Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-20

state DOdfQ. IL seems, therefore poll
tic, that the supervision of school
houses and grounds, so far as sani-
tary and hygienic features are con-
cerned, should be under the immedi-
ate control of the state board of
health.
1t seems that of the $50 prosecu-
tions brought for violations of the
dairy and food and drug laws, there
were 1876 convictions That is, of
each hundred prosecutions there were
ninety-seven convictions Amend
ments to the dairy and food laws re-
quired to correct technical defects
which experience has shown to be
necessary should receive due consid-
Grafton, says the governor.
The Civil Service.
A good earnest word is. spoken
for the national guard and the civil
service law is commended, but, he
adds, when an employe proves in
competent or insubordinate it would
Is seem that the head of the department
should not be subjected to the ex-
pense of a jury trial in case the en-
ploye resorts to the courts. On the
other hand, the statute should not
permit the head of the department
arbitrarily to dismiss a faithful en-
ploye without in some way giving him
the right to be heard in his defense.
1t is a matter of the greatest i'm
portance to the state that competent
employees be retained and that in
competent ones be dismissed; but it
is doubtful policy to compel the
head of the department to defend in
court his right to dismiss an en-
ploye at his own expense. 1t is evil
dent that no jury is as competent to
Judge of the qualifications or conduct
or personal habits of an employe as
the head of the department who
comes in daily contact with him.
The act should be so amended as
carefully to guard removal for po-
litical or religious affiliations, or be-
cause of the employees refusal or neg
lect to make political contributions;
but not to be so broad as to allow the
employe to intimidate the head of the
department with the threat of a con-
test in court in case of his removal.
The statute might give the discharged
employee the right to have his case
heard by the civil service commission,
the decision of the commission to be
made final, except where the employe
files verified answer that his removal
was for political Or religious reason,
in which event the employe should
be permitted to resort to the courts
if he so desires The governor
thinks also that the compensation
paid the commissioners should be
made an annual and fixed salary
The governor stands stoutly by the
insurance legislation of 1907 but says
that the failure of the last Legislature
to enact a law for the valuation OF
policies of life insurance has left
in doubt the maximum rate of in
terest that may be used. Be-
sides, the organization of the new
companies has disclosed the desir-
ability of a more elastic system
of valuation than that heretofore spe-
officially authorized by law. Complaint
is made that the present law taxing
fire insurance companies results in
imposing upon our domestic com
panies undue burdens by the opera
ton of retaliatory laws of other states,
The law now imposes a tax of four
per centum upon the gross premiums
received in the state, deductlng
amounts paid licensed companies for
reinsurance, return premiums and
actual losses less reinsurance losses.
No other state collects its taxes upon
this basis. AS a conse sequence, under
the retaliatory laws of other states,
our companies are compelled, IN many
states having such laws, to pay the
largest amount of taxes which can be
computed on the basis of either their
laws or our laws. A REIMBURSEMENT OF
the basis of taxation to avoid this in
Justice to our home companies can
be made without loss of revenue to
the state. 1t is recommended that
such change be made at this session.
The governor declares that all ex-
pense and compensation so collected
by the commission for examining
companies should be paid into the
state treasury, and the commissioner
required to file his actual expense ac-
count, to be audited and paid as
other accounts are paid by the state.
This will insure justice to the com
panies examined and discourage I'M
necessary examinations. The COM
missioner now receives a salary of
SIS, 900 per year, which compensation
is as liberal as that paid to any other
state officer.
The governor thinks that free en-
ployment bureau for strictly farm
help might profitably be provided,
that an excessive number OF blue
books is issued, and that some sal
,r;oc in tho labor hI1reau he increased.