Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-01


able would not have divided its surpI us
at five-year intervals, but merely
stopped doing business in this state
How curious the origin of things.
Fifty years ago it was the practice of
these companies to divide its surplus
every few years and the Legislature
passed the present law in order to en-
courage companies to secure surplus
and SO strengthen themselves The
fear then was that the companies
would become too weak and not too
strong.
Attorney General Sturdevant will
endeavor to open up the case again.
though it is something that a supreme
court rarely does. The case has at
tracted national attention. Everybody
feels that these big companies need
looking into. although down east the
point mostly raised is that their mil
lions and even billions of assets may
and do exert too much power in the
world of investment and speculation.
Repairs Not New Capitol.
The latest phase in the new capitol
building agitation is a disposition to
cut out the proposed new editice and
patch up the present building. Sen
atOr Smith of Green Lake county. has
100000 bill to this end and not a
few Madison people approve it. as they
conceive that thus this question of
possible removal might be squelched.
The north and south wings and the
dome of the present building are con.
coded to be beautiful. even by artists
and by building higher and building
anew the east and west wings, prac-
tfcally ruined by the fire. present
able and adequate structure could be
effected that would last for twenty
years. But some of the most influential
men of the legislature believe that the
time has come for new structure
They want it done right and want CasS
Gilbert to he in charge. The commits
sion. including Supreme justices Mar
shall and Winslow and Governor La
Toilette met all corners in the public
hearing along this line It was unusa'
to see wearers Of the ermine meeting
plain citizens on a plane and getting
crack now and then in the joint de
bate. and it is likely enough that su
rreme court judges will be missing or
the commission finally in charge Of the
erection or the rehabilitation of q
statehouse
Brides Must Re Advertised.
Marriage bills, always attract inter
est and the measure designed to make
instantaneous unions possible is far
ing hard. although 1t came from thu
assembly judiciary committee favor
ably. The present law compelling five
days notice was passed to remedy the
scandal caused by "whaleback" mar
riages in Milwaukee. Tn the good ole
days that steamer brought process
sion of young people (some Of whom il
was said never met until they boarded
the craft, to the doors Of a certain
parsonage in Milwaukee. These mar
riages not unfrequently Turned out un
happily with newspaper explorations
man and woman who wish to wed ir
Wisconsin to file notice of intention
with the county clerk FIVE days in ad
vance of the ceremony was enacted
There is bill to permit counties as
such to vote mo license" which is re
ceiving attention. The brewing in
terests are alive to the fact that this
legislature made up in considerable
part of earnest people from small
towns. affords the most favorable
arena for reform measures that the
state has known in late years. 1t is
urged. with some show of reason thai
it would he unjust for the farmers o.
county in majority to saddle 'ne
license" on large city within thu
county where the sent nent might ht
adverse. But the bill to permit resi-
dents OF wards or of any given dis
trict to vote out saloons savors strons
OF home rule. ever popular cry with
Americans.
Limiting Work to 65 Hours a Week.
1t seems strange to ask for such a
law when men generally work only
sixty hours per week. and in many
trades only forty weight. But over a..
600 employees in Wisconsin work in
factories. where conditions are sucl
that they are willing to work sixty-five
hours per week. but are compelled tC
work from eighty-two to eighty-four
hours per week on the average. many
working 1902 hours each alternate
week. though the laws of Australia
limit similar work to from forty eight
to fifty-two hours per week.
A large part of their employers
would gladly grant their request, II al
competitors did likewise. Many did
SO for two years In one large factory
careful account proved that they
manufactured as much goods In thes'
two years as in the previous two years
with the same number of men work
ing seventy-two hours per week. Yet
because they agreed to resume the long
hour schedule. unless all other like
mills reduced their time to sixty-eight
hours. they were compelled to fulfill