Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-05-28

The legislative session or l9OS VIII
close when both houses adjourn sine
die at noon today.
The records of the members are
made up. 1t is claimed by repub'
licans of both factions that every de-
mand of the last state platform is in
corporated into statute law. That the
recommendations of Gov La Toilette
the establishment of railroad rate
controlling commission and the pas
sage of the maximum rate bill-were
killed the administration people
blame the senate.
The records of the legislature COM
piled yesterday snow that the senate
concurred in 273 assembly bills, killed
81. and returned / and passed 25O
senate bills, killed 149, three were
withdrawn and six died in committees.
The assembly concurred in 206 sell
ate bills, passed 273 and killed 345 of
it's own, 81 were withdrawn, 8 died in
committee and SO senate bills were
nonconcurTed in.
AID VaIorem Most Important.
The legislature which completed its
work Yesterday although it did not ac-
complish all that some expected of it
in the way of reform, nevertheless
enacted many laws By far the great
est piece of legislation which passed
and has become a law is the bill Great
ing the state tax commission a board
for the assessment of the property OF
the railroads of the state and the
taxing of that property in the same
way that other property is taxed in
the state. While the new law does
not become operative until 1905 the
first valuation of the roads under
which they will pay taxes will be made
in 1904 and the people will know be-
fore the next election the amount
which will be collected from the rail-
roads in taxes in 1905. The bill pro
vides that the taxes shall be paid di-
rectly into the state treasury and 1t
is calculated that it will result in In
creasing the amount which the roads
pay about $1,OOO,000 a year.
The other tax reforms which be
camo a law were the measures reduc-
ing the amount of the school tax and
enactine a mortgage taxation law and
a law for the taxing of gifts and in
heritances
Primary Election Statute.
The principle election which was
passed at this session was the pri-
mary election bill which provides that
all party nominations shall be made by
direct vote of the people. The law
a
been voted upon by the people in the
general election of 1904. The other
changes in the election laws of i'm
portance relate to the election Of
school officers County superintend-
ents Of schools will hereafter be elect
ed in the spring.
Spent More Money.
The total of the appropriations
Tassed by the legislature is about
S650,O00 in excess of the appropria-
tons of two years ago. OF this
amount, however, 100000 is taken
from the general fund and added to
the common school fund of the state.
OF the balance $4,000 is what it is es-
timated it will cost the state to make
the valuation of the railways under
the ad valorem bill SIS 900 for the St.
Louis worlds fair and 100000 is to
enlarge the capitol so as to accommo-
date the supreme court. The balance
Of the increase was made up for
large part Of the increase made neces-
sary because of the growth of the char
table and penal institutions.
Railroads Affected.
The principal measure affecting the
railroads which passed was the bill
empowering the commissioner of rail-
roads to examine the books and &C
counts of railroads to determine
whether the roads have made truthful
returns OF their gross earnings in this
state for the purpose OF determining
whether they have paid the full
amount of license fees which they
should pay This legislature was
principally distinguished because OF
the railroad legislation which it did
not enact The bill to establish
commission for the regulation of rail.
way rates failed of passage. The bill
to establish the rates OF June Is. 1902,
as the maximum rates in the state, the
bill to prohibit the giving or receiving
OF rebates and other measures of les
ser Importance we're killed in the up
per house.
Advance in Game Laws.
Wisconsin took a long stride for.
ward in the game laws enacted this