Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-12-14

no candidate had received majority of
first choice votes then the second choice
votes could be counted, resulting in a
nomination by majority vote.
This suggestion was repeated to your
honorable body in the annual message in
January Of the present year, and your
best thought invoked upon the perfec-
ton of the primary election law.
Since that time the statute has been
given a trial. Whatever of honest criti-
cism came out Of the administration Of
the new statute in the municipal cleo
Of the law which admits Of plurality
nominations. 1t is to this section Of the
statute that we should apply our best eff
fort for correction. It is here that the
enemies Of popular government will di-
rect their attack
If the principle of majority control
can be applied in making nominations
by direct vote at primary election,
every man in this commonwealth will
agree that it should be done. That this
can be easily attained is very apparent
upon examination. We have but to turn
to the country from which we took the
Australian ballot, for our lesson. Since
1892 the elector there has enjoyed the
right to use what is called the "contin-
gent vote" This is simply the 'order
of preference" called into play to assert
the principle Of election by absolute ma
jority. This plan provides a ballot upon
which the elector marks his first and
second choice or "order of preference"
Where but two candidates are in the
field there is no occasion for the eXer-
else of the second choice in order to in
sure a majority nomination, but where
there are three candidates or more than
three candidates. the ballot provides op-
portunity for the delegates to indicate
his second choice. If, after the ballots
are counted, no candidate has an abso-
lutte majority of first choice votes, then
the ballots cast for the candidate re-
ceiving the least number of votes on the
list are assorted with reference to second
choice for the remaining candidates.
If no one then receives a majority of
first and second choice ballots, q similar
assortment of the ballots of the lowest
remaining candidates is made on the ba-
sis of second choices and added to the
votes Of other candidates, and so on I'M
til some candidate has majority of first
and second choice. An examination of
this subject will make it plain that I'M
der this method it will rarely be neces-
sary to canvass the entire second choice
vote. to secure q majority nomination.
This plan effectually prevents the lowest
or weakest candidates from getting q
nomination on second choice. 1t accords
to the first choice vote it's due impor
lance over that of the second choice and
secures to the candidate strongest with
most of the voters the majority nomina
ton. This is a simple method of deter
mining by majority vote the nomination
of a candidate for each Office on the pri-
mary election ballot.
To Provide a Form of Ballot.
Chapter 500 of the laws of 1905 pro-
vided for the use of the pocket ballot and
coupon voting system. 1t is doubtful if
it is in safe form to go upon the statutes
if it were to become law.
Chapter 461, Laws 1905.
There does not seem to be any reason
for requiring fishways to be placed in
booms and piers. A patented fishway
should not be required at all, unless the
owners of the patent shall assign to the
state for the benefit of it's citizens the
right to use such patent without cost to
them.
County Aid for Bridges.
Your attention is directed to what is,
belieyed to be a serious defect in chap,
ter 2SS, laws of 1905, relating to county,
aid in building or repairing bridges.
1t is provided by this act that when
a tax is levied by the county for the pur-.
pose of paying its portion of the cost of
the construction of such bridges no lew
shall be made upon the property in any,
tains its own bridges. This exception
from taxation, applying to cities and in.
corpOrated villages maintaining their,
own bridges was attacked in the courts.
on the ground that it violated the pro-
visions of section l, article s, of the con-
stitutiOn, providing that the rule of tax
alton shall be uniform. However, the
supreme court in several cases upheld the
law, | am advised that the act is also
giving the county boards and the district
attorney much trouble on account of the
uncertainty of some Of it's, provisions.
This confusion will be productive of,
much trouble and possibly of expensive
litigation to many municipalities. The
statute should be carefully revised in the
light of the supreme court decisions upon
the subject.
Grain and Warehouse Commission.
At the last session. the Legislature en-
acted chapters 10 and 317, creating q
grain and warehouse commission for the
state of Wisconsin, and providing for
licensing and regulating warehouses and
elevators, and for the storage, weighing
and inspection of grain in the city Of
Superior, and conditionally at other
points in said state
[ would recommend that the act be
carefully considered and such amend
mentS thereto enacted as will make the
legislative intent clear, and afford a rene
dy for the evils complained OF, to the full
extent of the constitutional power of the
state.
Chapter 46s, Laws of 1905.
For some years, until the present fiscal
year, the university has received it's sup
port from the general fund and money
has thus been available at the beginning
OF each fiscal gear for current expenses.
1t may be Wise to amend chapter 46S so
rs to authorize a transfer in 1906 SINH
lar to that made this year
Corporations and Insurance.
From time to time these public service
corporations set up the claim that their
business was private business; that any
inquiry upon the part of anyone on the
outside was an impudent and meddle-
some intrusion. They can no longer
maintain this fallacy.
For many years there has been con-
test on in Wisconsin, between public in
terest on the one hand, and the railway
companies on the other. The people have
sought to secure fair and just transpOr-
tatlon charge for passengers and for
freight For years the railroads have re-
sisted this legislation. That the amount
of money necessary to meet these ex-
penSes has come from the treasures of
the railway corporations has been often
asserted by the press of the state. A
legislative investigation which uncovers
all facts with relation to this important
subject will require much time and labor.
No dollar Of the money required TO
prosecute such an investigation will be
wasted.
1t is a shocking disclosure of the de-
| moralized business integrity of the coun-