Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-06-05

lhepresentatiNe from jackson COUNTY,
and number of other blg measures
received action in one form or an
other at the hands of one or both OF
the two houses.
OF course the greatest interest at
taches to tt public utility bill. While
whole lot of argument was directed
against 1t by a strong array of law
yers and experts representing special
interests, the changes made In the bill
are comparatively Insignificant and
have chiefly to do with its phlaseolc gy,
making clear certain points that were
in dispute. On The question of wheth-
err the public utility should Lear the
mise was reached, the state bearing
the expense, except in cases where The
utility is found to be in the wrong.
Opposition Brings Concessions.
Those utilities against which com
plants are made will be valued trst
but others will be taken up by experts
as time goes on. The strenuous OPP
! position made against the bill by the
independent telephone companies re-
suited in some concessions being made
/ to them, They are excluded from
three provisions of the bill; that wnich
gave the rate commission power to
/ prevent duplication OF plants where
Unnecessary; thatregarding franchises,
as the telephone companies have no
franchises, and that providing for
municipal purchase.
A uniform system of accounting Is
prescribed for all public utilities.
There can be no keeping of double
set of books, such as the gas COM
| panies wish on the grounds that they
We're but parts Of syndicate which
/ had its own system. 1t Is probable
! that the bill will still be contested by
the telephone companies on the floors
of the two houses as many members
/ in each house doubtless own stock in
/ telephone companies. The Democrats
| and Social Democrats may also make
a fight for municipal regulation as
against state regulation, but their OBJ
jections will be swept aside by the
| dominant party. The Democrats prom
| Use to make an issue OH this question
In the next campaign.
Railroad Measures.
/ Many measures affecting railroads
still remain to be considered, including
! the twO-cent bills. on which hearings
! Will be held this week. Last week the
senate acted favorably on two i'm
portant measures. One was the Hud
nell bill. providing that parallel Oh
duplicate railroad or interurban lines
/ could not be made without the conseai
/ OF the rate commission. 1t practice. ly
| prohibits the duplication of public
! utilities. The other was the co EN-
ployes and comparative negligence bill
! on which there had been furious con
/ test by the railroads. 1t takes away
1 as a ground of defense the comparative
negl gence of other employees aRe
! leaves u question of damages with the
/ jury or court.
The Andei son dill to limit the hours
of railroad employees was also favor
ably acted upon by the committee, bu
I after an amendment had been oneiet
/ by Mr. Thompson 1t went over. Th'
amendment provides for an eight-hou
day for telegraphers. The orig nal bill
provides for ten hours OF consecutive
rest after sixteen consecutive hours oil
duty for railroad employees and FOL
eight hours of consecutive rest aftel
an aggregate of siv teen hours on dut,
in every twenty-fUlr hours, The oilg
inal .il established the hours Of
telegraphers by making niue hours TIT
working day in places open day anG
night ANA el2ht hours in places open
only during the day.
To shorten the Session.
Assemblymau Roethe's r solution "a
h',.it legislative sessions to 100 days
has not yet been acted upon, but Is not
likely tn be taken seriously except a
an expression OF the spirit OF protest
against long avn out sessions. ~
is causing not little discussion and
VIII receive some support IL L
pointed out that too much Is coming
10 be expected Of legislators ana tha'
only weli-to-do patriots can seriously
consider the proposition Of worSlns
six r.onths foe $500. This obJecloI