The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-05-20


gate to the tax commission authority
to say what shall be done with money
in the state treasury he. asked.
s.The state tax commission in seek
ing to exercise such authority certain
" is going beyond the limit OF powers
granted by the act creating it.
He sited the street railway taxation
measure pending in the assembly,
which was drawn by the tax commls-
sion, as an example Of the commits
sion's inconsistency. This bill, he
said. drafted by the tax commission,
provides that 80 per cent OF the tax
levied on street railway companies
shall be returned to the municipah-
ties.
Senator Frear asked for square
deal" and severely criticised Douglas
county and the city Of Superior for IN
adequacy of taxation. He said that
s275,OOO covered all credits taxed IN
Douglas county, while in st. Crolx
county during the same years credits
taxed amounted to $1lo,O0O.
The Frear amendment was lost by
a vote of 10 to Is. A sweeping
amendment by Senator Smith, pro-
yi6ing for local taxation of depots and
all forms of railroad real property in
whatever city situated, also was
voted down by vote of % to 8.
The senate by a vote OF Il to 3
passed over the governors veto Sen
ator Martins bill to give the state
board of control power to parole con-
victs at the state prison at Waupun
and the state refOrmatory at Green
Bay. The bill now goes to the as
sembIy, together with the Veto The
constitution provides that the bill
must be passed by two-thirds vote
TO become a law Notwithstanding the
veto.
The railroad rate commission bill
was on the calendar of the senate for
engrossment, together with the North
substitute To give additional time
for consideration and examination,
Senator Hatten asked that tSe bill be
laid over for a day. This was agreed
to.
The assembly reconsidered previ-
Gus vote and passed the Ekern bill
compelling telephone companies to
make connections for transmission OF
messages, and sustained the govern
ors veto of the bill cutting wage eX-
emption from $50 to $50 month.
The sci ate Thursday passed the for
estry commission bill. Some amend
ments to reduce the expense and size
of the commission were defeated. and
the final vote was nearly unanimous,
only Senators Wright and Wolf voting
in the negative. The bill strengthens
the forestry law of two years ago,
adding to the commission; providing
for an assistant forester and making
more complete and adequate provi-
sions to extinguish and guard against
fires.
Senator Wright offered amendments
providing that the commission consist
of three instead of five members, and
that the president be elected instead
of appointed These amendments
were opposed by Senator Bird, leading
advocate of the bill, who said friends
of the bill desired to keep it as free
as possible from politics, and that this
end was to be served best by making
the commission appOintive rather
than elective. He cited as an exam
pie the effect of politics in the admin
istration of state pine lands, telling OF
a sale of such lands at a time when
the land Office was extensively mixed
in politics. A single sale was made
for 100000. This land was then cut
over and some seventy million feet of
nine was taken off. Then the same
land was sold for S1,500,O00. He de-
clared that every lumberman readily
would recognize the fact that the for
estry bill is economical. Amy success
full lumberman would think it unwise
and wasteful to employ less help than
this bill provides for the care OF $780,
900 acres Of forestry lands.
Senator Hatten spoke in favor of the
hill remarking that had the state re-
Trained years ago from selling its land
these properties could not have been
sold for $1,5O0,000 more than they
brought when they were listed for
sale. Therefore there was no reason
for any haste of the state in parting
with lands. Senator Munson offered
an amendment to strike out provisions
for an assistant state forester at ST.
500 a year. He explained ne was in
favor of a general purpose bill, but
thought that as a matter of economy
it was not necessary at the present
| time to have two technical men. The
| amendment vas opposed by Senator
Bird, who argued that all help provid-
ed for in the bill was necessary if
plans contemplated were to be at all
! adequately carried out. He said the
work planned to extend over large
area: that it included drainage work
on swamp lands in order to reclaim
them. and that conservative numbering
was also contemplated.
The railroad rate commission bill
/ was on the calendar for advancement,
! but on the motion of Senator Hatten,
| in charge of the measure, it was laid
over until Friday morning. 1t is I'M
| derstood that friends of the bill will
! demand action.