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

Big Bills killed.
A notable defeat was that of the State
binder twice factory proposed to be To-
Gated at Waupun. The bills for addi-
tional appropriations, for a revolving
fund of 100000, and $4,000 to complete
the plant of machinery in the building
already constructed under the 1907 act,
were defeated after a battle that attract
ed wide attention. An important bill
which failed in this Legislature was the
Stout referendum measure to submit to
the voters the question of granting wom-
ans suffrage. Pensions for supreme court
judges were provided in another bill
which met early defeat.
Teachers Association Loses.
Educational legislation attracted more
than usual attention at this session The
Wisconsin Teachers Association paving
the way to abolishing the election system
for county school superintendent, was
killed. The association for years has adj
vocated a system whereby county school
boards could appoint superintendent,
thus securing more efficient supervision of
schools. Two university measures that
attracted great attention and finally be-
came laws, place women on the same ba-
sis as men students and provide for a
membership oil at least two women on the
university board of regents. Still another
university bill which brought thousands
of letters to members was the Wehrwein
bill, taking from the university faculty
the authority of making up the high
school accredited list and placing il in
the State superintendent hands. This
bill went over TO the special session.
Complete Pure Food Code.
In the way of pure food legislation
this Legislature has done more than any
of its predecessors and as a result the
State of Wisconsin has to-day the most
complete pure food code of any State
in the Union. All the bills are not yet
signed, but they all will be, and by the
terms of the measure, Dairy and Food
Commissioner Emery is given the power
to prosecute any case where it is discov-
cred that foods are being sold with ddul-
terations of any kind The general MIL
on the subject, 521A, is in itself ~ most
complete measure and it defines nearly
all characters of prepared food. The bill
forbidS the use of adulterantS in any
form. Special bills were prepared on the
subject of corn syrup and sausages. In
these foods any adulterants are forbid
den.
Another bill ferbids the use of benzoate
of soda in any form as a preservative,
while other measures define what fruit
preserves and catsups shall contain. With
this legislation ii will be impossible to
sell in Wisconsin any foods which are not
absolutely pure or which do not come up
to the standa rds of the State laws, wheth
er they be manufactured within the State
or in or in other States. Not only food
for humans has been looked after, but also
the feed stuffs prepared for animals. An
other measure which passed tae Legisla-
ture compelling the printing of the in
gradients of these animal foods on pack
ages is designed to protect the buyer
from fraud or injury to his stock. Still
another bill defines pure beer and malt
liquors of all kinds.
Penalty for Kidnapping.
The most important change in the
criminal code is the raising of the penal
ty for kidnapping to life Imprisonment.
This is the outgrowth of the Whitla kid
naping case but even if it was passed
under stress of popular indigna lion, Grim
inogolists concede that it is Z. good law
Most of the other changes in the criminal
Cade are of a minor character and relate
in large part to misdemeanors,
One of the changes in the civil code
that passed almost unnoticed but is of
extreme Importance makes it impossible
to bring punishment proceedings foc
liquor debt.
The most important constitutional
amendments to secure recognition were
measures passed two years ago and there
fore will be submitted to the people at
the next general election. One increases
salaries of members of the Legislature
from 5000 to $1,000, while the other linn
its the right of voting franchise to citi-
Nzens of the United Stat, 5, thus necessi-
tating a residence of FIVE years instead
of one year.
One of the bills opposed by the univer-
sity alumni was the Twesme measure
granting hearings to expelled students.
This bill was killed. No free textbook
laws were passed at this session, although
numerous measures were introduced. The
only free textbook bill that was granted
opportunity for debate was Social
Democratic measure introduced by Sena-
tor Gaylord. 1t went the way of the
others. Assemblyman Hull was persist
ent all through the session in attempts
to increase available funds for the COM
mon schools. He thought this had been
accomplished when he secured the passage
in the Assembly of a bill requiring that
c. ~, s.,l....
be turned over to the school fund. The
bill was killed in the Senate.
Large SCHOOL Appropriations.
The school appropriations this session
were large and in the instance of the
normal schools money was allowed for
change in policy permitting the introduce
ton of the dormitory system. A $4,000
dormitory is to be built at Superior. Al
though no money was set aside for this
purpose in Milwaukee. $4,000 was APP
propriated for four extra acres of ground
near the College avenue building. Pro
vision was made for three more county
training schools for teachers. Endorse
meut was given the plans for the pen
sioning of teachers, two bills, one apply
ing to the State at large and another to
Milwaukee, being passed.
University appropriations were not Of
the amount desired by the faculty and
regents but closely approached them. Suf-
ficient money was given to carry out de-
termined policies. A minimum salary bill
for country teachers was introduced but
was killed
Few Vetoes by Governor.
Cor. Davidson has been sparing of We
toes at this session. The most far-reach-
ing bill to which he objected was the
measure permitting surety bond and Ia
bility insurance companies to form boards
after the fashion of the Milwaukee ire
underwriters board and allowing 1t 70
fix rates and standards. He vetoed TINS
on the ground that il would permit a
trust under State laws. The bill regulat-
ing farmers mutual fire insurance com
panies was vetoed, but was passed over
the veto. The bill dictated the manner