Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-06-03

changes made relative to court pleadings
and practice. A good deal of attention
has been given by the lawyer members
to the laws relating to probate matters.
but the changes mostly are such as APP
peal to lawyers only.
TIL lax relating 20 admission TO prac-
tice mas been amended so as TO provide
for three years course of study. Pro-
vision has been made for disbarment pro
eeedings. even the lawyers themselves
admitting the necessity for legislation
which win tend TO discourage improper
conduct upon the part Of lawyers through
fear of punishment.
Changes in Election Laws.
After 1904 the county superintendent
of schools viii be elected in the spring at
the same time as the judicial elections
The purpose is to remove the office as
far from politics as possible. The
first election under the new system will
take place in the spying of 1905 and the
county superintendent who We're elected
last fall will hold over until heir sue
cessors qualify Changes have been made
in the laws affecting registration by max
ing the registration days Monday and
Tuesday. The primary election law will
have to be submitted 10 a vote Of the
people at the fall election in 1904 before
il can become effective, and then only
upon a majority v.te. In Milwaukee
County the opening and closing Of the
pods win be the same as in the city
under new law.
Appropriations.
The sum total of the appropriations
contained in the measures enacted is
| $685.. 331 So in excess Of the amount APP
| propriated two years ago, bat the money
has been well placed. The total is 81
310594.90. as against Sl.755, 263.02 in
| 1901 The joint committee on claims
was able to dispose Of its work without
/ ny jangling because of an agreement
made at the suggestion IF Chairman
Hagemeister that when The committee
| disagreed the measures should be report
ed according TO the win Of the majority.
| In this way there were no minority re-
ports. The biggest appropriation is
| $685.. 900 for the charitable and penal in
situations, and is to carry Item through
the coming two years. The worlds fair
commission received $4,000, and $4,000
is set aside for installing the ad valorem
| system of taxation. The home for the
feeble minded at Chippewa Falls re
ceives $4,000 and the Veterans home at
| Waupaca gets SIT 900 for improvements.
! The university appropriations amount
| to S221 900 The industrial school for
girls at Milwaukee receives $4,000:
county schools Of agriculture $4,000 and
! 100000 goes into the common school
! fund The National Guard received an
increase of $1,000; the university stock
| farm $4,000. the geological survey S10.-
600 Blue books viii cost 5000, while
| the stationery for the coming two years
viii cost $4,000. The Platteyille normal
school receives $35, 1000 for new build
| ing. being the only normal school to get
anything at all. The sum Of 100000
was set aside for improvements on the
capitol.
other General Legislation.
| Cities have been authorized to enact
ordinances through the common council
10 prohibit fights and to punish those who
engage in them; gypsies are prohibited
| from camping on the roadside without
| the consent of the owners of the ad-
| joining property; the building Of high
| fences with malicious intent is prohibited
and right of action for damages is
given to the person who suffers from a
| fence more than six feet high built for
| the purpose of annoyance, Any person
! is given the right to kill dog that makes
an assault upon him while he is walking
or driving, but the killing must BE off the
owners property and before the dog re
turns to his masters domain. County
boards are authorized TO pay b. mites
for the killing ef rattlesnakes and crows
Railroad Legislation.
As before indicated. the success of the
ad valorem measure is one Of the impcr-
tant achievements Of the session and one
| of the most important in the history of
| legislation. Under the new system every
bit of railroad property is to be assessed
in the same way that other property is
! assessed. The railroads claim that under
the system they will pay less than they
are paying now, but the opinion Of the
administration is that the taxes income
fund will be increased anywhere from
$50 900 to 100000. Considerable lti-
CATION is expected to result before the
railroads finally acquiesce, unless the
taxes fall below what they do under the
ad valorem system.
Railroad companies are required to
erect bulletins announcing the time Of the
arrival of trains in order 10 inform the
public whether trains are on time or not.
The law is effective ana while it directs
the companies to post the bulletin boards
Immediately, they have failed to do so.
Interurban railways more than fifteen
miles in length are required 10 provide
crcater toilet conveniences for their pat
rons. The powers of the railroad COM
missioner have been enlarged so as to
enable him 70 summon witnesses 10 testi-
fy con, ming the giving of rebates aud
providih,, for the examination Of the
books 0f the companies.
The law relating 10 injuries sustained
by railroad employees is materially chang
ed. The fellow servant law is done
away with 50 far ms they are concerned.
They are to he compensated for injuries
whether sustained through the careless
ness of n fellow servant o. not. provided
the injury is one peculiar to the opera
ton Of railroads" The Supreme Court
will have 10 decide what that means.
Broken arms or internal injuries are not
peculiar to the operation of railroads"
and in the same way many injuries are
mt
Laws Affecting Municipalities.
There are many minor enactmonts re-
lating TO cities and villages. The most
important measures are the bond cura-
tive act. the refunding law and the new
law governing the issuance Of bonds.
modifying the present law SO as to make
the referendum on bond issuance neces-
sdry only when demanded upon petition
Of 20 DeF cent Of the citizens The bond