Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-01-26


the State should be made in aid of build
ing permanent highways If judiciously
expended, the benefits derived from the
outlay will be more than repaid by the
aid. convenience and saving to the people
incident to such work, but when the State
shall determine to assist in this work it
should be done under some system careful
ly worked out and of Statewide applica-
ton.
Primary Election.
Our statute, providing for the nomina-
ton of candidates for Office by direct vote
of the people, has passed the experimental
stage. and steadily gained in public favor.
The application of the law to primary
elections, and the experience in applying
it. has, from time to time, revealed imper-
fections which have already received the
attention of the Legislature at former
sessions.
1t is a matter worthy of consideratien
whether some remedy should not be at
tempted to minimize the advantage to
nominee, which he sometimes derives from
| the alphabetical arrangement OF names,
now provided for on the primary ballot.
! The position of name on the ballot
when a man votes intelIigenty but as to
the careless, Indifferent, or uniformed
voter, he is quite certain TO vote for the
| first man in order ON the ballot for
| particular Office, thus giving an unfair adj
vantage to that candidate on account of
| the position of his name. This result
might be minimized by providing for
| rotation of names for each given number
| of ballots printed.
| In view of the large sums of money
which the official statements of candidates
show were expended during the last cam
paign preceding the primary, it is well to
consider whether there may not be some
way devised by which expenditures by
candidates for Office may be limited.
Industrial Accidents.
The problem of how to deal with the
multitude of soLal injuries incident
to our industrial life challenges our at
| tention. 1t is of such vast Importance
as to equal any subject dealt with by the
| law-making power in recent years, or
waiting for legislation. The present sys-
| tenn which casts the entire burden upon
the employer and relegates the injured
| to the courts for redress seems unadapted
| to modern conditions. Should not losses
| by personal injuries be laid, by some
workable plan of mutual contribution,
upon the whole body of the employers,
| the employees, and the public, thus repair
| ing to the maximum of practicability,
| the individual misfortune, and minimizing
| the individual loss? If that should be
| done, then how best to do it, under our
| wise constitutional system, is the most
| inviting field for legislative study and ac-
ton of the day. Humanity, and economic
| prosperity, as well, appeals for the best
| efforts of the best minds on this ques-
| ton. / most earnestly commend it to
your consideration as a question of first
| Importance
Land Title.
| In my message to the Legislature of
| 1907 l called attention briefly to the
| Importance of taking some action to sim
| plify our complex system of transferring
| titles to lands. Our system is cumber-
some and burdensome in requiring all
ccnveyances to be recorded at length in
| hooks of record, in the ever-increasing
cost of abstracts of title and lawyers
| fees for examining them; in the delay
| in passing title on account of these labori-
| Gus examina ions made necessary as con-
yeyances multiply; and in the insecurity
| felt by the sellers and purchaser largely
| due to the fact that upon each transfer
| the title must be searched back to the
government patent, with the attendant liza
bility to error in making such examina-
ton.
The so-called "Torrens system has been
in operation in some parts of Europe for
several hundred years. Where it has been
| adopted it has given general satisfaction.
| Under this system title Is carefully ex-
| amined once for ALL a decree obtained con-
| firming 1t, then the registrar issues the first
| certificate of title in duplicate. The original
| is retained by the registrar, and the other
| delivered to the owner All transfers there
after are entered upon the original certifi-
| cate. Under this system official ex-
| animation Is substituted for an unofficial
! one, now necessary at each transfer Of
| land When title is ascertained, it is given
conclusive effect as against all the world.
| I earnestly commend the matter TO your
| consideration.
Charitable Penal and Reformatory
institutions.
The State board of control. having charge
| of the various penal and reformatory inSti-
| tutions,~ in its biennial report shows them
| to be In very satisfactory condition, and
economically managed
Department of Banking.
Since the reorganization of the depart
ment in 1903, there has been much i'm
provement in the business 81 banking, and
| greater confidence ON the part of the pub
| lie in the stability and safety of State
banks Although. during che past year the
| country has passed through what threat
| ened to be a panic, involving serious con-
sequences TO financial and public int RESTS,
vet only three banks in this State were
taken in charge by the commissioner of
banking, and were soon re-opened and are
now doing business without loss to depos-
itors.
In a former message l called attention
to the Inconsistency of our laws, which do
not provide the same protection for savings
deposits in our commercial banks as is pro-
vIded when savings are entrusted TO a mu-
tual savings bank. These deposits are usu-
ally made by people of limited means, and
in small amounts, and the loss of them
does serious harm in discouraging Industry
and thrift. and in shaking the confidence
of the people In the stability of the banks.
Since commercial banks are permitted 10
establish and conduct savings departments,
these funds should be kept separate from
commercial deposits and be piotected by
prescribing the character of he securities
in which they may be inves.ed.
Consideration should be given TO ex .es-
| sive loans to eGieers and directors of banks.
and to enterprises in which such officers
are financially interested. This practice
in recent years has caused the wrecking of
many banks in this country. How TO deal
| with this matter Is not easy OF solution. III
| definite limit is placed on such loans, 1t
would work injustice, in some cases. A
remedy might be afforded by giving the
commissioner greater discretionary powers
respecting this class of loans when he finds
them reaching a dangerous limit.
As the security of banks is a matter of
| FIRST Importance, the State can do no great
| err service for the people than by strength
| ening their stability in every legitimate
/ way.
Forestry Department.
| 1t Is useless ~ expend the money of the
State in attempting to preserve our timber
lands and to reforesr cut-over areas, I'M
less means are employed by the State TO
minimize the destruction almost annually
caused by IRE. The immense losses of 1908
show that unless our State is 10 be entirely
| deauded of timber and the young growth
which must furnish the lumber of the fu-
| ture, concerted and energetic steps nust
| be taken 10 prevent the deadly destruction
/ which we have Witnessed.
For many years logging companies in cut