Evening star., 1932-09-23
TAXPAYERS REVOLT
SEEN IN WISCONSIN
Blow at Estate Socialism"
Trend of La Toilette Also
Rated Election Factor.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

CHICAGO. September 23.-The turn
ing out of the La Toilette machine in
Wisconsin justifies all the attention
that is being paid to it. 1t was. first
of all. taxpayers rebellion. Collateral
to that, it was a demonstration Of
farmers and small business men against
State socialism. The taxes collected by
the State and local governments under
the La Toilette machine had multiplied
five times In 20 years. This gave rise
to a slogan on the part of taxpayers,
More for us, less for the State"
assertion Of the right Of the citizen to
keep what he earns. 1t was clear-cut
fight between taxpayers and the tax
spending State government. The La
Toilette organization used the taxes they
collected for addition after addition to
the functions of the State. Lately the
La Follettes began to preach doctrines
which to the people Of the State sound
ed like frank advocacy OF something
like State socialism.
Involved with the La Follettes was
the State university, which IS controlled
by the State government. The condl-
tion gave rise to a slogan to the effect
that the La Toilette machine and the
State university were ION the road "
Moscow"
Taxes Burdened Farmers.
The taxes bore with especial weight
en- farmers. A saying which inquired IN
the fight was to the effect the La Fol-
lettes were using the taxes they collect
ed to build marble palaces IN wnlch 10
carry on their functions and leaving
to the farmer not enough to paint MS
barn. Business men were so burdeneo
with taxes that some manufacturers
announced frankly that they could not
compete against similar concerns IN
other States having more reasonable
taxes
Some manufacturers frankly threat
ened that unless this fight against the
La Follettes were won they would move
their factories to other States. An ele-
ment in the fight was new disilluslon-
ment which caused the people OF the
State to realize that the La Toilette
organization has been a self-perpetuat-
ing. Office holding machine, constantly
collecting more taxes to strengthen
their organization by adding more once
holders to 1t.
slogans preached by the La Follettes has
been dissipated. The fight was won IN
part by organization on the part OF con-
servatives. About a year ago some
younger business men got together and
conducted a highly intelligent campaign
to show the farmers and other taxpay-
ers what the State government was
doing. The Wisconsin outcome Is clear
proof that the conservatives in that
State and in all the West far outnum-
Der the radicals.
Senator's Fate Discussed.
1t is confidently believed that the
other La Toilette still in Office. Senator
Bob" will follow his brother. the Gov
ernor, into enforced exile when his term
ends. Persons in Washington have fol-
lowed the course of young Bob" in the
Senate and think he has seen the hand
writing.
He has been markedly less aggressive
lately. It was observed that In June
he Joined those Senators who voted
against the veterans bonus at a time
when the bonus marchers were on the
Capitol lawn beneath the Senate win
dows Although it is true that the Wis
consin situation was a special one.
nevertheless the outcome throws some
light on the outcome of the presidential
election throughout the West as be-
tween conservatives and the opposite.
The Wisconsin outcome will bear great
emphasis as demonstration Of funda-
mental conservatism showing its highest
vitality in the midst Of depression.
tCopyrisht. 1922