Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-01-20

delegated large part of the functions
of government While some commits
sions are useful and, therefore, indis
pensable, quite a number can be abol
ished and others consolidated, greatly
reducing the number of employees and
| In that way effecting a substantial
saving. II 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 dupiica-
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. II was so intended In our
original plan of government, and
wherever we depart from that, as we
have In Glis 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, be-
lieve, not be questioned by those who
understand present day public senti-
ment II would, however, be manifest
~ unfair 10 hold the executive respon-
sible for expenditures that he can in
no wise control, and 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 discoptinuing others
I 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
sion. In the interest Of economy the
field work of the Tax Commission
should be cut down as much as pos
sible, especially where &c can be Gov
cred by the Investigations of the Rail
road Commission.
/ recommend as a further economy
that the services of income assessors
be dlspened with and that their duties
be tranferred to the local assessors
and tax-collectors. IL local assessors
can be t,usted with the assessment
of real estate and all other taxable
property. fail TO see any good reason
why they should not be trusted with
the assessment OF incomes. The mat
ter OF securing full returns Of taxable
Incomes is achieved by the penalties
provided by law more than by any
activity upon the part of the income
assessor. This rule would also hold
true In the assessment of personal prop
erty for which the income tax is sub
stitute. Inasmuch as 80 per cent of
the income tax goes back 10 the eoun-
ties and municipalities in which It is
collected, It is safe to assume that the
local assessors will not lack in energy
10 get full return. The Tax Com
mission reports the cost OF collecting
income tax for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1914. as 500 .207.59. This
amount can be largely saved 10 the
state by the change in system which
have suggested.
II is the business of this administers
tion to abolish all that are useless and
to greatly reduce the number of those
institutions, and so far as it is prac-
teal TO bring the government back to
the constitutional officers OF the state.
|, therefore, recommend that you make
a thorough investigation Of the entire
subject with a view TO meeting the
public demand.
Werkmen's Compensation.
The Worbmens Compensation Act
Is correct In principle and should re-
ceive the attention OF the legislature
with view to further perfecting It.
Nevertheless, the cost of conducting
the affairs of the Industrial Commits
sion has grown to large sum. For
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1914,
the cost Of the commission was S104.-
1880. II seems that large item of
this cost is due to the expense of send
ing out inspectors on individual cases,
and the ultimate perfecting of the law
win result in materially reducing this
part Of the cost of administration.
The law now provides that all ap-
peals from orders of tho commission
shall be taken TO the circuit court of
Dane county. This provision makes
litigation under the act unnecessarily
expensive and Is inconsistent with the
spirit OF the law ! would suggest
that the law be changed so that cases
appealed TO the circuit court may be
tried in the circuit where the claim
originated.
Legislative Reference Bureau.
The legislature OF 1903 created a
legislative reference library Its pur-
pose was TO furnish information to
members of the legislature upon such
subjects as related to legislation. II
has since been converted into bill
drafting institution where proposed
laws are furnished upon application
without any further effort upon the
part OF the legislator. This system
has had the effect of greatly increas-
ing the number Of bills introduced and
has resulted in the passage of a great
many useless laws. The legislature of
1913 passed 77S bills.
The purpose OF the original act
creating the library was good. How
ever. we must now Judge its value by
the record II has made, which | be
lieve to justify the statement that Il
has exercised an undue influence upon
legislation. II has resulted in outside
preparation of bills for legislative &C
ton, superceding individual legislative
study, and greatly impairing legisla.
tive efficiency, TO net as the result of