Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-02
legislative Notes. ~

Action on it. Res. 3lS relative tC
final adjournment, was deferred in the
assembly on motion of Mr.. Cady until
Thursday, May ?.
There was lively discussion on the
| floor Of the assembly over bill 291a
relative to election of county board
The bill authorizes another than the
town chairman to sit on the county
board. The bill was indefinitely
postponed, Is to 35.
The railroad taxation bill l65a.
prepared by the tax commission was
defeated in the assembly after five
hours discussion in which A. r. Hall
made vigorous argument for the bill.
Mr.. OrtOn from Lafayette county,
spoke against the bill as did Mr.. Ross
man from Ashland. Two years ago
Mr.. OrtOn urged the passage of the
same bill, but for reasons better known
to himself he changed his mind. The
bill intended to raise the tax about
100000 annually, by increasing the
rate for the big roads from to 81 per
cent on the gross earnings The final
disposition of the bill was by viva voce
vote, previous ballot, having shown
the supporters of the bill that it was
hOpelessly beaten. This vote was 40
to 29 against the bill; it came on an
amendment offered by Mr.. Hall, which
would have reduced the increase by
about $41, 900.
Ex-Governor Peck, being regent,
spoke to crowded assembly chamber
one evening last week, on university
needs Colonel Villas followed in an
hours speech. He held the crowd
with an eloquent talk with d mass of
data as to what the university has
done, arranged with a lawyers skill.
The chief thing the university wants
this year is a $4,000 central building.
After an uneventful debate in which
neither the eloquence nor the states
manly power of the assembly were
asserted, that body, Thursday night of
last week, stood by the proposition to
submit a primary election bill, affect
ing cities, counties and legislative
districts to the people in April, 1902,
by vote of Al to A. The action of
Wood cOunty's representative (Hon.
Frank A. Cady) in standing by the
administration all along the line is
certainly cOmmendable. We are proud
of him, for were it otherwise we would
be in an embarrassing position as four
VI
house are with the administration.
n Lo, the poor Indian has been very
much in evidence in Madison the past
week as witnesses before the United
States grand jury. Most of the
Indians were here to testify in liquor
cases. where parties are charged with
carrying liquor on to reservations or
selling it to Indians. Some of these
same witnesses appear to have little
trouble in securing liquor here: one
was noticed staggering through the
capitol park with more sober COM
paniOn directing his wavering foot
steps.
E. P. Arpin of Grand Rapids spent
two days in Madison last week attend
ing the legislature in the interests of
a bill, relative TO the division of
Chippewa county. There appears to
be considerable opposition to this bill,
but looking at it from a geographical
point, it being the largest county in
the state and having tifty-six town
ships with population of 33,037: and
the fact too, that the county seat
chippewa Falls is located in the
extreme southern part of the county,
making it very incOnvenient for those
living in the northern part of the
county without good railroad connec-
tions, it is reasonable to believe that
the bill is just one. However, it has
passed the lower house, and if con-
Cured in by the senate, the name of
the new county will be Gates in the
place of Rusk, due to an amendment
offered by the committee on town and
county organization.
A MEMBER OF THE THIRD HOUSE.