The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-07-05
| SO[ONS co HOME
| FOR The FOURTH.
Legislature Will Probably
Not Adjourn Before
the 18th.
! INSURANCE BILLS CONSIDERED
Nearly a Dozen Measures Were on
the Assembly Calendar
Last Week.
| Singing Rebuke to the Members of
the Third House''-No Pension
for Former Governor Tay-
| IOr-NOtes.
INSURANCE BILLS CONSIDERED


last Saturday nearly the whole week
was spent on insurance measures
aimed to curb the evils of life insur-
ance companies, as aired in the in
vestigation of the Armstrong commit
tee in New York and the legislative
investigation of the Wisconsin COM
panies. 1t now looks as though it
would be the 10Th before an adjourn
ment can be secured, as most of the
members have gone home to spend the
Fourth, expecting to return by July s
for work.
Nearly dozen insurance bills were
on the assembly calendar last week
and it took the personal explanation
of Speaker Ekern to almost every
measure before it was passed. When
the bills came up in the senate Fri
day, the measures were so technical
that under the threat of the life insur-
ance companies that if the measures
We're passed they would withdraw
from the state, the senate resolved it
self into a committee and spent the
day listening to arguments by John
M. DIN, of Madisol-, and former In
Surance Commissioner Frcke on the
part of the insurance corporations
and Speaker III. L. Ekern for the pas
sage Of the measures, which he claims
arc designed for the protection of the
policyholders.
The main fight is made by the
Northwestern Life Insurance company
Of Milwaukee. One Of the bills con-
sidered provides for a tax on the re-
serve, while the Northwestern is at
tempting to have passed a bill to tax
them ? per cent. on the premiums. If
the bill as favored by the insurance
companies were passed, it woull prac-
ticaily exempt them from taxation
and cut down the revenues of the
state annually 100000. The other
bill objected to by the insurance com
panies requires them to furnish an
nually statement of individual ac-
counts to the policyholders. as to the
amount paid and for expenses and re-
serve. This measure the insurance
companies claim is an unnecessary ex-
pense. The bills have already passed
the assembly and the senate will send
them back iii amended form when the
session reopens the latter part of the
week. Wisconsin has already spent
$4,000 for the insurance Investigation
LOBBYISTS Are Hit
Although Wisconsin has upon the
statute books a stringent anti-lobby
law, the members of the third house
were booming so bold in taking the
seats of the members and debating
resolutions for the defeat Of legisla-
ton, that Assemblyman Duncan Nc
Gregor presented a resolution to the
legislature last week, compelling them
to remain on either side of the room
and to keep away from the members
desks during the sessions Of the leg
islature. This was singing rebuhe
a dozen were dragged from the foo
within half an hour after the reSolu-
ton was adopted. 1t was eXplaine I
that when measures We're being rushel
through under a suspension Of the
rules it was unwise to have these men
about them for fear some good bill
would be sighted or some bad one
passed.
The legislature has passed a child
labor law, which was sent to the gov
ernor for signature Friday. This
measure keeps children under Is We rs
out of places where the occupations
named are hazardous or where liquors
are being made or sold. It limit h !
number of hours of work each week t.
fifty-five. which figures bring one hour
a week more than the nine hour day
This extra hour was added so as to
work child ten hours q day but no
more. but in that case the child is to
have Saturday afternoon off.
No Pension for Taylor
Several days ago bill was intro
duced in the legislature to give an an
nual pension of $500 10 former Gov
ernor William r. Taylor. who is now
in the Gisholt home for the aged a
semi charitable institution near Madi-
son. Governor Taylor served III 1873
x and won distinction for starting a
fight for the regulation of railroads. It
was during his administration that tho
famous Potter law was passed to cor
troll railroads. 1t was repealed by h
following legislature. At the time h
was elected the granger movement"
was at it's crest and he went in on the
wave After he left the governors
chair misfortunes followed him in
business until two years ago PENN
less. he went to the home"
At this session of the legislature. he
being 81 years of age his friends
co11Oht to pot him q mansion h,y+ tho