Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-08-10
KARL MATHIE
HURLS KEYNOTE
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creased over 1,100 per cent In 1901,
the net cost of state government was
S3,000,000; in 1911, 100000 in 1921,
over $33, 100000, and for the year end
ing June, 1922 under a tight wad'
governor it was over S36,000,0O0. Why
is our state, so rich in natural re-
sources. growing SO slowly? This is
your answer. Staggering burdens OF
taxation are running the new settlers,
eating up the substance of the farms
and draining the life blood of indus
try.
IF the same rate of Republican pro-
gression continues then in 1881 our
state government will cost us over
$100,000,000. AS business contemplate
the fact that the power to tax is the
power to destroy they hesitate to en-
bark on new enterprises in Wiscon-
sin, for the only cure the Governor
suggests is to get the increased taxes
out of industry, 1t is this helpless
and hopeless attitude of the admins
tration that is holding back the de-
velopment of our state. Detroit, a city
in a state free from hostile legisla-
ton, has grown more in ten years
than the whole state of Wisconsin
has in twenty, so closely is the well
fare of the commonwealth linked up
with the question of taxation.
why have our Republican govern
ors failed to stem this dangerous
flood? Because Madison is honey
combed with horde of tax eaters, so
numerous that no one seems to be
able to count them. Nearly all of
nj cd in, nc hai T.
job. Many of them are out today do
ing missionary work for the admins
tration, some against civil service
rules. / recently wrote to our state
treasurer asking him for the number
of commissions for the years 1901,
1911, and 1921, and he referred me
politely to the blue books for those
years. Then / asked him for the num-
Der of state employees for those years
and he referred my inquiry to the
Civil Service commission The Civil
Service commission advised me that
they did not know and suggested that
/ write the secretary of state. | have
written the secretary and when l
learn the number, provided the secre-
tary does not pass the buck" as did
the others, / shall be glad to an
nounce it. I assure you now that if
I am elected governor in November
the open season for unnecessary and
overlapping tax-eating commissions
will begin in January. The Republi-
cans have had their chance and
failed, now give us chance, for we
shall not hesitate to dispense with
unnecessary tax eaters.
81 wish that l might recall to your
memory the great achievements of the
last Democratic administration and to
give you my reasons for being proud
of the Democratic party, but when a
U. S. senator raises the question OF
the patriotism of large part of our
citizens, all other considerations must
wait to meet this astounding chal-
ienge.
81 regret that man whom the state
has honored by making him its gov
ernor and its spokesman in the Unit
ed States Senate could so far forget
himself as to go into our communi,
ties of German stock and tell trust
ing people that our boys went into the
Great War not to resist an autocracy
that threatened to enslave the whole
world, not to defend ourselves against
unrestricted submarine warfare, moi