River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-02-11
WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE

Madison, Wis, Feb. 6.-There are now 25s bills
before the assem6 ~ ana 10 before the senate as
the senate during the same period OF the session
of 1895. New business will be shut of Wednes-
day and then committee work and the considera-
ton of bills will begin in earnest.
Several important measures are before the
committee on taxation and assessment and one
of these by Mr.. Hall provides that all persons
shall be presented with schedule which they
will be a ked 10 sign listing the amount and
value of the securities held by them Ifthe
SCISSOR discovers any property omitted from the
list this property may he assessed at so per cent.
more than its face value.
Assemblyman Froehlich's measure provides
for the taxation of mortgages in the counties
where the land upon which they are held Is
located. The object of the bill Is to reduce the
taxation against the mortgagor of the property
to the amount which he absolutely owns in
equity and IL is hoped through this proposed
law to escape the double taxation of property.
Assemblyman Davidson proposes the telegraph
companies to pay some share of the public ex-
penses by taxing them 50, 50, and 81 ON each
mile of wire they have within the state. (222 A y
University affairs are TO be thoroughly invest
igated during the present session and some
members think the best interests of that institu-
tion would be subserved by the retirement of
President Adams. Following the adoption of
the joint resolution asking a report from the
regents as to the number of professors and in
structors employed, their hours of work and the
number of pupils to each came more sweeping
resolution for further Investigations into the
affairs and management ofthe institution Mr..
Burlington of Eau Claire introduced the measure
aud il asks that two senators and three assembly
men be authorized to examine and sift the
ing for the regular appropriations viii be pre-
scented early next week and Senator Stout has
already introdu ced bill appropriating 100000
TO furnish and equip the new State Historical
library.
1t seems that Mr.. Hall has decided that the
anti pass issue can be handled better through a
joint resolution providing for a constitutional
amendment against railroad passes and frank
than by attempting TO call up his joint resolution
for committee again. His last anti-pass
measure will require the members to vote aye or
nay and put the members on record. He also
introduced a bill creating board Of railroad
commissioners TO prevent discrimination in
rates, similar TO the Iowa railroad commission
law.
Assemblyman Frink of Milwaukee believes in
a different solution of the pass problem and in
trodueed bill 70 compel railroads TO furnish
state officials with transportation and providing
punishment should the officials allow any one
else 10 use their passes or franks.
Several measures looking 10 the prevention
of serious competition between convict and free
labor are before committees. One by Senator
McGilliyary provides that convict made goods
shall be marked or branded aud another seeks
Senator bennett fathered bill (1is 81 prepared
| by q committee appointed by the Wisconsin
anti-conyict labor associations and this will be
pushed by the labor organizations. The bill
aims TO have all convicts employed OF work for
/ the state or public and provides that when the
eonyicts are employed IN manufacturing the
labor goods butshall be supplied to inmates Of
various state institutions.
A measure which proposes al Al TO sell So
/ oo0 acres Of timber land composing the state
park In Villas comfy will likely meet with
| strong opposition. Those favoring the bin saw
the timber has been injured by forest fires and
viii have TO be cut in order to save 1t. Others
think, that to say the least, the sale Is il-tmed
ana further object that the maximum price Of
| $40 an acre is too low.
Assemblyman White introduced bill Friday
| On. Al which provides that ell places where
people are confined shall be subject to investige-
ton and visitation by the board of control or Of
/ q committee from that body. This would
throw all sectarian hospitals open for inspection
Every county win be interested in the bill by
Senator Munson 10 provide a constitutional
amendment making county sherifs eligible for
reelection when their term expires.
There are bills pending to place statues Of
| Jerry kusk and Gen. Luetus Fsifehild In The