The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-04-12

There was a lively debate over the
bill to allow divorce where one OF the
parties has been hopelessly insane for
five years. The bill got only seven
votes. There are two states which
have such a Washington and
Arkansas. 1t is not generally known
that Wisconsin had this law in 1881.
1t was repealed at the following SEES
sion.
Appropriation Bills Coming.
The appropriation bills are begin
ming to show their heads. The assem-
bly, has already accepted a measure
carrying over 100000 for the running
expenses of the board of control insti-
tutions. Governor LaFollette has Civ
en- sign that appropriations must be
kept within the revenues Of the state,
which means he does not wish any eX-
ira levy and also probably means that
some corporation tax bills must pass
to provide revenue. Naturally the cor
pOrations fearing increased taxation
favor limited appropriations and 50
are useful influence.
New Richmond will succeed in get
ting the state to release some $23, 600
owed as result of the cyclone Of June
u, 1899 The loss (sworn statments)
Of property was over $650,000 and the
relief in the neighborhood of 100000.
Nearly all the property insured in old
line companies, whose policies con-
tain provision that when a building
falls except as the result Of fire, all
insurance ceases. Naturally there
was no opposition to this claim of New
Richmond
The university bills are not being
hurried, it being found that the more
members know of the institution, the
| more they appreciate it and university
appropria tiOns fare best toward the
end of the session. The bill to equip
a $4,000 dormitory for women will do
much to promote fellowship among the
Students There are 539 young wom-
en- attending the university and less
than 100 are housed in ladies' hall and
only siXty-seven in the sorority houses
Marriage Bill Still Lives.
The Woodward marriage bill was
advanced in the senate by one major
ity, though as amended, the certifi-
cate of one physician is sufficient to
attest the contracting parties mental
and physical fitness. 1t would be
strange if q young man or woman
| planning matrimony could not tlnd
| some doctor to sign their certlhcate
so that the bill, if it becomes law,
| will do not more than Inconvenience
| people, This is a marked tendency in
| the making of laws. If bill is un-
acceptable to the members, in order
to save the feelings of those interest
! ed in it and OH the theory that it can
| do no harm, the life is taken out OF it
| by amendments and the bill spread on
| the statute books.
The corrupt practices act, which
compels candidates for office to list
their expenses, was vigorously attack
ed in the assembly, but the present
law stands, the vote having been 4S
! to 81 In England, Australia, and gen
orally in this country, this practice OF
enforcing publicity on political cam
pagns is general. While often the
! law is evaded, yet even the facts of
expenditure given have caused much
discussion as to the evil of the use of
much money in politics. The present
law is confessedly weak and perhaps
some day it will be strengthened.
The Hall resolution for a constitu-
tional amendment looking to the use
of voting machines, if the people de-
sire them, barely failed in the senate.
Farmers Unfriend1y to BicycI.ts.
The bill providing bicycle side paths,
having survived the senate, can hardly
make it's way through the assembly.
| The idea is for those who use the
paths to pay half dollar year into
a fund for keeping them in repair and
county commissioners are to supervise
the work Farmers have a strange
antipathy to the bicycle and enjoy Civ
ing sly crack at wheel enthusiasts.
City riders we suspect are not suftl-
GENTLY cOnsiderate of the apple trees,
flower beds and small children belong
ing to their farmer friends when a
wheel ride is projected into the cOun-
| try.
The Wisconsin river which occasion
ally floods the towns near Portage
/ will have $4,000 spent on levees if the
| assembly policy is sustained Mr.. Gill
| man, who lives in Buffalo county,
which is a long ways from Portage,
said the overture was of the nature of
river and harbor bill and that with
Wisconsin once engaged in the expen-
sive business of preventing overfOws,
the treasury will soon look like 80
cents. He said the Chippewa river
| makes lots of trouble in his section
and he can see no reason why damage
there should not also be prevented
Twenty thousand dollars will not
make much of an impression on a
restless stream like the Wisconsin
and we may expect to hear from Port
age again.
Primary Election in Senate.
A test vote in the senate on the pri-
mary election bill must be conceded
to mean that the Stevens bill, as now
framed, cannot pass that body. This
has been conceded for some time
However, the adoption by the Mime
sofa legislature of a bill applying to
all counties and excepting the state
officers) has made strong impression
here at Madison. Two of the sena-
tors, Mosher and Morse, are well
known to favor modified bill and
there are others of whom this can
safely be said. The fact is that a
number of members in both branches
have primary election bills in their in
side pocket to be brought out in due
time. Whether the present bill will be
| l~;I1o5 o,,1 frocb ad0. or