boards and Commissions.
One of the tendencies of our state
government in recent years has been
to create a large number of commits
sions or bureaus to which has been
delegated large part of the functions
Of government While some commits
sions are useful and, therefore, indis-
pensable, quite number can be abol-
Lshed and others consolidated, greatly
reducing the number of employees and
In that way effecting a substantial
saving. 1t should be our purpose to
retain every service rendered by the
state at this time that is useful to the
people and is worth what it costs. But
In rendering this service care should
be exercised so as to prevent duplica-
ton of employees, and their duties
should be so arranged as to enable
them to give the maximum service.
The agencies of government should
at all times be kept under the control
Of the people and made responsible to
the people. 1t was so intended in our
original plan of government. and
whenever we depart from that, as we
have in this instance, we deprive the
people of the power of self govern
ment
That the people wish to rely upon
the governor to exercise a better con-
troll over public expenditure, will. l be-
ieve, not be questioned by those who
understand present day public senti-
ment 1t would, however, be manifest
ly unfair to hold the executive respon-
sible for expenditures that he can in
no wise control, and I recommend that
the laws creating commissions be so
amended as to give the governor some
measure of supervision over the ex-
penditures of these bodies.
In the work of consolidating some
commissions and discontinuing others
| wish to lay emphasis upon the nee
essity Of retaining all those features
of each that have proven useful to
the people. The Railroad Commission
is performing a useful service and de-
serves to be literally. though not ex-
travagantly, supported. This body is
conducting Investigations of railroads
and public service corporations, much
of which information is of like nature
with that needed by the Tax Commits