Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-01-23

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 pubic 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 ac-
cording to the system of taxation
which produced it:
General pr .perty tax SAL, 596, 10000
Corporation taxes $500. 8,43790600
Income tax ..,......... 1850, 1880
Inheritance tax ........ 458,90300
Total .,......$ 52, 444, 1S400
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
i
mauds of the people However, I 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
slons 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 a number can be abol-
ished and others consolidated, greatly
reducing the number of employees and
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
ne exercised so as to prevent duplica-
ZION OF employees, and their duties
should be so arranged as to enable
tnem to give the maximum service.
The agencies of government should
al 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
nave IN this instance, we deprive the
people Of the power of self govern
msut
That the people wish to rely upon
the governor to exercise a better con-
troll over public expenditure, will, l be-
heye, not be questioned by those who
Understand present day public senti-
ment- II would, however. be manifest
y unfair to hold the executive respon-
e'O'e lot expenditures that he can in
no wise control, and I recommend that
tue laws creating commissions be so
emehoed as to give the governor some
measure OF supervision over the ex-
Penditures OF these bodies.
N ina work of consolidating some
commissions and disseminating others
Wish to lay emphasis upon the nee
sssity OF retaining all those features
~ each that have proven useful to
sue people. The Railroad Commission
as performing useful service and de-
serves to be literally. though not ex-
pa aganuy, supported This body is
inducing Investigations of railroads
1aa public service corporations, much
VI which j formation is of like nature
~lla tEat p aded by the Tax Commits