The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-19
LOWER RAILROAD RATES
WISCONSIN WOULD CUT PASSENGER
FARES DOWN TO TWO CENTS
PER MILE
NEW ELECTION LAW PROPOSED
Various Bills Acted Upon, Others
introduced or Suggested, and
General Roundup of Notes
and Comment.

| bill was by Mr.. Miller, making the re.
duction apply only to railroads earnine
| over $3,5GO per mile annually, the other
| one by Silkworth providing for straight
| z-cent fare on. all the roads in the state
Another important bill by Assembly
man Owen delegates to city councils the
| power to alter the Franchise of quasi.
| public corporations, such as street rail
way companies, without the consent OF
| the owner of the franchise The supreme
| court has held that under the present law
this power is held only by the legislature
The contest over the reapportionment
committee was settled this morning nv
an amendment, passed by both houses
making the membership of the commit
tee one senator and two assembIymen
from each congressional district2thirty
in all.
In the senate Mr. Mosher introduced a
bill making insurance companies liable
for loss by fire on buildings which fall
or are blown down through no fault of
the owner and afterwards take fire.
A bill which has the backing of the
Wisconsin League of municipalities, pro-
V1d1ng for biennial elections in all cities
In the state except Milwaukee, was In
troduced in the senate this morning by
Senator Miller, of Madison. 1t provides
that in all cities except those Of the
first class the term of the mayor shall
be two years, and of aldermen four
years, election of one aldermen in each
ward being held every two years. The
bill also fixes a salary for the mayor,
which in cities of the second class (of
which there are none in the state) shall
not be more than 81, 800 per year. and in
cities of the third and fourth class not
more than $1,000 per year, the exact
amount within this figure to be fixed by
the common council The mayors salary
is not to be increased or diminished DUR
ing the biennial period.
All city officers not elected by the peo-
pie are to be appointed by the mayor,
except the members of the school board,
who shall be elected by the council. But
the appointments by the mayor must be
confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the
council. The president of the council is
to be elected by that body.
Another provision of the BILL which
settles long disputed point, is that the
mayor shall not have vote in the coun-
ell except in case of a tie.
The only committee that reached a re-
suit in its deliberations yesterday after
noon was the house judiciary, which
passed upon four bills. 1t was decided
to report favorably Mr.. McGin bill,
which will amend the law requiring lum-
Der companies to give their employees
time checks when the cash is not avail
able so that such time checks shall be
negotiable.
One of Mr. Erickson's bills was also
favorably reported. 1t repeats chapter
LOG, Laws of 1876, private law which
required the clerk of Barron county to
keep an abstract of tax sales, and CIV
ing him certain fees therefor. Now there
is a general statute which covers the
case and cuts off the fees.
The committee agreed to recommend
for indefinite postponement Mr.. Collins
bill relieving undertakes from jury duty
The Overlook bill, amending section
31S7a of the Revised Statutes, which
sought to cure omissions in filing notices
with register of deeds of application to
lay out highways, was also killed. Mr..
Overlook said he introduced the bill by
request and did not think it would pass
The following is the complete list of
the, bills introduced in the senate yes
to-day:
BY Senator Roehr-To provide free en-
ployment offices in certain cities.
BY Senator Roehr-To create a state
board Of osteopathy.
BY Senator Roehr-Relating to foreign
corporations.
Ry: senator Millcr-Relatng to contract
on Ladies' hall.
BY Senator MilIer-Deflning liabilities
of employees of telegraph and messenger
companies.
BY Senator Green-To prohibit at
torneys signing calls for judicial nomi-
nations.
ny Senator Jones-Relating to the pro.
tection of fish and game.
BY Senator Ganeney-Relating to reas-
sessments.
Isy Senator Miler-Giving rank of COL
onel to military instructors in colleges
and the state university.
WjiIHV-'IO l6%al1Z6
acts of Peter Reuter-.
BY Senator Misunderstanding to the
national guard
By Senator Fearne- Relating to deposit
tons made to perpetuate testimony.
BY Senator Green-AmendinC the stat
utes reducing the representation of Wau-
waukee county board of supervisors.
The following is the complete list of
the bills introduced in the assembly yes
terday:
BY Mr.. Orton-To create commission
and erect a monument on the battlefield
OF Shiloh in honor of Wisconsin soldiers.
Ely Mr.. Rossman-Relating to the sal
airy of the clerk of the municipal court
By Mr.. Hanson-To amend the law re-
lating to the reassessment of void special
assessments.
Bv Mr.. Evans-To amend the law re-
lating to hawkers and peddlers.
By Mr.. Root-Providing that all county
school superintendents must have, taught
school for at least eight months and
hold teachers and superin tendents' Ger
tificates before being eligible to appoint
ment.
By Mr.. Barlow-Lee alizing the acts Of
the officers of school district No. Of
Juneau county.
By Mr.. misunderstanding school dis
trict No. 1 of Juneau county.
BY Mr.. Misunderstanding the home
stead exemption laws.
BY Mr.. Cady-AuthoriziDg William Eel
lows and others to build dam across
Pof TiI- in Forest county,
By Mr.. Willott Chy request)-Amen6lng
marriage license fee law SO that 25 cents
of the so cents fee goes to- the county
clerk instead of the whole fee going to
By Mr.. Root-Providing that midwives
and physicians be allowed q cents for
each birth or death certificate filed with
the register Of deeds.
number of bills on the subject of
taxation will soon be introduced in both
houses of the legislature.
Senator Hatton two years ago intro
duced a bill in the senate, which provid-
ed that insurance companies must file
annually with the state board of assess
ment, complete statements of the bust
ness done by them in this state and the
value Of their policies in force in Wiscon-
sin The bill also provided that the com
panies should pay tax on the full face
value of these policies in same manner
as other property is taxed. Representa-
tives Of certain insurance companies
stated at the time that such plan would
be acceptable IT, them. Fearing that this
bill would imperil all legislation on this
subject, Mr.. Hatton withdrew his bill
at the time, but he still believes that