Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-03-18
WISCONSIN SOLONS.

In he Assembly Friday the bin pro-
vidini for the taxation OF railroad com
panies on the ad yalorem basis was final
Is passed by unanimous vote, without a
word Of debate. Coincident with This ac-
ton the third and last sweerng admins
tration measure, the railroad commits
sion bill, to fix and control the rates for
passenger and freight traffic in Wisyon-
sin, made It's appearance. II was intro
duced by the Assembly Committee ON
Railroads, by Chairman c. W. Gilman, of
Mondovi, The bin was drawn hy the
administration members of the commit
tee with the assistance of the Governor
aud the Attorney General and was pre-
scented to the Assembly with favorable
recommendation for immediate passage.
Attorney General Sturdevant IS said TO
have Investigated all the legal questions
Involved and the measure, administration
members say, will stand the test Of the
most severe judicial controversy to which
the railroad corporations are certain 20
subject it if it becomes law.
-
The Assembly ON Tuesday voted TO re-
consider the vote thar recently defeated
the proposed BARRIERS license law, md
made it special order for Thursday.
Joseph " Errant, a Chicago attorney,
argued against the passage Of the Lang
bill To prevent all combinations. boycotts
and agreements W restraint of trade.
The committee decided to recommend the
bill for passage. Errant appeared for
delegation of retail and Wholesale drug
gists from Chicago, Milwaukee and 9TH
err cities and said that the bill was aimed
ut the boycotts which the Retail Drug
gists' Association of America have eff
feetively used to fight department stores
and other prosecutors of patent medi-
cines Attorneys for the leading rail-
roads of the Northwest appeared before
the taxation committees to oppose the
bill 10 establish a commission 10 fix
freight and passenger rates in Wiscon-
sin. By this Law the Governor proposes
to prevent the railroads from raising
rates to reimburse themselves fo. The
annual increase Of S1,000,000 in taxation
provided for in the ad valorem bill al
ready reported FOR passage
::-
The bin introduced by Speaker Len
root providing for the submission of
franchises granted by cities to vote Of
the people passed the Assembly Thurs
day without dissenting vote. The bin
provides that mo ordinance for granting
either street railroad electric lighting
gas, water or telephone franchise, or foI
the extension of the life Of any such
existing franchise shall be operative in
any city in this State until after sixty
days from the date of its passage. II
during the period Of sixty days a number
Of qualified voters equal TO 10 per cent Of
the total number Of votes east at the last
preceding election shall demand that the
ordinance be submitted to a direct vote
Of the citizens, such ordinance shall not
he valid or operative until it shall have
been so submitted and approved by q
| majority Of those having voted upon It.
The provisions Of this section shall not
apply to any line or system upon any
street. not exceeding one-half mile 10
length Il the term of such extension ex
pires ut the same time as the franchise
covering the street Of which 1t is a part
BY a vote Of 80 to ~ the Assembly
killed the bill providing for the examine
| ton and licensing of BARRIERS.