The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-06-10
READY FOR CLOSING
Legislature To Adjourn Within q
Few Days and Little Work Has
Been Done During Session
LIQUOR ISSUE is PROMINENT

The Wisconsin legislature of 1909,
has practically completed it's record.
While large grist of bills are still
in the grinding, the most important
products of the session are now in
statute form. It is true nevertheless
that the greatest problem invol-
wing subjects Of advanced character
were postponed and made the subjects
Of several special committee investiga-
tions, which will be dealt with at a
special session next January. These
postponed subjects include: Industrial
insurance, income tax, insurance of
bank deposits, taxation of water power
franchises, state aid to road building
and the important educational question
of whether the university faculty or
the state superintendent of schools
shall determine the qualifications for
entrance to the university. Special
committees to investigate these ques-
tons will begin meetings in August.
While the state treasury was by no
means fat the legislature has been
able to authorize expenditures with a
fairly liberal hand. Approximately
100000 of expenditures were author
lied for the coming two years, the main
appropriations being $1,200,000 a year
for the university, nearly 100000 a
year for the capitol if the state of
the treasury warrants, and also ample
appropriations for the administration
of the laws and the several state de-
partments.
The testimony in the two senatorial
Investigations brought home to the
people of Wisconsin as nothing else
could the vice in the use of large sums
of money in politics. Whether any
report of the investigating committees
will be the basis of any court proceed
ings, time only will tell; but testimony
brought out will Of itself work as
perpetual bar to any more 100000
campaign funds.
From the standpoint of vital public
interest, the legislation which has at
tracted widest attention has been that
on the liquor question. Two major is
sues were brought forward, one from
each of the opposing sides of the ques-
ton. Led by the anti-saloon league,
the temperance people make their fight
for the county option. The liquor in
terests brought forward the creation
Of an Excise Commission as proper
solution. Both failed of passage The
county option bill was killed in the
senate, the house of its origin. The
State Excise Commission bill was kill
ed in the senate after it had passed the
assembly. Attempts to increase the IL
cense fees for saloons also failed, al
though the senate gave enough recogni-
ton to the $1,000 license bill to draw
attention to this measure.
In word, this legislature has left
The liquor question almost as it found
it. Enough public attention, however,
has been attracted to the matter to
precipitate a fight on this issue one
which cannot be lodged Indications
are that in the next campaign the IL
quor question will be larger issue
than ever before in this state. How
it viii affect party or fractional lines,
only time can tell. Incidentally, sew
eral minor excise measures were adopt
ed, among them being bills prohibiting
the presence IN saloons of persons und-
er the age Of Il years; providing that
children may. not be sent to saloons
for liquor BY their parents.