Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-04-22
COMMISSION FORM
FOR CITIES PASSED
WHITEHEAD MEASURE MES
SAGED TO ASSEMBLY UNDER
SUSPENSION OF RULES.
DAM BILLS REFERRED TO COM
MITTEE FOR SPECIAL
SESSION.
Madison AnriI

Madison, April IL
After a session that lasted until,
$50 O'clock the senate yesterday
passed the Whitehead bin for the
commission form of government in
cities, and diverted TO the special
conservation committee two dam bills
The day was a success for the pro
gressive section OF tie upper house
The two bins permitting the cor.
struction OF dams across the Flam-
beau and Chippewa rivers we're
placed on the calendar merely as q
"feeler." The committee on forestry
has several others of them ready Ia
report out The fight against grant
ing away natural resources Tor a
song" occupied all of the morning
and a great part OF the afternoon SEES
sion, The success OF those who were
against ghese two bins win probably
| d.scoWag the progress OF the others
! like them.
The sponsors of the bills were Sen
ators Brazeau, Thomas and BIRD
Senator Bird argued that the meas
ures represented special cases Ne
does not believe in giving away the
natural resources of the state. but
! the Menasha Paper company and Ar
! pin Lumber company, affected by TIA,
question of the day, had started the
construction of their dams aud would
! ha ,rrpatl,- inppnvnpInrnal ~ tR,,,-
were not allowed to complete theur
Senator Brazeau touched upon
| riparian ownership rights The state.
he said, has supervision of rivers ont,
as far as navigation and fishing are
concerned He defined conservation
of rivers not as a curbing on the use
of waters but the development Of the
power latent. conservation OF
streams is not to sit down like a log
and permit no one to use it" he said
"Conseryation OF rivers is to develop
the power in the rivers to the fullest
extent that cities may flourish ana
property become valuable"
Opposition to the giving away o.
river energy "fOr a song" was made
! by Senator Husting. 1T isn't a
question of stopping the development
of power" he said. but Of giving IL
away for a song Iool, urop rraee
two bills as an entering wedge amen.
| ing up the hoodgates of legislation to
give away recklessly and want0nIv
the water powers of this state a
understand that water power can ba
bonded at 500 a horsepower If mat
| is correct we have already given
away $4,000 900 for q mere song
Figures that showed water MOVIE,
worth from 1913 to S187 per horse.
power were quoted bv Senator Cav
lo,d The holding of these fran
chses is so valuable" he added
that corDorations are willing to got
| them under conditions.
"Thesc two bills are only TO break
the ice" he continued. There are
more of them. the committee on for
cstrv admits. that will he introduced
Inf all of them are nassed ona-ronrfh
Of he potertiaI mower of water in th..
state viii he given away 10 cornora-
/ tlOn merely because tIpE asked fpgs
it,"
The hin far the commission form 81
government was NOT ontfrnry eatis-
factory to the senate It passaa b..
Icauso even in ifs nrnsont form i j.
p impressive measure Senate.
P1aina said that # has moi an the ell
mente of nonu1ar govornn,ent tba+ H.
vonld In,a r. coo IL i bn+ 80 i n,.
son,e nbaea.. of tho rororond,,,, bl
was r.iI1ino ia su,,nort : cooata,
cavIo,d did NOT fo,or = hocanga !
is NOT enhiact to t,., racan o. rnror.
ondrp, 10 oIso ol,fac+ar - ~ o.
non. cont rocnirod - initiata ~.
rnaas,,ro i, . rit, os too biob can..
Tor I1ne+ino areo vantad thn IN,
broadenad 10 make If loss arbitrary
and n,ora dor,aaratio ,rha ,,,11 ,.ossa.,.
,,l,,,,,e,,4 -, - A.. .,-,,..,.I, 81.