The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-05-15
Session OF the Legislature Wind
ing Up With Very Little
Done.
Final Effort to Agree-A Mild Mort
gage Tax Bill Passed by
the Senate

is not much to show for over four
months work The members will be
glad TO 90 and those Of us who re-
port the proceedings will be glad to
have them. The people at home who
usually hold the lawmakers sharply
responsible for sins of omission ana
commission are not much to be feared
as between parties because the state.
Democracy is in such disorganlzed
condition. Therefore it will be fight
over again between the two factions.
What the people will make out OF
this unsatisfactory session remains to
be seen. Each side has it's own story.
The governor loves a fight and is al
ready marshalling his campaign as
sets, the latest being message Frl-
day last to the legislature advising
bill to prevent raising of present
freight rates by the railway COM
panies. 1t has long been thought by
most everybody that any extra money
the state takes from the railroad cor
porations in taxes will be recouped in
increased charges for freight.
When the bids were opened the 9th
or day for supplying coal to the state
institutions, it was discovered that all
the coal dealers had inserted proVlSo
protecting them in the event OF In
creased freight rates. Therefore the
governor advises a bill that shall
include some recent schedule Of rates
and compelling the companies to keep
within that maximum. The move
ment is only an accentuation of the
governors determination to make his
next fight on this matter of railroad
control
r State Regulation of Railways.
The governors bill to establish q
railway commission was defeated liz
the assembly, which body in other
matters has carried out all his views.
Theopponents of the governor are ca G.
fuI not to enlist themselves as hostile
to some form of state control OF rail-
roads The shippers Of the state stood
together in defeating the bill and
their argument that in it's drastic
form, (fOr it was Il detailed system of
charges) it threatened CONFUSION in
state industrial interests, commanded
respect by reason of it's unanimlty OF
the protest. However, a railway com
mission with only general powers and
latitude allowed them in the matter
of commodity rates for lumbermen
and manufacturers in the northern
part of the state, would be more ac-
ceDtable and many sO-called stalWarts
will be found standing for this thing
With stalwarts already saying this
and with the assembly responsible fol
the defeat of the commission bill, the
governor will be hampered bit IN
any attempt to represent himself as
unaided fighting this battle. He may
be able, should the assembly accept
and the senate reject his last pro
posaI forbidding higher than present
freight rates, to make 4 point on the
opponents. He certainly has displayed
the highest ability az Il tacticlan
though his critics blame him for MOI
accepting what he could get, especial
~ in primary elections and railway
tax refory9. -
O. Primary Elections Dead.
Absolutely nothing has been done
in advancing primary elections. PUB
lie interest in this reform is already
tagging though the successful work
ing Of the plan in other states vii
from time to time be reported to Wis
cOnsin and a fresh demand fO- thu
same grow up. For the present, Ger
tainly, the governor has dropped tina
issue and is bending his energies t.
arouse the people in the matter O
freight rates.
The place of the state tax commis
sion in all this political check an'
countercheck is interesting. The ad
ministration has not hesitated to GU
loose from it's recommendations, not
ably in the matter of the exemption
of credits To the close student, tn
failure of this bill is the most seriou
act of the legislature. The bill passe
the senate and failed in the assembly
though the tax commission stOutly rec
Ommends it. The al valorem syster
Of taxation of railroads, word fo
word as it came from the tax con
mission, was passed by the senate; it
final disposition is matter of III
certainty. There is better chanC
of agreement by both senate an
assembly, as to the bone of contention
really trifing one, the exemption {
railroad bonds from taxation. Apal
from these four issues, about whic
the storm has ragged, there is little
report but minor business as the resu
of the session.
When adjournment is reached
will be we'll for all Of us to leaN
politics alone for at least three month
in order to cool down. There will
little but the rountine work of tt
capitol and the conduct of the sta
institutions to engross the public min
Factors in the Fight.
Nevertheless, the politicians on bot
sides will not long rest. Every OF