The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-04-22
TAX BILLS SCORED.


The executive committee of the
Home Rule and Tax payers league on
Monday issued a statement to members
of the league discussing merits and
dement's OF bills pending before the
legislature and urging them to watch
proceedings at the state capitol,
The Statement OF the committe in
part is as follows;
There is one bill under consdera-
tion. prepared, We are informed by one
of the tax officials, providing for high
er taxes on real property, higher
rate of income tax, and an increased
automobile tax. No one denies that at
the last election people demanded low
er taxes. one of the champions of this
bill. when asked at commute hear
ing why personal property should not
be taXeo as well as real property, stat
ed, in substance, that the amount Of
personal property man possesses is
no test of his ability to pay taxes. A
more foolish astounding answer rever
was made before legislative commit
te
According TO that reasoning, if a
sells to b a farm for So, 200, b, after
the sale, must pay heavy tax on his
land, but A, having only $4,000 in
cash. is unable to pay taxes. That
doubtless, is the result of expert know.
ledge.
"Therc are bills before the legisla-
ture providing for consolidation of sew
eral boards and commissions, with a
view to securing more economy, and
greater efficiency. To this policy the
administration is committed. Voters
were practically unanimous in this de-
mand. In public discussion recently
held in Madison on some of these bills,
one of the opponents of the pending
measures is reported by local paper,
to have stated, that centralized power
would lead To corruption.
For ten years we have been central
iaing power in the tax commission, the
railroad rate commission, the industrial
commission, the highway commission,
and other state agencies, until at pres
ent the people find themselves shorn of
power, under business and political
guardianship, and subject TO bureau
crscy that no free people will continue
to tolerate. Was all this to lead TO
corruption? When our opponents we're
centralizing power it was efficiency but
when the present administration recon-
mends consolidation for economy efli-
cheney and true democracy, it is corrup
tion.
"The people can be trusted TO weigh
such utterances, and give them the
considerations they deserve. At that
discussion another speaker, also an OPP
ponen of the administration, was fair
enough to say that he hopes the present
legislature will reduce the cost of gov
ernment, and at the same time add to
its efficiency, and he believes this can
bf done.
SIT was also stated, at the same dis
cussion, that all the boards and com
missions do not call for one-twentieth
of the state. expenses. If that state
ment is true, it is high time to begin
TO cut down state expenses. But the
statement is not correct. The approp-
rations for the tax commi ission. and the
railroad rate commission are not far
from $500, 900 a year each. Then con
slider the appropriations for all the
other commissions, and see where we
land assuming that the sum of all these
is only one-twentielh of the state ex-
pense.
1.-TWO important facts stand out:
III Taxes are constantly increasing
t2) Political power is being taken
from the people and centralized in
these commissions and boards that
have come TO constitute a new depart
ment of government, gathering 10
themselves not only administrative,
but legislative, executive and judicial
power.
"We earnestly request the members
Of the league to watch the proceedings
at the state capitol II relief is secur-
ed, If genuine reform is instituted, it
will be largely because OF your watch.
fitness and determination.