Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-05-06
Done at Madison.

The legislative session of 1897 is at an
| end. While in these columns the work
from day to day has been announced,
| Irief summary of the work of the law
makers will be of interest.
| Liberal appropriations to start needed
charitable and penal institutions, and to
| improve those already established, have
been made and yet the sum total of it's
appropriations will be good many thou
| sand dollars less than the total of the last
| Legislature.
Some of the Most I'm portant BIS.
The most important work in that direc-
| ton which was undertaken is the build
| ing of an intermediary prison, for which
$4,000 has been appropriated to start
the work. Next to that was the compile
| ton of the home for the feeble minded,
| and a liberal appropriation was made to
| carry on that work. The Legislature
| has also provided means for making
many improvements at the older estab-
lishments, and has passed laws relating
to their management which will be of
benefit to them. 1t has changed the laws
| relating to the commitment of persons to
| these institutions so as to save the tax
payers the burden of fees which they have
heretofore borne, and it has provided for
| the best locations for future institutions
by passing law prohibiting the giving Of
| bonuses by cities which desire State in
situations. Under this law the State board
| of control will purchase a site for each
institution that is established, and will be
free to select the place which is most adj
vantageous for the purposes of the insti-
tuition.
Educational matters have been we'll tax
l Of notu for no inn
sion that prevailed at the opening of the
session that the Legislature would not be
very liberal to the educational institu-
tons of the State. In spite of all the
talk about the university and all the in
vestigating committees, that institution
was treated as generously as i ever was,
and in addition to that the mol NAL schools
were we'll taken care of, and a number Of
laws were enacted which are expected to
benefit the public schools in one way OF
another. The State Historical Society,
| one of the greatest of the States educa-
tional institutions, was also treated hand.
somely. TIL special tax lsr}ed for the
erection 6 - building was = iended four
years and the building commissioners
We're authorized to borrow money in order
that the structure might be completed as
soon as possible and at a minimum cost.
In addition to that its annual appropria-
ton was increased from So 900 to $15, 900
year, and an appropriation was made to
enable it to purchase books for the use Of
the Supreme Court justices exclusively.
The scope of the free library commission
was enlarged and several laws were pass
| ed to encourage the esta blishment of town
and village libraries.
Reform in Politics.
Along the line of reform in politics~the
Davis corrupt practices act, which prohib-
it's the use of money in elections, was
passed. and by the Mills bill the Milwau-
kee caucus law was made to apply to the
| whole State. Together these bills will
do much toward reforming the evils that
| now exist.
| A State tax was levied to remedy the
deplorable condition of the treasury, but
the amount which that tax will take from
the people has been more than saved to
them by other laws enacted by the Legis-
latnre. The Kelley law, for instance,
which was very expensive piece Of legis-
lation, has been repealed, and that alone
will effect a great saving to nearly every
county in the State. The taxation of the
steam railway companies has been in
creased and tax has been levied on ex-
press companies. The law has been chang
ed to compel street car companies to pay
more taxes and the same is true of vessel
| property.
Some steps have been taken toward
outstanding the natural resources Of the
State. One of the most important meas
ures looking in that direction was an act
establishing a forestry commission to de-
wise plan for protecting and utilizing the
forests. Another equally important act
was a measure making an appropriation
for geological survey. Another bill was
passed to save the State the timber in
the park lands by selling it before it burns
up. Closely connected with these meas
ures was the fish and game bills, which
were drawn with great care and which it
is believed will protect the fish and game
of the State better than any game law
passed in many years. A novel feature Of
the fish and game laws is q license fee inn
posed upon non-residents, which is expect
ed to keep large number of foreign hunt
ers out of the Wisconsin woods.
Looked After the Farmers.
| An agricultural board has been created
which will hereafter conduct the State
fairs, and a branch State fair has been
located at Chippewa Falls for the benefit
of the farmers of the northern part of the
State. A good deal of attention has been
paid to the beet sugar industry, and to
encourage it beet sugar factories have
been exempted from taxation and great
quantity of beet sugar seed has been pur.
chased for distribution by the legislative
members.
In the way Of improving public morals
a bill has been passed prohibiting pool
selling in the State. Bills have been pass
ed putting the police and fire departments
of the State under civil service laws, re-
vising the village laws, protecting hotel
keepers, etc. A step has been made to-
ward curing the evil of prison labor COM
petition with free labor by the passage Of
an act to compel prison-made goods to be
labeled and various other beneficial laws
have been placed upon the statute books.
Mathematical calculations show that
an iron ship weighs twenty-seven per
cent. less than a wooden one, and will