The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-09-20
BACK TO AN OLD LOVE.

The report comes from Madison that the
present administration is planning to make an
attack on the railways of the state as the para
mount issue in the next campaign IN the state.
It is declared that the railways will be charged
with "evading taxes" and that the governor
will make this the central feature of his CAM
align addresses, with demand for new sys-
tenn of taxing the railways which would put the
power of making or reviewing assessments IN
the hands of the governor and the attorney
general
Fighting the railways is going back to an
old love for the members of the administration
and possibly it is counted on to be more popu-
lar with the people than fighting and menac-
ing industrial development. The last cam
pagn brought a campaign of hatred against
industrial leaders. This one promises to bring
an attack upon the transportation systems of
the state.
We have no bfief for any one who evades,
taxation. We believe that every one in the
state should pay the taxes provided by law but
we are not in favor of heckling either a great
industry or great transportation agency just
to make campaign issue.
The railways of Wisconsin paid seven million
dollars in taxes to Wisconsin last year. This
was the amount demanded from them by the
state tax commission after what it considered
fair valuation. 1t can be added that the val
uation of the railways has been considered ade-
quate and that the taxes which they have paid
to the state have doubled in the last ten years.
Boosting taxes of the railways is pretty GER
tain to be popular campaign issue. Few peo-
pie in Wisconsin are stockholders in railways
and the rest of the people pay little attention
to their financial condition Hardly person.
In Wisconsin could be found who could state
with any degree of reliability whether any of
The railways in the state had made or lost
money during the past year.
The tax commission which has had charge of
The valuation of the railway property is a body
entirely in sympathy with the party to which
the governor is aligned and which has been
responsible for his being in power.
1t is only fair to believe that such commits
sion has echoed the wishes of the men most
closely associated with the governor.
The idea of dictation has been strong in the
mind of the governor He has sought to make
The Office of the governor the personal clearing
house for all activities of the state. His tax
bill, which the legislature wisely defeated,
would have turned the valuation of the rail
ways into the governors Office. The whole
hing is expressive of the idea of the governor
hat his personal power should be made great
er.
The state OF wisconsin can Ill afford to take
The taxation of the railways away from rec
lgnized tax commission and turn it over to the
two men suggested If the tax commission is
Incompetent to handle this problem of railway
valuation and taxation the important thing is
70 get another tax commission composed of in
selligent men who have a desire to be fair to
the railways and to be fair to the rest of us.
Dictatorial taXation is certain to spell ruin
Tor the transportation systems and these sys-
ems are too badly needed in Wisconsin to have
hem made the football of self-seeking politi-
ians.