Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-09

change of heart, asked for it's return
but Mr.. Crowley persuaded the as.
sembly not to acquiesce.
Madison, April 2.-Precedent was
abandoned in the senate when Lieu
tenant Governor Davidson was fore
stalled from exercising his appointive
power in naming the members of the
senate committee on conference on
the primary election bill. The majority
succeeded over the protests of the
minority in naming Senators White
head, Beach and Morse as the senate
conferees. A motion to give the mem
berS who favor the enactment of a
primary election measure one repre-
sentative on the committee was lost.
The speaker of the assembly ap-
pointed Messrs Andrew Frear and
lie Roy as house members of the con-
ference committee. All are ardent La
Toilette men The senate members
are towering stalwarts-and any
agreement seems as remote as ever.
"A
tons eventuated in the assembly con-
curing in the senate resolution for an
adjournment to April Ii at 2 p. m.
This long lapse allowed for the presl-
dents visit to the capitol and for the
spring election. The governors veto
of Senator Merton's bill increasing the
daily pay of the stenographer reporter
of the WaukeSha municipal court from
S. to $40 was sustained. Mr.. Dahl
made a motion that the rules be sus-
pended for the passage of the bill pro-
viding means for the running ex-
reformatory institutions. The bill
had been to the charitable committee,
and the claims committee had cut it
down $4,000 to $99S,000. This sum
was wholly for current expenses dur
ing the next two years-not for con-
structional work. But the house de-
cided to let the bill follow the usual
course and action was therefore defer
red. Senate bill No. 35, permitting
city and village mutual fire insurance
companies to do business anywhere i'll
the state, was ordered to a third read
ing despite the report OF the insurance
committee for inconvenience. Mr.
Gilman championed the measure, ex-
planning that it's only purpose was to
extend the scope of the operations OF
companies whose merit was undeni-
able. He was heartily in favor of the
a
township companies saved annually
thousands of dollars to the people OF
Wisconsin and, what is also import
ant, keep all the money in the state,
while all that is paid the old-time COM
panies goes out of the state, except
merely the losses returned. These To-
cal companies have no officers at
great salaries and no enormous sur
pluses. The rates, he understood,
were about one-half less than in the
old-line companies. Last year the
premiums paid to oid-line fire COM
panies by Wisconsin patrons was
S6.175,333 while the losses paid were
only 5000, 000-onethird, so to speak.
During the same time the home muO-
ual companies wrote $22,875,300 of in
surance while the premiums and as
sessments only aggregated $1O2,7ZO
the losses paid being $4,000. A favor
able report was made by the state at
fairs committee on the senate favor
of Feb. Il, Lincoln's birthday, being
made a legal holiday. The committee
on public lands introduced a bill pro-
vidfng for the creation Of state
forestry commission and for the sale
of state lands. The judiciary com
nittee introduced a bill increasing the
limit Of damages recoverable for death
by accident from $4,000 to $4,000.