Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-08-19
BONUS REFERENDUM
MERITS SUPPORT
WAUSAU CITIZENS FAVOR
STATE APPROPRIATIONS
FOR EX-SERVICE MEN

The referendum election on the Sol
der Bonus Law will take place on
Tuesday, September 2, for the purpose
of obtaining the peoples approval to
raise a sum sufficient to assure each
sailor, soldier, marine and nurse, in
cluding Red Cross nurses, who served
in the armed forces of the United
States during the war against Ger
many and Austria, an amount not ex-
ceeding ten dollars for each month of
service, with a minimum of $50. The
bill, passed by the legislature, was
referended to the people through the
actions of the governor and the as
sembly.
The soldier bonus law provides for
the appointment of committee Of
three, to be known as the service rec
ognition board, and to consist of the
governor, the adjutant general and a
returned soldier to be appointed by
the former. The board will have In
its power the creating of general
rules and arrangements for the dis
tribution of the fund.
Sen. Bird Approves
Sen. C. B. Bird, speaking to a Pilot
representative, expressed his com
plete approval of the measure. Each
person can readily figure out what the
tax is going to mean to him." he de-
clared. 'The direct tax is $500 on
every $1,000 of valuation. By taking
his tax receipt, and obtaining his as
sessed property valuation, man can
easily tell just what he will have to
pay. No one who has, paid an in
come tax on less than $4,000 will be
affected. The tax on incomes in ex-
cess of $4,000 is figured out on
graded percentage basis"
Newman H. Bells, commander of
the Talbot Montgomery post of the
American Legion, says he believes the
proposed bonus to be a splendid
thing. / believe the right thing was
done when the legislature made pro-
vision to refer the entire question to
the people. There should be a re-
ferendum on such large appropria-
tiOn. A large number of men gave
up lot to go into the service, In
some way it is only proper that they
should be remunerated for their sac
rificeS."
Legion to Meet
The Talbot Montgomery post will
hold a special meeting tomorrow
night at 1880 for the purpose of dis
cussing the bonus. If the law is ap-
proved by the organization an effort
will be extended by the members to
obtain support from the citizens of
the community and the county. In
several other cities the local posts OF
the American Legion have taken defin-
ite steps to encourage voters to ap-
pear at the polls Tuesday, the second,
to register favorable vote for the
bonus law. In Milwaukee large post
ers urging support of the bill have
been placed in all public places.
County Clerk Edward Bruss says of
the law: "The bonus should be ap-
proved by the people. 1t is only fair
that the boys should receive gift such
as this. In my office there have been a
number of complaints overheard
some of them made by men who were
most patriotic during the war in sell
ing bonds and helping in other ways
Now that the bonus has come, how
ever, they declare their opposition.
Certainly they cannot be patriotic now
unless they approve it"
The Tax
Two methods are to be employed in
raising the $15,O00,00O to $18000.OO0
which will be needed. In simplifying
the explanation of how the tax will be
levied, Ira C. Parker, tax assessor of
Marathon county. gives the following
facts
Two methods will be employed to
raise the money! A surtax will be Inn.
posed on net taxable incomes I'm ex-
cess of $4,000. No incomes under
$4,000 will be affected by this taxa
ton.
There will also be general levy ON
property, the valuation apparently to
be fixed by the local assessor, Of three
mills on dollar. This will amount
to $500 per each $1,000 of assessed
property valuation.
Provision has been made In the law
so that counties which do not wish to
impose the last named property or
direct tax, may bond themselves for
the amount which should be realized
from their districts.
The total assessed valuation of
nranar-tv In TViSaauStu uas lost vaar