Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-01-28
FROM THE STRTE 6RPITHL
no,uos OF Wisoonsin's Solons In Madison
Proposed legislation

The legislature has shown com
mendable activity in getting to work.
Several important bills have been in
troduced and there seems to be Q de-
cided sentiment toward an early dis
position of them.
One of the questions that viii re-
eeive much attention is that OF APP
preparations for the state university.
Two years ago bill was passed to
build a new historical library and was
so framed as to be virtual gift OF
the library to the university This
brought the question of university de-
mands and needs to the front. Some
members of the present legislature be-
lieve there is room for retrenchment
in the schools expenses and VIII OPP
pose the appropriations asked for tins
year. The university has many
sUaunch defenders, however, who will
see to it that the institutions needs
are properly presented. Hon. W. a.
Jones is considered as the special
champion of the university.
The normal schools are overcrowd-
ed and will ask for relief but their
wants have not yet been made known
in an official way.
Assemblyman Hall and his anti
pass proposition have been very much
in evidence during the week. lie
asks for a joint committee that shall
frame bill covering the case. The
resolution is laid on the table for
the present.
The members of the Legislature
have been interviewed on the question
but many are non-commital. Some
are outspoken for an anti-pass law
some are opposed to it or think it inn
practical or unconstitutional, others
are watching developments. Senator
Baxter favors such a law, Assembly
man Mcdonald declined to express an
opinion and Assemblyman Utt thought
that when some definite proposition.
was before the legislature it would be
early enough to discuss the matter.
Senator Baxter has introduced sew
eral bills, the most important being
one for the amendment of the law
creating the office of bank examiner.
1t differs from the present law in sew
eral respects, one of them being to
leave the selection of examiner entire
lv with the state treasurer. 1t fur
Their provides that the chief clerk in the
Office of the examiner shall give a
$40, 900 bond and may be employed
part of his time assisting at the ex-
animation of banks. in addition to
his clerical duties. Reports are here
after to be printed biennially. Sec
ton Z OF the old law is left OUT. 1t
provides for the payment of fees by
banks that are examined. Bankers
think there is no reason why they
should be asked to pay fees for eXami-
nation so long as the state pays salar-
les TO the examiner and his assistants.
MIR. Mcdonald has introduced a
bill for the repeal of the law passed at
the last Legislature creating the office
of a Deep Channels Commissioner.
This bill will no doubt pass with but
little opposition as the office is gener-
ally considered as a useless expense
and Commissioner Deane himself rec
ommends the abolition of the office.
Mr.. Mcdonald has also presented a
bill to amend the law relating to the
laying out of highways.
Senator Timme has resolution to
investigate the clerical force of the
state, the idea being that there are an
unnecessary number of employees in
the capitol and that by proper class
ification considerable expense can be
saved. There was long fight on the
resolution in the senate but it finally
prevailed and was sent to the assem-
bly,. Mr.. Munson was the only sena-
tor who voted against it.
Mr.. Hoyt introduced resolution
cutting of new business on February
10, which. if it is adopted, will make
an innovation in leg siative work,
since the cutting off of new business
is usually left till much later in the
session.