Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-07-03
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FOR THE FOURTH
Legislature Will Probably
Not Adjourn Before
the 18th.
INSURANCE BILLS CONSIDERED
Nearly Dozen Measures Were on
the Assembly Calendar
LAST Week.
Singing Rebuke to the MeInberr of
the Third House"-NO Pension
for Former Governor lay
lor-Notes.

Madison. WIS, July 2.-Although
the legislature expected to adjourn
last Saturday nearly the whole week
aimed to curb the evils of life Insur
auee 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 1t
would be the 18th 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 a 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 FIJI
day. the measures were so technical
that under the threat of the life iusur-
ance companies that If the measures
We're passed they would withdraw
self into committee and spent the
day listening to arguments by John
NJ. Olin. of Madiso1., and former In
surance Commissioner Fricke on the
part of the insurance corporations
and Speaker ii. L. Ekern for the pas
sage of the measures, which he claims
are designed for tie 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 bin to tax
them per cent on the premiums If
the bill as favored by the insurance
companies were passed, 1t would prac
tically 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 ana 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 in amended form when the
/ session reopens the latter part of the
week. Wisconsin has already spent
$4,000 for the insurance investigation
Iobbyists Are Hit.
Although Wisconsin has upon the
statute books stringent anti-lobby
law, the members Of the "third house"
We're becoming 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 a singing rebuke
to the lobbyists and no less than half
n dozen were dragged from the floor
within half an hour after the resolu-
ton was adopted 1t was explained
that when measures were being rushed
through under suspension of the
rules it wasAnnwiSe 10 have these men
about them for fear some good bill
would be sighted or some bad one
passed.
The legislature has passed child
labor law, which was sent to the gov
erner for signature Friday. This
measure keeps children under 16 years
out OF places where the occupations
named are hazardous or where liquors
are being made CT sold. 1t limits thn
number of hours Of work each week to
fifty-fve, which figures bring one hour
week more than the nine hour day.
This extra hour was added so as TO
work child ten hours day but no
more, hut in that case the child Is to
have Saturday afternoon off.
70 Pension for Taylor.
Several days ago bill was intro
duced In the legislature to give an an
nuaI pension of $500 10 former Gov
ernor william r. Taylor. who is now
In the Gisholt home for the aged.
semi charitable Institution near Madl
son. Governor Taylor served In 1873
* and won distinction for starting a
fight for the regulation Of railroads. II
Z u.