Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-01-18
Bank Examiner.

III my message 10 the Legislature In 1897
called attention to the need OF revising
the present banking code and Its abpa cent
inadequacy to meet the requirements on the
banking business OF the present day. stems
were taken to prepare new code to be
voted upon by the people, and such code
was presented and voted upon at the Ii ~
general election. but was not adopted II
Is worthy OF your consideration whethe~ tx
would not be wise to again bring this mat
ter before the people SO that 1t may again
receive their attention. / recommended ar
that time, Also some changes In the law
concerning the office Of bank examiner. and
pointed out that 1t was the clear intent
Of the bankiup law now In existence that
the state treasu 'er should stand In the re-
lation TO the state banks which had been
occupied prior to the adoption of the pres
ent code, by the bank comptroller In is
very doubtful whether the law pissed in
1895 creating the office of bank examiner
is in harmony with the law adopted by a
vote of the people In 1865. | again make
the recommendation that the duties of hank
examiner be delegated to the state treas
urer, where the existing banking code
seems 70 place 1t. and that tina. official be
empowered to appoint competent ,Ieuuty
for the purpose OF aiding him In examin-
ing the banks, who shalt report directly
to him. l made this Recommendation In
1897 believing that it would reduce the
expense of bank examination, while more
certainly complying with the Fundamental
law. and furnishing Mt least as much pro.
lection TO the people. A measure was
for the purpose of remedying some of the
defects pointed out. but which In reality
removed the authority further away from
the state treasurer, where 1t Is placed by
the fundamental law. and leaving the Of
fee of bank examiner open TO unlimited
employment of help, therefore necessarily
increasing the expenses Instead Of reducing
them as recommended. This measure for
the reaSo noted. was compelled to return
without nv approval.
An additional reason for the change rec
commended is found In the fact that the
state treasurer Is one of the commissioners
empowered to loan the public funds II
would serve well the public interest If one.
at least, of the commissioners were re.
quired. in the exercise of his duty, to he
come familiar with the banking institutions
throughout the state, their strength their
solyency and methods of conducting bust,
ness. In such knowledge should be found
valuable security against loss to the state
In addition TO that afforded by the bonds
required by law.
Bureau of Labor Statistics,
One of the chief features of the work
performed by the bureau of labor statistics
has been the attention given to the ques-
ton Of child labor. Few can realize the
extent TO which the evil of child labor has
been carried on in this state. Under vari-
GUS preteXts, many of them worthy of some
consideration hundreds of children under
the age prescribed by law have been kept
NhpiVytu, W tHtlE ucIFiHlcnt as wen us 10
the general injury of society. SO rapidly
are the Industrial institutions of the state
multiplying that it has been found neces-
sary TO take advantage of the privilege
gwen under the present salary law to EN-
ploy extra factory inspectors for this de-
partment. believe 1t Is necessary that
more factory inspectors be employed II this
department Is to efficiently and success
fully carry On it's work. | recommend,
therefore, that provision be made for the
appointment of two or more additional fac
tory inspectors for the bureau of labor sta
tistics.
The Dairy and Food Department.
While much attention Is still devoted by
TINS department to the dairy industry and
the enforcement of the laws against the
manufacture and sale of impure dairy prod
ucts, more and more attention is coming TO
be paid to the general subject of food adul-
the c n irtment, and Its work In the future
will necessarily experience a large growth.
| The protection of the people against adul-
terated and deleterious food is duty
which may well claim serious attention
from the state.
The State Board of I'm m era tion.
The state board Of immigration has pre-
pared a brief report, which has been laid
before you, showing what work has been
accomplished In the way of Inducing set
tiers to locate upon the vacant lands In
the northern portion of the state. Care
fully prepared figures show that during the
past two years 5141 settlers have taken up
land In twenty-six Of the northern counties
of the state. About rs per. cent. of these
new settlers came from other states and
foreign countries, while % per cent OF
them are merely transferred from the older
settled portions of Wisconsin. These set
land under the homestead law. and pur.
chased. or contracted for, 433, 200 acres OF
uncultivated land. 1t Is not claimed. OF
course, that all these settlers are the direct
result of the work performed by the board
of immigration, but 1t shows a very graft
flying growth In the population and re-
sources of the state. | commend the report
to your careful consideration.
State Board of Arbitration and Con-
Citation.
The state board of arbitration and con.
Citation have filed their report, which will
be be laid before you This board has as
ences, / believe, which have occurred be-
tween employers and employees in the state
during the past two years, excepting the
strike at Oshkosh. 1t Is but necessary to
point to the labor troubles at Oshkosh to
Indicate the value of the work of such a
board, and what saving to labor and
capital may be effected by wise efforts
to bridge over difficulties between them.
The Caucus Law.
The caucus law now on upon our statute
books has proven to be a very salutary
measure, and has been CONNIE Tded by com
missions and individuals from other states
who are making study of improved caucus
methods. II Is complained In some quar-
tiers that the law Is cumbersome, but this
complaint Is likely to be made against all
measures enacted for the protection of our
electoral system from corruption.
/ believe the usefulness of the present
law may be greatly enhanced by making its
provisions applicable to every voting pre-
cinct In the state. | recommend that this
be done. and, further, that the law oe
cd Ayf hn ot nnn txht oal
cuses are to be held, and that the eau
cuses of all parties be held on the same
date. II the law is to be so amended, II
would he well to consider whether it might
not be better to make the test of the voter S
eligibility to depend upon his expressed
intentions rather than upon his past af-
citations. am inclined to the belief that
what Is known as the preliminary meet
ing might be done away with without detri-
ment TO the essential features of the law.
The Subject of Pardons.
In my message to the last Legislature l
referred to the increase in the number OF
applications made to the executive for par
don and Communication of sentence, and rec
commended that the constitution be so
amended as to provide for board of par
dons to relieve the governor of this bur
densOme duty and responsibility. My two
years experience In the executive chair
has wrought change in my views upon
this subject. ! have become convinced that
to transfer the pardonlng power from the
executive to pardoning board would re
suit in an Increase in the number of par
dons granted, by dividing the responsibility.
The pardOning power is to be exercised pri-
marily as an act of mercy; and 1t may
sometimes be exercised as an act of justice.
If it is to be used chiefly as an act of Der.
cy, the power may be more safely intrusted
to one head, | believe, than to several.
The tendency would be to make of par
doning board, clothed as 1t would be with
powers to investigate, simply an additional
court of last appeal In criminal cases where
conviction was secured.
An advisory board which could be called
upon by the executive to investigate cases
where he was in doubt as to their merits,
and which would have no power beyond
that of making recommendations, might be
helpful to the executive In disposing of APP
pications for pardon, while 1t would entail
but a trifing expense upon the state
Forestry Com mission.
The forestry commission appointed under
the law passed by the last Legislature has
prepared a bill and report, rs provided by
law which will be submitted to you. The
work of the commission has been carefully
performed, and their recommendations de
serve, and | am sure Will receive, your
careful consideration.
Protection of Fish and Game.
The laws for the protection of fish and
game have been wisely enforced in all
parts of the state during the past two
years Laws of this character, while plain
iy a necessity If the fish and game which
abound in our lakes, rivers and forests are
are not popular, and their enforcement
must always be attended with some un-
plea santness. / am pleased to be able TO
saw that under the methods which have pre-
vailed the past few years opposition to
the law has greatly diminished, and Its
enforcement has become more gracious
task.
Prison Labor.