Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-06-10

steam roads as regards grade cross
ings accidents, and also that the pro-
visions of the coemploye law will ap-
ply to electric railways.
Several important service bills also
have been passed.
This legislature has been progress
sive so far as insurance legislation is
concerned
an addition las been made to the
code of valuation law drawn on the
lines of the Ekern bill defeated two
years ago. Next in Importance to the
valuation bill is the bill which makes
the statement of the insured to the
company in obtaining policy a rep
resentation instead of q warranty. A
law prohibiting the giving of rebates
by fire insurance agents is another
meritorious bill.
Banking Legislation.
Banking legislation enacted at this
session also was important. Compan-
ion bills were introv1ced early in the
session whose main aim was to forbid
institutions not organized for financial
purposes to receive deposits. The bills
were las and 485S The former
measure simply forbids any persons
or institutions save real estate agents,
and they only for the purpose of de-
post for the purchase Of property, re-
ceiving deposits and paying interest
thereon. The bill 1855 is the trust
company bill, and provides for the reg
ulation of trust compares.
More was gained in the way of Ia
Dor legislation than was expected in
the early part of the session. The
most important victory gained was
the passage of 25A, limiting work on
all public contracts to eight hours a
day.
The new child labor law was an
other measure which encountered
blocks all through it's career in the
legislature. 1t also was followed care
fully by the Social Democrats.
Protection for Children.
The principal features of this bill
are the additional requirements de-
manded as a basis for certificates per-
hitting children from fourteen to six
teen to work.
Another labor measure which was
passed prohibits children under ten
years of age from selling newspapers.
Two university measures that at
tracted great attention and finally be-
came laws, place women on the same
basis as men students and provide for
a membership of at least two women
on the university board of regents.
Still another university bill which
brought thousands of letters to mem
bers was the Wehrwein bill taking
from the university faculty the au-
thority of making up the high school
accredited list and placing it in the
state superintendent hands. This
bill went over to the special session.
In the way Of pure food legislation
this legislature has done more than
any of it's predecessors, and as re-
suit the State of Wisconsin has today
the most complete pure food code of
any state in the Union. Dairy and
Food Commissioner Emery is given
the power to prosecute any case
where it is discovered that foods are
being sold with deliberations of any
kind.
Penalty for Kidnapping.
The most important change in the
criminal code is the raising Of the
penalty for kidnapping to life impris-
onment. This is the outgrowth Of
the Whitla kidnapping case; but even
if it was passed under stress of pOpu-
lar INDICATION, criminologists concede
that it is a good law. Most of the
other changes in the criminal code are
Of a minor character and relate in
large part to misdemeanors.
The most important constitutional
amendments to secure recognition
were measures passed two years ago
and therefore will be submitted to the
people at the next general election.
One increases salaries of members OF
the legislature from $500 to $1,000,
while the other limits the right of
voting franchise to citizens of the
United States, thus necessitating a
residence of five years instead of one
year.
Large School Appropriations.
The school appropriations this ses-
sion all were large and in the instance
of the normal schools money was al
lowed for a change in policy permit
ting the introduction of the dormitory
system. A $4,000 dormitory is to be
built at Superior.
University appropriations were not
of the amount desired by the faculty
and regents, but closely approached
them. Sufficient money was given to
carry out determined policies. A
minimum salary bill for country
teachers was introduced, but was kill
ed.
Agricultural and Literary Publications
at University Select New Heads.