Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-04-08

and most protracted debate of this ses-
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 resola
ton which was passed to a third read
ing. Hall, w. A. Jones, Flett and Buf-
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, &C to 80 and the Hall
resolution ordered to third reading
Madison, April Joint resolution
No. 18s (Green), providing for
committee to investigate system
of land titles, with view
to the adoption of the Torrey system,
was indefinitely postponed. Sen
ator Weltons 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 Chattanooga, was adopted. The
high hat theater bill, No 361a, which
was on the calendar for passage, was
non concurred In.
Assembly bills were passed;
Requiring the 500 railway to re-
duce passenger rates from 4 to 3 cents;
providing for a commission of 3 to
be appointed by the governor to draw
up a plan to protect and utilize the
forest resources; approprlating $5O0
for the free distribution of beet sugar
seed by the experiment station to such
farmers as want to test It's use on
their soil; and requiring public franch-
ises to be sold to the highest bidder.
Mr.. Moshers bill, No. lea, was adj
vocated by it's author and opposed by
Messrs Peterson and Treat. 1t changes
the method of rural road improve
ments. The measure was killed. The
Rlsum bill abolishing all wild animal
bounties was ordered to third read
ing. Mr. Barnum opposed the measure,
but Mr.. Harvey, Mr.. True and Mr..
Merriman denounced the present law
as fraud. Ii was the experience of
them all that only the young of wild
animals was killed, the old ones being
protected for their annual progeny.
Mr.. Merrill opposed the Thomas bridge
bill, whose purpose 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 present law to
the extent of perhaps $1,000 and, now
that it was fixed, he did not feel like
cutting other towns off from like
privilege The bill, however, was ad-
vanced to a third reading. Assembly
bills were killed: To provide for the
semi-annua1 payment Of taxes; detach-
ing territory from Clark and Marathon
counties and attaching it to the county
of Wood; to create the county of Rivers
and to create the county Of Rusk. The
Iurd anti-cigarette bill was passed
with but one voice raised in opposition
to 1t and no vote against 1t. The bill
requires a license OF $500 for selling
cigarettes and also provides fine Of
from $25 to 500 for selling them to
minors. Mr.. Hurd read speech which
was greeted with much applause. He
quoted startling figures. In 1859, one
million cigarettes were sold, in 1876,
IT, millions, in 1885, one billion; In
1896, over four and one-half billion.
Tho increase for 1896 over the previous
year was $50 million. He pointed out
the importance Of the proposed law.
1t touched every home. The spoke Of
juvenile victims of the habit whose
faces betrayed mental, moral and
physical wreck. Mr.. Frink was not
opposed to bin prohibiting the sale
Of cigarettes to minors, but to the pres
ent bin he was. holding 1t unconstitu-
tional to prohibit an adult selling a
cigarette to an adult He believed the
state had no right to practically pro-
hibit the sale of cigarettes until the
national congress had given 1t the
power. The bill was purely pater-
nalism. 1t would be just as reasonable
to prohibit the sale Of onions because
they cause bad breath. MI Merri-
man believed the bill constitutional
and favored its passage, Mr. McGrath
argued similarly. Mr., w. A Jones
said 1t was sad thing that any one
should have to say word in favor
of such bill. DR.. Clason, chairman
of the committee on public health and
sanitation, presented petition for the
passage Of the bill containing 22,0G0
names. He detailed the rulnous effect
Of cigarettes on the systems OF boys
and thought II the bill were not passed
! the whole criminal code should be re-
vised Mr. Lewis deprecated the COM
parson of dollars and cents with the
boys and girls He read from teachers
reports on the cigarette evil. The bill
was passed to third reading unan-
mously amid applause, and on motion
OF Mr.. Hurd was Immediately passed
without a dissenting vote. Joint res.
olutlon No "a, to recall the Marquette
statue. came from the committee with
out recommendation Mr. Sweetinl
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