The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-03-20

airy Of a Waukesha court official, ard
the merits of the measure are genu-
inely in doubt The assembly tact
fully delayed the question of whether
that body shall join the senate in pass
ing the bill over the executive veto.
AID yaIorem Taxation.
Much honest work has been done
in committee on the railroad tax mat
ter. The railway counsel have filed
strong presentation of their claims,
George r. Peck's (St. Paul road in
Guiding much caustic comment of the
governor. The governors remarks in
his message to the effect that the rail
roads owed the state for taxes of
the past gave Peck his chance. and
he asks if railroads should be expect
ed to pay to the state what the state
had never asked for and could not
legally recover But. withal, the ad
valorem system occupies strong
ground at present writing.
State Control Of Freight Rates.
The bill to set up state board to
regulate freight rates has less Of plat
form and gubernatorial prestige. but
it will make q pretty discussion when
it comes to vote. There is a host Of
minor railroad bills. as 2-cent fare, the
prevention of double header freights.
ETC., to keep Messrs. Ring and Harris
busy before committees and i'll dis
cussing with members. Grain inspec
ton at Superior laGs a bit. as regards
the bill: the worlds fair appropriation
bill is getting more favor than was eX
pected. and woman S suffrage will get
large complimentary vote. The insur
ance bills are of great Importance and
involve close interest of the members.
So many of them pay premiums, OF
have an interest in the business, that
Baron Won Cotzhausen's bill to pre-
vent combinations Of agents is of the
livelieSt Importance Petitions on the
subject. for and against. show the
work that is being done. The anti
cigarette bill still tarries in commit
tee 1t is curious to observe tho many
bills that grow out of recent occur
rences. as the bill compelling license
for storing nitric. sulphuric and other
acids, and the ''baby-farming" bill
both suggesting recent Milwaukee sen
sationS.
Van Hise Likely for President.
Senator Stout retires as university
regent at his own insistence and Edi-
tor Myrland of Grantsburg succeeds
him. Regents Miss Irisby and Mer
rift (of Ashland) continue. 1t is be-
lieved that the election of Prof Van
Hise the geOlogist as president Of the
university will soon be announced.
Prof. Van Hise is eminent in his
line and popular with the students
as shown by the fact that at their
athletic meetings he is a favOrite
speaker. He has a family of young
children, is Il unitarian by church
connection and a college mate of Gov.
La Palette. Prof. Van Hise is high
ly regarded in national government
scientific circles and the wonder is
| that he can be diverted from pure
| science. AS a speaker he has merry
| Gus mannerisms, but he always says
something before he sits down; he
abOunds in common sense and has
considera bic breadth Of culture. Some
will not be quite happy because some
"star' man from abroad was not
chosen. but the fact is the regents
have done the hardest work in this CT
rection and could not seem to make
connections
University Legislation.
Senator Villas is at the Hot Springs
troubled with sciatica and Prof. Henry
in Texas on scientific work, and the
| university bills have not yet got to the
front The &13000O chemical labora-
| tory is the largest single item in the
requests this year; and the mainte-
nance fund is Soughtto be enlarged and
| to be made permanent. The State uni
| verSty is doing great routine work ar
| present under DR.. Birgie-who. by the
| way. has had his hair turned white
| by his two years hard work as asting
! president-and perhaps the absence Of
! the usual university lobby will be as
| effective as il at work The fact is
luIS i1tISOHdI NOIh OH Tic Iup1lDCTS
J is distasteful TO the faculty men and
| officers. but it has seemed the only
| way to remove the false notions about
| college life and needs
| Telephone Bills.
| There are repeated hearings on the
| bill to prevent the strong Wisconsin
Telephone company from putting in
| free telephones in the attempt to
freeze out local companies That is
the situation at present. The local
company has 100 phones and is Civ
| ing admirable service. The Wiscon-
sin (BelD has a splendid plant here
with buried wires and is trying to get
it's old foot-hCld. The local company
| charges $1,o0 a month for phones
| but the Wisconsin is putting in phones
free of charge. Practically it is a
nuisance to have two phones in the
same office and unnecessary The
| effect is to favor the socialist idea