Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-06-20

the amendment for the reason that
the movement is one to anticipate the
adoption Of the good roads amendment
to the constitution and have staff
already to fill lot of state jobs ex-
pected to be authorized by the pros
pective change of the constitution.
The Browne amendment was lost. The
$4,000 allowance wah then adopted
and the bill sent to engrcssment. En-
grossment also was ordered on the
bill to appropriate $4,000 for a site
for the Milwaukee normal school. The
original bill called for 100000.
The party circle will remain at the
head Of the ticket in general elections.
Whirlwind debating preceded an adj
verse vote by the assembly on the
proposition to eliminate the party
circle from the official ballot so as to
make impossible straight ticket vot-
ing. The first Indication of the atti-
tude of the assembly towards the
proposition came when resolution
that the committee of the whole rise
and report in favor of the party circle
was adopted by a vote Of 45 to SO.
Messrs. Cernahan and Potter, demo
Gratis, and Bancroft, republican, stirred
the assembly to a high pitch Of en-
Ithusiasm. Mr.. Cernahan spoke in
favor Of more Independent voting. He
touched tender spots when he charged
that the opposition to this bill was
chemically the same that had opposed
all reform legislation advocated by
the senior senator from Wisconsin.
To these statements Mr.. Bancroft
arose and INDUCED in a scathing de-
nunciation of "fair-minded," demo
Gratis, who, he said favored the elimi-
nation Of the party circle because
they were ashamed to have the word
democratic at the head of the ballot
and because they desired ito disinte
CRATE the republican party into a dis
organized mob such as the democratic
Iparty has been for 25 years III this
state" A longer debate ensued, then
the committee adopted the resolution
in favor of the party circle, and
Chairman Estabrook made his report.
THE emily then voted TO adopt the
Kuckuk amendment which provides
for a simpler form of ballot with the
party circle intact Fred Smith of
Watertown was the only democrat
who voted for the retention of the
tparty circle. By a vote of Sc to 27,
the assembly reconsidered its vote at
taching a referendum to the EstabroOk
bill to change the system of electing
aldermen IN Milwaukee and sent the
bill on it's way under suspension of the
rules after another roll call was or
dered, which showed &c for suspen-
sion and Z against. The bill provides
for one alderman from each ward and
II at large, the latter to hold for four
years and six to go out of office every
two years. The salary is fixed at
$500. The committee on claims re
ported favoTably on the proposition TO
Establish a state board of immigration,
to be made up of the secretary OF
state, the head of the bureau of labor
statistics and the chief clerk of the
land Office. Seven thousand dollars
annually is to be appropriated 1cr the
purpose of exploiting the undeveloped
resources of the state, especially the
large tracts of land in the north. The
appropriation of S62,50O for the state
beard Of agriculture was also reported
on favorably. Government owner
ship, ultimate and immediate, received
a decided setback when the commit
tee on transportation reported for
slaughter two social democratic joint
resolutions on the subject The com
mittee on transportation offered bill
in the assembly to give municipalities
the power to issue certificates Of in
debtedness to purchase public utility
plants when the limit Of bonded in
debtedness has been reached. In this
way a city may mortgage its plant to
completely acquire the ownership Of
the enterprise.
A fight was made in the bill to ap-
Ipropriate $4,000 to the reference l.
brary, by Assemblyman Bancroft, with
the result that the measure was re-
iferred to the committee on state de-
Ipartments, the bill is to be amended
and an investigation made into the
disposition made by that department
of previous appropriations. Mr.. Ban
croft did not believe in increasing
the importance Of the reference IL
brary to such an extent that it tran
sends in Importance any other state
department He showed that the ap-
preparation had risen steadily from
$4,000 in 1908, to 4,5OO in 1905 and is
now proposed to be increased to s15,-
propriated to make up deficiency.
Mr. Douglas objected to the bill
factory feature Of the department,
which ground out over 1000 bills
flooding the legislature this session
more than ever before.
Madison IUDe 79 The university