Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-08-31
GOVERNOR Phillip LAID
BEAR BY LA TOILETTE
STATE TREASURER AND SECRETARY BEAR OUT LA TOILETTE IN
EXPOSE OF GOVERNORS PRETENDED SAVINGS

New LISBON, w IS, aug. Z4- AS
Stunning receipts and disbursements
will be the same this year as last year
for the same period of time, the treas
ury of the state will be entirely emp
ty of cash long before November 1,
when the railroad taxes are to be paid,
declared Senator Robert NJ La Fol-
lette in a speech here this afternoon.
The Governor, he said, claimed ne had
saved $841 ,627 of the tax levy. But
to do so the Senator charged that the
Phillip administration had depleted
the state treasury in one year $780,
900. He bases his statements on re-
cent letters, which he read to the au
dience, from Secretary of State John
S. Donald and State Treasurer Henry
Johnson.
what does it profit a man if he
gain $841, 900 if he suffers the loss of
$1,080,000?" asked Senator La Fol
lette. The Senator's meeting here
was arranged by Assemblyman H. J.
Mortensen.
81 have before me the Governors
campaign document entitled, Message
to the People, claimed by him to be
Facts from the Records On pages
7 and 8 he gives the tax levies for
1914 and 1915, showing that the levy
for the last year of McGovern's ad-
ministration was $5,272,363 and the
levy for the first year of Philips adj
misistration was $4,430,736, declared
Senator La Toilette. The levy for
1915 under the present administra-
ton was S841, 627 less than under the
McGOvern administration. This, the
Governor calls saving of $841,626
Upon this he bases his whole conten-
ton of reduced taxes. This is the
whole saving, according to his Facts
from the Records
Last fall l made the statement.
backed by official figures, that there
would be no saving during the Phil
ipp administration. I said then that
the present administration would rob
the working balance in the state treas
ury for operating expenses of enough
to more than offset any saving in the
tax levy. Ny estimates were franti-
cally denied.
"Now, | have before me an official
statement from John S. Donald, Sec
rotary of State, showing the condi-
ton of the state treasury August 10,
1915, and August 10, 1916. | will
read it in full.
August 21, 1916.
Honorable C. H. Crownhart, Madi-
son, Wisconsin.
my dear sir:
I'm compliance with your request
for statement showing the balance
IN the General Fund of the state on
August 10, 1915, and on August 10.
1916, herewith submit the same.
Balance, General Fund, August 10.
1915 $4,3O9,332.36.
Balance, General Fund, August 10,
1916, $840,341.55.
For purposes of comparison it
should be stated that in 1915 one
half of the railroad tax, amounting TO
$2,388,988 had been received prior
to this date. This portion of the rail
road tax for 1916, because of a change
IN the law, will not be received until
November.
Eliminating the railroad tax for the
year 1915 on this date, the balance
would have been $780, 43.91, which
is the fair figure to compare with the
balance given for the same date. 1916.
You also ask for the general fund
receipts and disbursements from Au-
gust 10, 1915, to November /, 1915.
The figures are as follows:
Disburse-