River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-03-31
State Legislative News
From Hon. C. E. Hanson

the fight of its life to keep from being
taxed. While the farmers are home
repairing their machinery and getting
ready for the spring work the wealthy
people of the state, the big business
interests, are having an inning at
Madison They are demanding that
the Legislature pass no laws that will
increase income taxes in the state. 1t
is their idea if any new tax laws are
to be passed, the burden should fall on
the farmers
Last Thursday was a great day IN
the legislature for the tax dodgers.
At the beginning of the session OF the
assembly, by vote of AT to AZ the
house refused a reconsideration OF
the C. E. Hanson bill for repeal OF
the personal property offset. If this
bill had been passed the large busi-
ness interests of the state would have
been compelled to pay more taxes
and when wealth pays more taxes 1t
means that the farmers and the labor
ing men will pay less taxes.
There is one thing about the income
tax laws Of the state that want the
people of the state to understand. A
farmer must pay tax on his land
whether or not that land produces a
single dollar of income. A business
man does not have to pay dollar OF
income tax unless he has had pros
porous year and has made money.
The farmer is at disadvantage. lie
is always taxed. Thursday afternoon
of last week wealth enacted another
scene for its own advantage. Wealth
is now attempting to either decoy or
COW the legislature with feeling of
fear, should any income tax laws be
enacted.
During the war in order to escape
taxes wealth hoisted the banner and
shouted bolshevism against those who
demanded a higher tax on wealth and
a lower tax on farmers. Now the
same interests are crying bankruptcy.
There is always some dodge by those
who have wealth to get out of paying
their just share of taxes.
But the spectacle Thursday after
noon should be presented to the farm
ers of Wisconsin who must labor and
toll for their daily bread. The bust
ness interests of Milwaukee and the
Fox River Valley in order to put the
chill of fear upon the Legislature came
before the assembly three hundred
strong to protest against the Sever
son and other income tax bills which
would place a higher burden OF taxes
upon wealth. How did they come tc
Madison? These .unctious plutocrats
of the state road into the city OF
Madison on velvet cushions. in spec
ial train of fine buffet cars, parlor
cars, and diners. 1t is men travelI.s
in this high state of prosperity who
come to tell the Wisconsin legislature
that wealth could bear no further
burdens; that il more taxes were
needed those who till The soil must
pay them.
Right here let me quote few fig
ures from the Tax Commissions re-
port on manufacturers which show
that there are 2,704 who pay in in
come on SIS, 1884, 1858, taxable, tax
of only $4S7,355.37 averaging $780,
"a each. In looking over the report
we find great many who have hun
dreds of thousands income but do not
nay income tax because of the person
al property Offset, or rebates if you
please. This is a SPECIAL privilege
granted the well-to do. Eighty three
percent of the tax is paid on general
property. | do not ask for an in
crease of tax on property, but dc
plead for more uniform tax laws for
Wisconsin. Let us start econonizing
at home by cutting out unnecessary
appropriations and extravagances.
There has been no report OF the
joint finance committee and the as
sembly taxation committee on these
income tax bills but the prophecy is
ventured that there will be merry
legislative battle if wealth thinks II
is always going to escape paying It's
just share.
If anything elsa. were needed to
demonstrate the power that wealth
is welding over the legislature and
the fear that the members have been
inspired with by these business inter
ests it came in the assembly last Fri
day morning. The House had under
consideration a resolution by Assem-
blyman John Schafer of Milwaukee
n,emoralizing Congress to conscrlpt
capital to pay war debts. Schafer is