Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-08

cDDstitutio1 al. The substitute was
then ADOPTED dis an amendment and the
bill ordered to third reading. 1t is
thought that the Davidson bill will net
the state treasury about $4,000 a year.
It provides a fee for every express office
in the state. In cities of from 10000 to
$4,000 people, the fee is 5000; in cities
Of 10000 people down to $4,000, $3.50.
Cities Of from 10000 to $4,000 pay 500
and from 200 to 10000 $40; all smaller
communities, s. each House bills pass
ed were: Permitting county stores to
cell patent medicines: giving the dairy
and food commissioner power to ap-
point an agent to inspect dairies at S.
per day and expenses. Mr.. Hall said a
few words as to his bill 56Sa, which
taxes collateral legacies. The bill, he
said, is unfol tunately not in accordance
with the Wisconsin constitution. How
ever, MINI esota has amended its con-
stitution to allow of such law which
is not yielding large revenue. New
York safe secures S2,000,000 a year
from this source. Mr.. Hall said the
Jay Gould estate alone paid $4,000.
The bill was then killed. In the assem-
bly, at night A. r. Hall was the central
figure around which waged the warmest
and most protracted debate Of this SEES
sion of the legislature. After several
wearying roll calls the members voted
to prohibit the use of railroad passes
by members of the legislature. This is
the practical result Of the Hall resolu-
ton which was passed to a third read
ing. Hall, w. A. Jones, Flett and Buff
! fington spoke against the pass system,
while it was defended by Messrs D. F.
Jones, McGrath, and Barnum. The
substitute, making legislators pay ST.
900 a year and cutting off passes, was
then voted down, IS to 80 and the Hall
resolution ordered to third reading.
Madison, April Joint resolution
No. 18s (Green), providing fol
committee to investigate system
Of land titles, with view
was indefinitely postponed. Sen
ator Welton's joint resolution
providing that the balance remaining
from the appropriation for monuments
on the battlefield Of Chickamauga be
used for the erection of a monument to
Wisconsin soldiers on the battlefield of
of Chattanooga, was adopted. The
high hat theater bill, No. 361a, which
was on the calendar for passage, was
non cOncurred in.
In the lower house assembly bills
were passed: requiring the 500 rail-
way to reduce passenger rates from
to cents; providing for a commits
sion OF 3 to be appointed by the govern
or, to draw up plan to protect and
utilize the forest resources; apprOpri-
ating $500 fer the free distribution of
beet sugar seed by the experiment sta
ton to such farmers as want to test
its use on their soil; and re-
curing public franchises to be sold to
the highest bidder. Mr.. Moshers
bill, No. 16a, was advocated
by it's author and opposed by
Ne ssrs. Peterson and Treat. 1t changes
the method of rural lead improve
ments The measure was killed.
The Risum bill abolishing all wild
animal bounties was ordered to a third
reading. Mr.. Barnum opposed the
measure, but Mr.. Harvey, Mr.. True
and Mr.. Merriman denounced the pres
ent law as fraud. 1t was the expe-
ricnCe of them all that only the young
# wild animals was killed., the CID
ones being protected for tn cir annual
progeny.
Mr.. Merrill opposed the Thomas
bridge bill, whose purpC Sc is to limit
the aid which counties may give to
towns in bridge building to one bridge
for each town. Mr.. Merrill said his
town had taken advantage of the pres
cnt law to the extent of perhaps 81 500
and, row that it was fixed, he did not
feel like cutting other towns off from
a like privilege. The bill, however,
was advanced to a third reading.
Assembly bills were killed: To provide
for the semi-annuai payment of taxes;
IClllIOly Ilcul Clctl n anu
athon counties and attaching it to the
county of Wood; to create the county
of Rivers, and to create the county of
Rusk. The Hurd anti-cigarette bill
was passed with but one voice raised
in opposition to it and no vote against
it. The bill in brief requires a Ii
cense of $500 for selling cigarettes and
also provides fine of from $25 to
500 for selling them to minors.
Mr.. Hurd read a speech which
was greeted with much applause. He
quoted startling figures. In 1859, one
million cigarettes were sold, in 1876,
II, millions; in 1885, one billion; in
1896, over four and one-half billion.
The increase for 1896 over the previous
year was $50 million. He pointed out
the Importance of the proposed law. 1t
touched every home. He spoke of
Juvenile victims of the habit whose
faces betrayed mental, moral and
physical wreck. Mr.. Frink was
not opposed to bill prohibit
ing the sale of cigarettes to
minors, but to the present bill he was,
holding it unconstitutional to prohibit
an adult selling a cigarette to an adult
He believed the state had no right to
practically prohibit the sale of cigar
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