The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-08-10
Republican Citizens Committee Answers the
Statements Made by Governor Blaine
Here and Elsewhere.
"A COLOSSAL MISREPRESENTATION
Statement Denounces Attempt of Blaine to Assume
Responsibility for Work of Tax Commission
Asa Political Trick.

Wnen ne charged LHaI COApoIdIlohS lSA Z
had withheld portions of their income
tax and similar statements made in
other parts of the state, the Citizens
Republican State Conference issued a
statement today, denouncing this step
of Governor Blaine as "an attempt to
foist on the voters of Wisconsin the
most colossal misrepresentation and
the most daring political trick ever at
tempted in the history of our COM
monwealth."
The statement is of special interest
here since Governor Blaine played this
trump card of his campaign first in the
address made in Kenosha, when in a
sensational speech he charged several
Kenosha corporations with withhold
ing taxes and charged the press with
suppressing the news Of these deals.
The statement issued today and signed
by Secretary B. Skogmo of the commit
tee, brands the statements of Governor
Blaine as Misrepresentation.
The joker has been played on the
governors trump card.
Political Bluff Called.
The claim of the governor and of
Senator La Toilette that the present
state administration has recovered
more than half million dollars fraud
ulently withheld from income tax pay
ments by corporations is characterized
in the statement as ga political bluff of
such magnitude, yet so easily dis
proven, that it is surprising that poll
ticians of the LaFollette Blaine er-
ger-T ownley type would not hit upon
something which had few pillars of
truth to uphold what otherwise can be
shown to be complete and utter fab
rication."
1t is claimed in the conferences
statement:
1. That all credit for the recovery
of about 100000 in corporation income
taxes belongs to the tax commission,
only one member of which was recently
named by Governor Blaine, long after
Investigations had been started and
many completed.
2. That the work was well under
way, and that 100000 had been recov-
cred or was being recovered before
that the work would have been con-
tinued under any governor elected.
8. That there is nothing to show
that Gov. Blaine was even aware of the
work which was going on until late in
1921, when his consent as governor and
member of the emergency board was
asked to a move to transfer $4,000
ho al. l.
the tax commissions appropriation to
make possible the employment of more
field agents.
No Penalties Collected.
4. That, although the law provides
for a heavy cash penalty and for Grim
inal prosecution in cases where fraud
can be shown, thert have been fewer
than a dozen penalties collected, the
sum total of which has been practical
ly negligible, and that there has not
been single case of prosecution under
the criminal statute.
Guilty of Neglect.
3. That, if Gov. Blaine has the evil
dence to substantiate his statements
that these sums have been fraudulently
withheld, he has, in failing to institute
proceedings, been guilty of neglect
of duty which Should indict him sum-
marily before the voters of the state
at the primaries"
6. That every recovery which has
thus far been made has been the result
of the work of agents of the tax COM
mission in checking returns-an activ-
ity in which both state and federal
agents have been engaged for ten years
and that no instance could be discov-
cred where conferences did not result
in settlement, not a single appeal
having been taken to the courts.
A Daring Political Trick.
The statement of the conference.
signed by Senator Skogno, in pars fol-
lows:
"An attempt is being made to foist
on the voters of Wisconsin what in our
opinion is the most colossal misrepre-
sentation and the most daring political
trick ever attempted in the history of
our commonwealth. Gov. Blaine in his
speeches throughout the state is at
tempting to create the impression that
corporations are withholding fraudu-
lently millions of dollars due the state
in income taxes, that he made the dis.
covery of this situation, and his adj
ministration is now at work making
collections and enriching the treasury
by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"The governor tells his audiences
how surprised he was when these facts
were brought to his attention by some
mysterious visitor, the establishment
he felt and how he was spurred on in
his efforts toward bringing about set
Element, The governors story varies
somewhat in his speeches, but what he
means his hearers to believe is that
these alleged frauds were UNCOV-
Erred BY HIM. In one of his versions
the governor was sick in bed when the
astounding revelations were made to
him by this unnamed messenger.
Luckily, the public records are at
hand to expose what must forever go
down in our states history as political
chicanery beyond the power of words
70 describe. The surprising element
IN the entire situation is that crafty