Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-03-30

hOenr OIL, NO. l9S, on the cdleQQar
for concurrence. 1t relates to the
board of normal school regents. He
explained the present law, providing
that the board shall consist of 9 ap-
pointive members and of the governor
and state superintendent, the terms Of
the appointive members to be 8 years
each. The Roehr bill provides that
the governor shall be wholly excluded
from the board, that the number of
appointive members shall be 10 instead
of and the terms be extended from
8 years to 5. Mr.. Overlook had Of
fered an amendment, and it was adopt
ed, permitting only 1 regent to each
congressional district, instead of 2 as
now, and enabling the governor to re-
organize the board at once. Judge
Orion declared that the milk in the
cocoanut lay in the extension of the
term to 5 years, thus removing the
board still further from the people.
After further debate the bill was con-
Cured in, Sc to II.
Madison, March 22 By the decisive
vote Of rs to 8 the senate refused to
concur in the assembly forfeiture
amendment to the joint resolution for
a constitutional amendment to pro-
hibit passes. Senators Arson, Baxter,
Denett, Hatton, Martin, Munson, Stout
and Whelan were the alternatives.
After the Mailer bill to regulate the
transportation of corpses had been
passed, the four bills taxing sleeping
car, express, freight and equipment
companies were put through without
debate. They were drawn by the COM
mittee on assessment and collection of
taxes and provide that the state board
of assessment shall meet in August of
each year and on the basis of the en-
tire property of the companies and the
property in the state, and the business
done in the state shall determine the
value of the property in the state and
impose the average rate Of taxation.
Other bills passed were: Nos. 104s,
requiring annual statements of taxes
levied in towns, villages and cities to
be filed with the secretary of state;
26Ss, (Roehr), requiring fire insurance
companies to write policies through
local agents; 1925, (Welton), authNiz-
ing towns villages and cities to raise
servance; 1865, prohibiting proxies at
political conventions: and 337s, re-
quiring a viva voce vote in legislative
senatorial caucuses. The Bryant bill
No 314a, affecting arguments to court
and jury was non-concurred in.
In the assembly Mr.. Sturdivant NOV
ed that the bill giving wagons the right
of way over bicyclists on country
roads be recalled from the senate, it
having passed the house the day be-
fore. He argued that it was purely
class legislation. The bill was recall
ed and then killed. The senate bill
was concurred in prohibiting the pass
system. Without debate and by I'M
animous vote Senator LamoreuX'S res
olution (Which had passed the upper
house,, for constitutional amend
ment permitting the creation of an
The Orion bill to increase the license
on life insurance companies was on the
calendar for third reading, when Mr..
Wheeler offered an important amend
ment making the license IL per cent.
(instead Of l as in the Orion bilD of
the gross income, less income on real
estate, less the interest on U. S. bonds
and less the premiums earned in other
states. The orion bill eXempts only
interest on U. S. BONDS and income
the aggregate about S250,000 annually
for the state, while the Wheeler
amendment will produce $135,000 an
nually which sum will increase to the
extent Of about $500 a year. The |
state now gets only $685. 900 from insur-
ance companies annually. Under the |
Orion bill the Northwestern Mutual Of
would pay to the state
S219,000, instead of $4,000 as now,
while under the Wheeler amendment it |
will pay S105,000. The bill and amend |
ment went over till Tuesday for con-
'IuSI dI1OA uc 4NOl LuWGSIClh 4huIudI
company objects to the bill strenuous
y because it affects companies in other
states and those states will at once put
nto effect retaliatory tax laws against
he Milwaukee company.
Mr.. Wheeler's bill, No. $50, which
wisely seeks to amend the law relating
o the recovery of damages for injuries
N sidewalks and highways finally
vent to the judiciary committee. Mr..
Wheeler said the law as orig
nally enacted contemplated only that
IN individual injured might recover
damages but that it's scope had been
% enlarged that a husband might re-
cover damages for the f'loss of ser
ices" of his wife, also for damages re-
uting from undue accumulations Of
&c and snow on roads or walks. With
treat feeling and force he showed the
infinite outrage of which nearly every
community at one time or another IS
he victim as a consequence of damage
uits.