Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-07-17
TWO-CENT FARE
FOR WISCONSIN
Bill Is Finally Passed by the
Legislature and Sent
to Governor.
NEARLY ALL ROADS AFFECTED
They VIII Not Make a Fight on
the New Rate Until It Is
Tried for Awhile.
Governor Signs Bill Appropriatine
100000 for Soldiers Monu-
ment at yicEsburg-Insur.
anee Regulation Bills.

Madison, W's., July 16.-The PAS
sage of two-cent passenger fare bill.
after once being defeated in the SEN
ate because of the announcement of
the Western Passenger association
that on July IS they would make a
reduction in passenger rates for Inter
state trips in Illinois. Minnesota. Iowa
and Missouri on the two-cent basis.
but discriminating against Wisconsin.
was the most significant scene yet en-
acted in the legislature.
Almost half of the members had re-
turned TO their homes expecting that
the question of two-cent fare was
dead. The Wednesday morning pa.
pers last week contained the an
nouncement Of the reduction In the
other states, except Wisconsin. This
caused a storm Of protest and as soon
as the senate convened Senator Wright
introduced a ref1lution. which pas ed.
requesting the assembly to return the
Turner two-cent fare BILL which it had
killed two weeks before, after having
sailed through the assembly with a
safe margin.
Senate PASSES Drastic Bill.
The measa e as returned provided
for a two-eent rate on all roads earn
ing $1,000 gross per mile An amend
ment was Incorporated cutting down
the earning amount to $500. which
viii take in nearly all the roads in
Wisconsin. The bill passed by vote
Of 10 to 10.
But second fght was aiieady
awaiting il in the assembly. ]. +.
Peterson, Of Polk county, asked that
the bill be killed. which was refused
by vote OF u to 81 Then an amend
ment WAS adopted prohibiting the
charging of more than 2 cents mile
when the passenger purchases his
ticket Of the conductor The bin was
finally passed and was sent 10 The
Governor Friday morning.
Governor win sign Bn.
The governor will sign the two-cent
fare bin ,assed by the legislature aud
tn Aug. Is, unless restrained BY IN
. Junction, { win 60 into effect
This s. ms certain owing 70 the
fact that his private secretary Colonel
@. G. Mmson. Of Viroqua. who IS also
a senator, made the fight IN favor OF
this legislation. This would indicate
that The governor had already con
sented to the passage Of the bin anu
viii sign it on the first opportunity.
II was reported from the enrolling
room today and is now before the
governor
Two-Cent Sure 10 Come.
A two-cent rate was to be estab
iis3hed In the state within tie next
taree months az any rate, according
To the interview Assembly man I. NJ
Ingram recently had with the rate
commission The voluntary announce
ment of the Burlington, road that II
would reduce It's passenger charges to
two cents on an Of its lines has led
the commission to the belief that II
was only a question Of a few days
when other roads would fan into
line.
Some Of the members of the iegisla-
ture showed considerable timiaity in
voting on the bin and many who
claimed they were in favor OF q two-
cent rate, voted against it, because
they believed The rate commission
would Immediately resign as the re
suit of the activity Of the legislature.
The more conservative men interested
In legislation, however, are OF The
opinion that the commission win not
take the reduction Of rates as an In /
snlt but merely attribute II to changed
since the two ana one-half !
cent rate was ordered, and the result |
Of popular demand which is now
sweeping the country.
May Not Fight Reduction.
Although there are some hair dozen |
OF railroad attorneys in Madison, no
one OF them has received informa- I
ton from their road That the rate VIII /
be contested in Wisconsin courts. In |
fact one of the men saln he believed |
the larger roads would prefer to see |
the plan operate for a few months |
and then determine whether the re-
duction made by the states was too
much.
An interesting featurG of Tile fight !
was that with the ex aeptloB Of the |
Democrats the other narfl;ss were IL |
vided. The so-called stalwart wing OF |
the party was split. the more radical I
pushing the measure through. while |
10 the haif breed camp Ingram WAS |
lighting for the passage Of the meas.
ure aud Speaker Ekern was asking
that it be defeated.
Fayors Soldiers Monument
Governor Davidson has signed the
bill appropriatine $4,000 for the
erection Of a soldiers monument at
Senator Bird Of the senate
and Assemblymen Ties and McGfegor
CONTINUED on LAST PAGEl.