The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-08-02


AT conference attended by all the
progressive senators, Speaker Dahl, 9.
E. Hanson, chairman of the assembly
tax committee, Attorney General Ekern
and Robert H. LaFollette, Jr., the gov
ernor's tax bill was taken up and dis
cussed at great length, and it was de-
cided to discard it, and that the finance
committee should draft a new tax
bill, which they did.
ct was understood that all progress
sives would support the bill drafted
by the finance committee. To our sur
prise, however, when this bill came up
for vote in the senate, FIVE senators
who were close to the governor and
either then 70 since have received APP
Ipointments and jobs from him, voted
against the committee bill and de-
feated it. Again, when my surtax bill
came to a vote, the same thing hap
pened: one senator who has received
job from the governor voted against
it, and his was the vote by which it
was defeated.
Cites Political Reason.
ct was common talk at this time ia
the legislature that the governor did
not want a tax bill passed at this ses
sion, that it was good talking point
and a good vote getter for the next
election. 1t is a strange thing that as
soon as all tax bills were filed and out
of the way, it was announced by the
governors press agent that he would be
a candidate for a third term and would
again go to the people on the tax
question.
'Not passing tax bill, however, is
not the only failure of this admins
tration. We promised the people econ
omy, but a program of increased ex-
penditures, whcih increased and boost
ed salaries for commissioners and in
creased state expenditures in many
other ways, went through.
CATER the legislature this increase
in state expenditures and salary boost
ing leaked out over the state. There
has been great effort made at the cap
| itol, and propaganda sent out, pre-
tending to show that this is not so.
You will find that their proof consists
in the fact that they are not taking
money out of the general fund, but
out of the highway fund. In other
words, they are getting it out of your
other pocket.
Describes Administration Army
eve now have in Wisconsin II COM
missions, boards and bureaus. These
departments employ an army of peo-
Pile, many of them called inspectors
running about the state spending
money. am unable to give any esti-
mate of their number. 1t has been
suggested that there is now one in
spector for every fence post in the
state The state pay roll is now larger
than the family Bible.
"The newspapers have been full of
announcements of appointments to the
different offices. 1t is getting top
/ heavy. The result of it was quite no
ticeable in the last session when
stories of padded accounts, bribery and
corruption were made, not only by
members on the floor, but it was com
mon talk around the capitol.
$50 bad was this condition that a
citizens committee of 100 filed
charges
investigation. The committee on leg
islative procedure in the senate draft
ed resolution and recommended it to
be passed. The senate killed this by
one vote.
Blaine Opposed Probe.
'It is unfortunate that the COVER
nor, instead of joining in and asking
for an investigation, opposed 1T, and
was the means of its defeat. His
private secretary did the unusual
| thing when this vote was taken to be
lobbying in the senate and asking sem
ators to vote against the investigation.
He congratulated some of the senators
because they had been able to put it
to sleep Since that investigation was
killed, several of the senators who
helped do the job, have been given
places on the state pay rool and fat
| jobs.
"Besides the wrong done in finan-
cial way, it was also charged that wo-
men have been locked in offices and
assaulted by public officils in the cap
itol. An investigation as to corrupt
conduct can be killed by politicians in
office, but it will mean much to small
tax payers who are unable to find
enough money to pay taxes. The fact
that women are assaulted at the cap
| itol may not mean much to office
holders who are drawing fat salary.
1t means a great deal more to parents
and mothers who wonder if the same
treatment will be accorded their
daughters"
Madison, Wis. Politicians here
see in the speech made by Senator II.
J. Severson at Waupaca, the opening
Of war within the Progressive Re-
publican ranks, aimed at the eandi
dacy of Governor Blaine for third
term as Wisconsin's chief executive.
Tho oovaruo or incurred the omen and