The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-06-28
LEGISLATURE IN
RECORD SESSION
Wisconsin State SolOns Con-
clude Their Labors
This Week.
REASON SESSION WAS so LONG
Nearly Two Months Time Con-
sumed in Election of Sue.
cessor to Spooner.
Besides This the Legislature Has Had
Some Exceedingly Difficult Prob
lens to Grapple With
Madison Notes.
REASON SESSION WAS so LONG

Madison, w IS, June ZZ.-1ue reCOfu
session of legislature of Wisconsin
comes to a close this week. 1t has
practically all but the first week of
the six months of the year so far past.
In view of this fact it seems almost
amusing to read now the predictions
made at the opening that the session
would be short enc. Several circum-
stances conspired to bring about such
a late date of adjournment.
The unexpected projection of SEN
atOrial election into the proceedings
was the principal cause. The settling
upon of a successor to Senator Spoon
er took the greater part of two
months and the contest was dis
tracing factor during the whole of
that time and prevented the dispatch
of business that would otherwise have
gone smoothly on. Another problem
the working out of which consumed
much valuable time on the part of the
speaker and other leaders, was the
drafting of new rules for the houses
and the reorganization of the clerical
and other help. 1t is generally con-
ceded that the new rules are an i'm
provement upon the old and that their
application to the work at the next
session should result in speedier and
more effective work than that which
m q Y,I-o az tho 0r1n1,it,<r of tho
ent session.
Some More Difficult Problems.
Then, too, the legislature had to
grapple with several exceedingly diff
which there We're few if any beaten
paths of experience by other states to
tread. Chief of these were the insur-
ance and public utility regulation
schemes. While legislative commit
tee had made most exhaustive In
ance problem that very fact seemed to
make the question the harder to solve,
the field of study and thought widen
ing and widening as the hearings con-
tinued day after day.
While some of the insurance bills
are modelled on those of New York it
is the opinion Of Professor J. ID.
Glover. of the University Of Michigan,
who has been consulting actuary of
the state of Wisconsin for over year,
that on the whole they are much SUI
perior to the New York laws in many
respects and will stand as models for
other states. 1t is some more of that
pioneer work Of legislation which is
making Wisconsin so conspicuous in
the eyes of the nation and giving other
states inspiration and courage to solve
the great problems Of corporation regu-
lation.
Public Utilities Bill.
The same thing can be said of the
public utilities bill, the enactment of
which must stand out as the conspicu-
Gus achievement of this legislature
Notwithstanding the Importance of
the insurance legislation enacted AS
with the insurance measure this also
required weeks of study and also met
the opposition of scores of the high
est priced and most expert lobbyists,
yet it is the verdict of Allan R. Foote,
of Ohio, the noted authority on such
questions. that the Wisconsin law is
UNNECESSARILY better than that of
New York 1t will regulate most eff
fectively if the work Of the rail
road rate commission so far is any
criterion.
The legislators also spent much
time in vain efforts to improve the
primary and election laws and the
present official ballots. Bills upon
bills We're introduced on these sub
jects and considered and strongly con-
tested, but the changes in the present
methods of voting are rather slight.
Here is field in which there is little
hope Of Improvement so far as the in
PRODUCTION of bills at the next session
is concerned. There is always Il great
stack Of election bills to be killed. A
perfect election system is admittedly
difficult to evolve.
Next Session Shorter.
In spite of the fact that a like pre-,
diction was made two years ago. it is
believed that the next session can be
shortened up somewhat. The sena-
torial contest will undoubtedly have
been settled by the primary election
so that the choice of Stephenson's sue,
cessor should be mere perfunctory
task and there is likely to be less cor
boration legislation, especially if the
public utilities law operates as success
fully as its champions hope it'will.
But. of course, new occasions teach
new duties and other questions will
press to the front for solution. The
issue of constitutional revision will be
again waged and there is likely to be
a strong fight made for a two-ceDt
passenger rate law for railroads. Bills