The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-06-16
LONGEST SESSION ON RECORD.
Railways, Liquor and Revenue Chief
Issues Before SoIons.


MADISON, Wis, June 16.-This
week will witness the close of the long
est session of any legislature in the
history of Wisconsin. A joint resolu
ton has been passed in both houses
that after June 16 no business will be
received except communications be-
tween the two branches.
In may ways the session has been
remarkable, for railroad legislation in
Wisconsin has been watched with
great deal of interest in many other
states where the same object is rip
ening for legislation. The number of
laws enacted will not break the record
though the session holds the record for
the number of bills introduced. Sen
ator Roehr of Milwaukee introduced
the largest number of bills in the SEN
ate, the total being 48, while another
Milwaukee man, Mr.. Fletcher, holds
the record in the assembly with a to-
raj of 49,
Legislative action has been directed
especially along three lines-towaris
railroad legislation, liquor regulation,
and the increasing of taxes. Of the
IS or 80 bills aimed at the greater reg
ulation of railroads, the most import
&c
railroad commission, which will be in
operation soon. Many believe that the
Jumper on many other railroad bills
that had not yet been enacted, as
many members felt that the question
at issue in them could be left with the
commission to be created. 1t was
doubtless this feeling that caused the
defeat of the Henry Johnson bill fix
ing the maximum rate Of two cents a
mile for passenger service on the big
roads. Senator Hudnall opposed the
measure for this reason, and succeed
ed in having it defeated in the senate
Taxation and Revenue
Much time has been consumed. in
the consideration of taxation meas
ures. Practically all the bills of this
nature originated in the assembly
were their champions. Had Mr.. Dahls
IDEAS matrialized, there would be a big
change in taxation measures, and an
enormous increase in the states rev.
enues, had all the proposed laws been
sustained by the courts. His hobby is
the ad Valorem system, and many cor
porations and interests now operating
on the license fee system would be
put on this basis, could he have had
his way. His bills aimed to place the
telephone and telegraph companies on
that basis, street car systems, light
and heating plants, sleeping car COM
panies and boat companies.
He would also put a tax on fran
chises for telegraph and dam COM
panies, besides assessing such COM
panies property. He made a hard
fight for three bills-One proposing to
tax life insurance companies on the ad
valorem basis on the surrender value
of all policies in force in Wisconsin;
one to strengthen the present mort
gage law by prohibiting the making of
contracts by which one party was to
pay all the tax on mortgaged property
and one making it compulsory on the
county boards to pay supervisors of
assessment enough salary so that all
of them would attend to their duties.
In several counties the law in this re-
spect has been practically null.
Liquor Traffic Regulation
About so bills were introduced to
regulate the liquor traffic. They COW
cred the problem from the smallest
Interference to the establishment of