Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-06-15

inconsequential character, being for the
| most part what is known as service bills.
Among important measures is the bill
which provides that where the distance
between the car step and the passenger
| platform exceeds nineteen inches, port
able step must be provided. Short ca
bosses are forbidden by another BILL
Three measures enlarge the powers of
the commission as TO the review of
| freight overcharges.
Another bill gives the commission the
power TO order the depression or eleva-
ton of railroad tracks, and further pro-
vides that the commission can assess
the damages and order changes in high
ways necessary 10 elevation or depres-
sion This bill applies not only to cities
! but also to country crossings. A COM
| panion bill is the spur track law which
| enlarges the powers of the comm ssion
as to the building of spur tracks Still
another bill gives to common councils
the right of regulate docks and dredg-
! ing.
Few Trolley Bills.
Electric railway legislation was
marked rather by what failed than by
what passed. Under a demand for
broader powers of eminent domain tie
electric roads stormed the Legislature
early in the session for bills which would
have given to interurban roads franchise
rights on city streets by users All these
bills were defeated. The passage early
in the session of a bill introduced by
Mr.. Kalaher placing electric roads on
| 81, h..e-s- l. e.
the use of condemnation proceedings are
| concerned was powerful argument
| against the granting of franchise rights
under the cloak of eminent domain. An
| other bill places the electric railways I'M
| der liabilities as regards negligence ac-
cidentS similar to those pplying to steam
roads. This means that electric RAJ
ways hereafter will be liable under court
| decisions affecting steam roads as regards
| grade crossing accidents and also that the
| provisions of the co-employe law will
apply to electric railways.
Several important service bills also
! have been passed. The most important
| of these are the measures requiring cleo
| trio railways to equip interurban cars
| with airbrakes, providing for the heating
| of interurban cars and providing also
| closed stations at all cities and villages
! reached by electric lines. bill in which
electric roads are interested together
with other public utilities extends the
time to July 1, 1911, for public utilities
| to take indeteTminate franchises. 1t is a
compliment to the public utility law
| passed two years ago that few changes
| have been made in it by this Legislature
| Though seven laws mending the public
utility act were passed, they called only
for inconsequential changes.
Insurance Legislation.
This Legislature has been progressive
/ so far as insurance legislation is con-
! cerned. Before the session opened it
was whispered in insurance circles that
the insurance code adopted two years
| ago was to be repealed. None of the re-
| peal bills received even a favorable rec
| ommendation from a committee. In
| stead, an addition has been made to the
! code of a valuation law drawn on the
| lines of the Ekern bill defeated two
years ago. Next in Importance to the
valuation bill is the bill which makes
| the statement of the insured to the com
| pany in obtaining policy a representa-
| ton instead of warranty A law pro-
| hibiting the giving of rebates by fire in
surance agents is another meritorious
| bill. A measure which would have per-
mitted liability and surety bond com
| panies to form combinations was vetoed
| by Gov. Davidson, The insurance taxa
| ton question was laid over to the special
| session, with instructions to the tax com
mission to report to the Legislature
| plan of taxation for life insurance COM
panies.
Banking Legislation.
Banking legislation enacted at this ses-
sion also was important Companion
bills were introduced early in the session
| whose main aim was to forbid institu-
tions not organized for financial purposes
to receive deposits. The bills were 114S
and 1853. The former measure simply
| forbidS any persons or institutions save
| real estate agents and they only for the
purpose Of deposit for the purchase of
| property, receiving deposits and paying
| interest thereon. The bill 1853 is the
| trust company BILL and provides for the
regulation of trust companies. 1t de-
| fines their duties and permits them to
receive time deposits and to pay interest
thereon. They are placed under the same
restrictions as banks and are subjected
to the examination of the State banking
| department. Other measures passed for
| bid State banks in the FIXTURE from estab-
| fishing branch banks, but permits those
branches already established to remain
and extends the powers of the commits
sioner of banking as to the winding up
| of insolypnt hank cOrDora tiOnS
Amendments Voted Down.
OF proposed constitutional amendments
that failed are the resolution by Senator
Gaylord granting right of suffrage to
women: the Blaine resolution for the ini-
| tiative and referendum, and the Aims
worth resolution for the second session,
raising the minimum school age from 4
| to 6 years This latter resolution I'M
doubtedly was defeated through the me
dunn of the State Federation of Women's
Clubs. which made a persistent and con-
| sistent fight against the plan.
New Labor Laws.
More WIS gained in the way Of labor
legislation than was expected in the early
| part of the session. The Social Demo
| cratic members from Milwaukee were
| largely responsible Tor TINS achievement.
| The most important victory gained was
the passage of 25A, limiting work on all
| public contracts to eight hours day.
This bill was practically killed several
| times. but the Assembly nursed the meas
ure along under Mr.. Weber's leadership,
| laying it over and sending it back to com
mittees repeatedly until finally by a close
vote it was passed. The bill met with
| less trouble in the Senate. The new child
| labor law was another measure which en-
countered blocks all through its career
| in the Legislature. 1t also was followed
carefully by the Social Democrats.
Protection for Children.
The principal features of this bill are
| the additional requirements demanded as
a basis for certificate permitting children
| from IA TO Is to work. Signatures in
these cases now will be required from the
-