The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-08-20

visitor in our home and every mem
Der of the family loved him.
Finally. he promised to withhold
his resolution. and l believe we MADE
better progress in the long run by
building our structure Of reform step
bv step. I have always felt that the
political reformer, like the engineer
or the architect, must know that his
foundations are right. To build the
superstructure in advance of that is
likely to be disastrous to the Whole
thing. He must not put the roof on
before he gets the underpinning in.
And the UNDERMINING Is education
Of the people.
Elected Governor
In the convention I was unani-
mously nominated. and in November
the State gave me the largest ma
1ority ever given up TO that time
to a gubernatorial candidate. on
Ian 7 1901. I took the oath Of office.
Up to the time the Legislature met
on Jan. 9, felt we should be able
to go forward steadily with the re-
forms for which the people OF the
State had declared.
I even felt the machine politicians
who came to me offering their sup
mort were really convinced that the
reforms we demanded were inevita-
BILE and that they would no longer
oppose them.
/ was vet to learn the length to
which the corporations and the ma
chine politicians who represented
them would go in their efforts to de-
feat our measures. They now car
ried out openly their plans for steal
ing the Legislature.
When the Legislature met there
was a general gathering OF the ma
chine leaders at the capital. They
attended my Inauguration and there
was no manifestation Of hostile pur-
poses. But forty-eight hours after
ward the mask was off.
The newspapers on the morning
Of Jan. Q contained the startling an.
nouncement that the "Stalwart' Re
publicans las the machine element
Of the party now for the first time
called themselves were in control of
the Senate and that they proposed
to fight legislation pledged in the
platform.
1t was a great shock 10 us.
found ii hard TO believe men elected
upon issues so clearly presented
would have the hardit God to turn
about so quickly.
Our friends were in undisputed
control Of the lower House Of the
Legislature, the Assembly, and after
a hasty conference we decided to
pay no attention to the sinister re-
ports regarding the Senate, hoping
that they might not be true.
Reads Message
All the Governors before me, so
far as know, had sent in their mes
sages to the Legislature to be mum
bled over by a reading clerk. l knew
that I could make a very much
stronger impression with my recon-
mendations if I could present my
message in person to. the Legisla-
ture in joint session. This l did;
and in consequence awakened a
wide interest throughout the State.
The predominant notes in the mes
sage were direct primaries and rail
road taxation-one political and one
economic reform.
The railroads at that time paid
taxes in the form of a license fee
upon their gross earnings. The re.
port of the tax commission showed
that while real property in Wiscon-
sin paid 1.19 per cent of its market
value in taxes. the railroads paid
only SO per cent Of their market
value Cbased on the average value
of stocks and bonds or less than
one-half the rate paid by farmers.
manufacturers, home owners and
others.
Upon this showing we contended
that the railroads were not bearing
their fair share of the burdens of
the State.
The tax commission suggested
two measures of reform. One of
| their bills provided, for a simple in
crease in the license tax, the other
provided for a physical valuation Of
the railroads and a wholly new sys-
tenn of taxation upon an adj valorem
basis, measures which I had earnest
ly advocated in my campaign
speeches, and recommended in my
message.
No sooner had the taxation AMI
direct primary bills been introduced
than the lobby gathered in Madison
IN full force. Lobbyists had been
there before, but never in such num-
bers, or with such an organization
l never saw anything like it.
The railroads, threatened with the
taxation bills, and the bosses, threat.
ened by the direct primary, evi-
IDENTIFY regarded it as the death strug-
gle. Not only were the regular lob
byists in attendance, but they made
a practice during the entire winter
Of bringing in delegations Of more or
less influential men from all parts
of the State, some Of whom often
remained two or three weeks, and
brought every sort of pressure to
bear on the members or the Legis-
lature.
Center of Fight
The whole fight was centered upon
me personally. They thought that