The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 7, 1921, Page 5

~ call, Governor Blaine said: - tions are in danger. When the people . greater power, Governor Blaine urged - I *Blaine Stands for the People’s Cause Waisconsin Governor Urges Wiping Out of Militarism and Lifting Taxation = Burdens From Farmers and Workers URING the final campaign in Wiscon- league candidate, had won the Repub- assured by Republican politicians that if he would repudiate the Nonpartisan league indorsement no opposition would be put in his way in the general election. If he refused to repudiate the League, all possible_support would be . thrown to the Democratic candidate for governor. Blaine’s answer to this insulting proposal was: “I stand on the Nonpartisan league platform with both feet.” . Blaine was elected governor despite the opposi- tion of organized business, His inaugural address, delivered to the Wisconsin legislature January 13, shows that his feet are still firmly planted on the League platform. : Declaring his full faith in the ability.of the peo- lican nomination for governor, he was . sin, after John J. Blaine, Nonpartisan / ple of the state to decide public questions for them- . selves, he urged the legislature to submit constitu- tional amendments providing for the initiative and referendum, so framed that the people may either adopt new laws that the legislature refuses to pass or may defeat bad laws that the legislature has passed. This same power should be given the peo- ple to initiate amendments to the constitution, Governor Blaine stated. : Governor Blaine declared his faith in the recall, but urged that it be safeguarded so that it can not be used to persecute officials unfairly. Governor Blaine also urged that the legislature be given power to examine and, if necessary, re- move administrative officials appointed by the gov- ernor. Of the initiative, referendum and ré- “If the people can not be trfisted with the ballot, then our republican institu- have those instruments necessary to permit the free use of the ballot for the purpose of righting wrongs and correct- ing evils, giving them the right to ex- press their will, we need never fear for the safety of the republic.” SHIFT BURDEN OF TAXES TO WEALTHY Next to reforms to allow the voters \ taxation reforms. His proposals were: 1. That taxes on incomes of more than $5,000 a. year be increased. 2. That incomes of less than $1,000 a year for single persons and of less than $2,000 a year for married persons, be exempt from taxation. 5 3. That the “secrecy clause” be eliminated from the income tax law. 4 4. That city and farm improvements be exempt- ed from taxation to a limited amount. 5. That inheritance tax laws be amended, to allow greater exemptions on bequests to widows and chil- dren, and to levy higher rates on other bequests, especially in the case of large estates. The adoption of the initiative, referendum and recall and the taxation changes recommended by Governor Blaine will, if adopted, place Wisconsin . on almost exactly the same footing as North Da- kota. Governor Blaine’s proposals along these lines were given the clogest attention by the legislators. The governor minced no words. He declared that the “secrecy clause” had opened the door to whole- sale perjury and tax dodging by Wisconsin cor- porations. Discussing exemption of farm improve- ments and city homes from taxation Mr. Blaine said: -~ ¢ “If ever a legislature were committed by pledges to a proposition, then you gentlemen are clearly committed to the program I have outlined. * * * I am loath to believe that you gentlemen will violate the pledges you have made to the people.” But still closer attention was paid to the governor when he went on and said: - 7 “In discussing taxation I am led to digress and call to your attention a subject of vital concern to all our people. It has been well said that ‘the stag- gering burden of taxation tqday is still -the stag- gering burden of expenditures for past and future wars.’ “The proposed national military and naval pro- gram contemplates an expenditure of. $1,500,000,000 annually. Wisconsin’s share of that burden is one- . fortieth, or $37,500,000 each year. Our magnificent state capitol cost $7,500,000. Wisconsin’s share of the proposed burden would enable the state to build five capitols each year. “Oar university buildings, .all told, cost about $5,000,000." With the money Wisconsin people must . pay for the proposed war establishment we could g build seven universities each year. “The ultimate cost of government falls most heavily on the consumer, no matter who pays the tax in the first instance. The ultimate cost is placed on the things we buy. That is graphically shown in the increased cost of living since the beginning of the war. “The penal, reformatory, charitable and educa- tional institutions are demanding more money. How much better it would be to use the money proposed for the national military and