Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-03-01

decision been the other way, the Equit-
able would not have divided it's surplus
at fiye-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 sc1ething 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 mill
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 edifice and
patch up the present building. Sen
ator Smith of Green Lake county, has
a 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-
tically ruined by the fire, a 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 a new structure.
They want it done right and want Cass
Gilbert to be in charge. The commits
sion, including Supreme Justices Mar
shall and Winslow and Governor La
hearing along this line. twas unusal
to see wearers Of the ermine meeting
plain citizens on a plane and getting
n crack now and then in the Joint de-
bate. and 1t is likely enough that SUI
preme court judges will be missing On
the commission finally in charge of the
erection or the rehabilitation of a
statehouse.
Brides Must Be Advertised.
Marriage bills always attract inter-
est and the measure designed to make
instantaneous unions possible is far
ing hard. although it came from the
assembly judiciary committee favor
ably. The present law compel g five
days notice was passed to rem Y the
scandal caused by 'whaleback" mar
riages IN Milwaukee. In the good old
days that steamer brought n process
sion of young people (some of whom 1t
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 I'M
happily with newspaper explorations;
and the present glan of compelling a
man and wumaR who wish to wed in
Wisconsin to file notice Of intention
with the county Clerk five days in adj
vance Of the cereh ony was enacted.
There is a bill to | ermit counties as
such to vote mo licel 9e' which is re
ceiving attention. III, brewing In
terests are alive to the act 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, that
it would be unjust for the farmers OF
a comfy in n majority to saddle mo
license" on large city within the
county where the sentiment might he
adverse. But the bill to permit resi-
dents of wards or of any given dis
trlct to vote out saloons savors strong
of home rule, ever n popular cry with
Americans.
Limiting Work TO 60 Hours Week
1t seems strange to ask for such a
law when men generally work only
sixty hours per week, and I'm many
trades only forty-eight, But over A.
600 employees in Wisconsin work In
factories. where conditions are such
that they are willing to work sixty-five
hours per week. but are compelled tC
work from cighty-two to eighty-foul
hours per week on the average, many
working 102 hours each alternate
week, though the laws of Australia
limit similar work to from fortyeight
to fifty-two hours per week.
A large part of their employers
would gladly grant their request, if al
competitors did likewise. Many die
so for two years In one large factory
careful account proved that they
manufactured as much goods in thest
two years as in the previous two years
with the same number of men work
ing seventy-two hours per week. Ye
because they agreed to resume the loni
hour schedule, unless all other lik'
mills reduced their TIM I" sixty-eigh
hours, they were com arr' to fulfil
their contract to their d" n seriou
| damage.
The only way to proto the EN-
pioyes from this over-worA, and III
employers from feeling driven by CON
petition to demand what they admi
is unnecessary and unreasonable is I
enact this law.
| Hot Fight Two Wears Ago.
One of the hottest fights two year