Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-04-07
LEGISLATIVE INFORMA.
TION FROM MADISON

4 MADISON, WIS.,, April 3.-A new
tangle promises to be added to the
many with which the legislature will
have TO wrestle, namely that of the
time of adjournment, When this
legislature meets again Wednesday
| night the assembly will find on it's
calendars the final adjournment reso-
! lntion, which has been introduced by
Assemblyman Irvine, providing for
final adjournment April %. There is
little chance any action will be taken
on the resolution then, and a motion
will at once be made that it lie over
for another week. Speaker Lenroot
and others of the legislative leaders
say that there will be no final adjourn
ment resolutions pass the legislature,
until it is known what will happen to
the railway rate bill and other of the
major measures which are pending.
Assemblyman Irvine and some of the
other country members, however,
want to get home as soon as possible
on account Of spring work.
Two of the biggest propositions
with which the legislature will have
to wrestle, the civil service bill and
the rate bill, have finally come in
from committees, and are now up for
legislative action. 1t is the general
opinion that both will have pretty
hard Shedding, and if they are passed
that they will be modified even still
more than they have been in commit
tees. Long debates may be expected
on both, so the sessions for the next
week or two should be interesting.
The number of bills is rapidly grow
ing less under the wholesome killing
process, the assembly setting a record
Thursday evening by killing 80 at one
fell stroke. Another killed at that
session was the old Pump Carpenter
bill, giving the old time state printer
| leave to sue the state for a claim
which he says has never been settled.
The anti-cigarette bill has finally
been carried through both houses, but
| awaits the assembly concurrence in a
| minor amendment before it goes to
the governor. 1t is still far from the
statute book, and not few predict
that it will never go there. Another
measure which promises a big horn
locking is the Thayer ward option bill,
yu ri ai fn c1,,,f op
residence districts. The assembly
ordered it engrossed by big vote,
but that is as far as it has yet
progressed. What the senate will do
with it is problematical.
What to do about the rebuilding of
the capitol seems the knottiest problem
so far before the legislature. Many
propositions have been made, but
sentiment seems far from crystalizing.
A resolution has been introduced to
accept the invitation of Minnesota to
see the new capitol there, and if the
visit is made it may help to clarity
the situation.
The assembly in the past week has
put through number of bills which
have been styled "aggressively re-
| FORM measures. One Of these is the
| Henry Johnson measure prohibiting
paid lobbyists from attempting to
| influence the action Of mem bers except
before open committee or legislative
meetings. Another is the Andrew
bill, by which recreant aldermen can
be removed by vote of the people.
Occasionally the houses override
the recommendations of committees.
For instance, the assembly committee
reported for killing the bill which pro-
posed to do away with the office of
county supervisor OF assessments
However, the assembly passed the
bill, but the fight is not over and Mr..
| Dahl will make strong effort to
have the Office saved. Also bill
recommended Tor passage proposed
that all employees of paper mills and
but the assembly had no fear of the
smallpox bogie and killed the bill.
Senator Frear made a great fight
to put through his dill exempting
from taxation property of old soldiers
up to $500, and while he won not
able victory one day, his bill was
defeated for passage the next.
1t is hard to get proposition for
constitutional amendment through,
but Senator McGillivray succeeded
in putting through one whose purpose
is to bring about better roads. An
| incident Of the past week was the
reconsideration of the assembly OF its
action relative to the return Of the
Alabama battle flag, The trophy will
now probably be returned without the
| concurrence of the Grand Army.
| Four sessions will undoubtedly be
held this week and the loss of time by
election adjournment made up.
| II. S. FAIRALL,