naval program on edu- . “GOOD WORK” cation, in fighting disease and in preventing pov- erty. “Wisconsin ought to make her influence felt in opposition to this proposed war program at this time and I, therefore, recommend that you gentle- men memorialize congress in favor of the reduc- tion of our armaments and te protect us against the extravagant proposals made by those who want to make this a militaristic nation. The fundamental basis for world peace 18 immediate, progressive dis- armament. I {rust that you will bring this to the atiention of congress through a joint resolution.” SPECTATORS CHEER DECLARATION - AGAINST MILITARISTIC PLANS As Governor Blaine concluded - this straightforward statement, legislators on the floor and spectators in the galleries broke into applause and cheers. The governor had touched-a subject that was very close-to all of them. Other recommendations of the governor were: For protection and encouragement of co-operative ascociations. g For legislative investigation of possible state ac- tion to extend greater credits to farmers. Adoption of the basic eight-hour day in indus- trial purspits (agricultural and domestic labor to be exempt), with provision that employment in ex- PAGE FIVE direct, cess of eight hours should be paid at a higher rate Increased payments to injured workmen unde: the workmen’s compensation act. : g‘Iew legislation to curb child labor and sweat shop abor, Protection of farmers’ and laborers’ rights of col- lective bargaining. That farmers, organized labor and women be given representation on state boards and commis- sions. : That the states be given full powers to regulate railroad rates within their own borders. (This is the same recommendation made by Governor Fra- zier of North Dakota). That the corrupt practices act be amended so that business interests organizing their own committees to boost certain candidates may be required to re- port such expenditures. Lieutenant Governor George F. Comings, a League farmer, presided over the joint session of senate and house that heard the message. Progressives generally hailed Governor Blaine's message as marking the dawn of a new day in Wis- consin, which will put that state alongside of pro- gressive North Dakota. y The Capital Times of Madison stated editorially: “Governor Blaine has sent a message to the leg- islature that breathes the spirit of justice to the common man and which seeks to make the govern- ment an instrument serving the many rather than the few. The message is an auspicious beginning for the new state administration.” The change in administration in Wis- consin has brought about a complete change of tone in the statehouse. No- where is this more apparent than in the division of markets of the state depart- ment of agriculture. Just as Governor Blaine recommended that national and international action should be taken to reduce armaments and curb militarism, so the director of the division of mar- kets points out that the present state of business depression rests upon the fundamental unsoundness of our eco- nomic system nationally, and not in any one state. CHEERY WORDS WON'T BRING BETTER TIMES Director Nordman of the market di- vision says, on this subject: “The remedy does not lie in a change of feeling or in the assumption of an air of optimism as advocated by some. The difficulties- which the country is going through are not products of imagination nor are they the result of the war alone. The economic defects which pro- duced them existed long ago. The war has only in- tensified these difficulties and no amount of opti- mistic newspaper publicity, of soothing prophecies or of patching up and restoring will ever eliminate them, “Conditions are not economically sound when the farmer can not sell at a fair and just price all he produces and the consumer is not in a position to buy all he reasonably needs. They are not sound while many legalized privileges exist in the coun- try, as are shown-to exist by the vast fortunes and stupendous incomes acquired. “The farmer’s full share of the price of his prod- -uets is considerably reduced because of inflated land values, a monopolistic control of the market in cer- tain lines of trade and the waste and unnecessary expenses inherent in our system of distribution. On the other hand, the consumer’s share of his earn- ings is reduced by the legalized privileges which re- sult in enormous incomes acquired by a privileged few. If a considerable minority has the power to acquire more than it is rightfully entitled to, it logically follows that the majority gets less than that to which it has a just claim. This majority will have to deprive itself of much that it needs, thus making less demands on the commodities which are produced. And here is the fundamental cause of poor markets, of more commodities being produced than are sold, of bad times, unemploy- ment-and all the other conditions that every one is compaining of.” "‘m‘ . e T T ——