Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-05-01


their arguments before the legislature
In newspapers and otherwise. Ii is
a great. question whciher railroads
should be taxed on earnings, or ac-
cording to their wn, "a as property
and If the latter, shall the worth be
determined by stocks and bonds, or
the original cost, or what it would
cost TO duplicate the road. One can
find authority for most any PROPOSE
ton. The Wisconsin plan Is the COM
promise plan of license fee percent
age on earnings. II Is an anomaly IN
taxation and the railway attorneys say
that ii is unconstitutional and the tax
Is unduly high that they viii shatter
IL in the courts-and this is believed
to be sound However, the plan is
agreeable to them as now operated.
Gates County--Northern Chippewa.
There has been quite furry over
the new county to be carved from
Chippewa, whose immenss area Is
seen I'm the fact that even the new
division win be the seventh largest
county In the state There will be
about 10000 people there. The assem-
bly, by vote of two to One accepted
the name Gates In honor of the Mil
Yankee man whose company owns
about 49, square miles in the terri
tory. James l.. Gates Is man of 30
who went "a boy of - into Clark
county and made success of lumber
ing. Mr.. Gates gives literally toward
the cost of the necessary court house.
etc, but there Is strong feeling in
favor of. Jerry Rusk's name being at
tached to the new county. Mr. Gates.
on being interviewed, expressed mod
est pride In the fact that the assem-
bly, voted for his name, adding that 1t
was the second county to be named
for some one except politician
Is the state University Punched?
The claims committees are working
hard on the budget and there is the
usual reluctance to make III eropria-
lions so large as to ne,essitate spe-
cial tax Some of the veterans tcke
the ground that a special tax is not
felt by the people nor complained
about, whereas deficit always raises
howl. One of the reasons urged
against increase of railway tacation
| is that If appropriations are properly
kept down the state does not need the
money. Professor Henry does not like
| the idea Of cutting the amount for his
coo TO $4,000; but the other re-
quests of the big school are similarly
| scaled: Engineering school from
$50, 900 to $4,000; and annual in
GOMEZ college Of agriculture $4,000
asked, $4,000 granted; college " en-
! gineering. $4,000 asked 81. 500 grant
ed: and college of commerce. $1,000
asked, $500 granted The bin pro
viding annual appropriation to the
normal school fund was cut from
$225, 900 to $215,0O0. The appropria-
tons for teachers Institutes was re-
duced from $4,000 TO $4,000, and the
bill providing for state aid to graded
schools was cut from $4,000 to $780,
600.
With the Increase for the agrieultur-
al schools annual income TO $4,000,
comparison with other states is inter-
esting agricultural colleges: MIN.
nesota, $4,000; Michigan, S124, 900:
Iowa, $192. 900.
Those who know say that Wiscon-
sin is far behind In equipment Of
| buildings, etc. on the agricultural
side OF the state university, because
not enough money is appropriated.
| However. the farmers of the state can
! have what they want and IL they do
, aot care to back up Babcock, Russell.
I Carlyle and their famous experts, ii is
| their own affair.
Reform Bills I'm Hard Luck.
| There is an association known as the
| Wisconsin Federation OF Reform
which formally Endorsed eleven bills
proposing moral betterment These
| bills have mostly fallen down. Seven
OF them fell In the assembly. where
they originated: Bills 1S1A, prohib-
iting selling liquors by persons en-
gagged in mercantile business at the
same premises; 1S2A. to forbid free
lunches In saloons; 290A, to forbid the
sale of liquor within one mile of
the state capitol or university grounds,
or within 500 feet OF a church or school
house; 2SlA, to establish a home for
inebriates; 301A, to provide that all
liquor licenses be paid into the county
treasury (one-half for support of the
poor; 306A. to prohibit delivering TO
minors. even on request of parents or
guardian, of intoxicating drinks; 2S0A,
ward option. The anti-cigarette bin
got as far rs the senate. but no far
Their; ditto The Roe bill defining intox-
ication. Another bill Is In the nature
of referendum. The net result to
date of reform hopes Is senate bill
aimed at publications of the nature
OF The Police Gazette II has been
amended a good deal, but If it can
be pushed through the assembly aud
on to the governor before Editor Fox
and his millions hear about 1t. the
pink colored criminal record Is doomed.
The lawyers and other expense bills
of Alfred Cook and q. +. Nandercook.
who contested the seat the former Sc
cured In the assembly are to he paid
by the state-$l 100 TO the former and
81 300 to the latter The precedent
would seem to encourage contests Of
this sort, but a bin Is In progress
which limits appropriations OF this
sort to $500,
Women Gain Point.
The vote In the assembly was very
close (40 to 3Sl ON the bin which opens
the way to allow women 10 vote on
county superintendent. 1t has passed
the senate and unless reconsideration
Is effected, the measure goes through.
The statutes already authorize women
to vote on "all school matters" and
this bill is to make provision for the
ballot boxes, etc. to carry the bene-
At into effect. The opponents said it
meant an expense of $4,000 per cleo
ton.
ORLANDO BURNETT.