Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-06-15
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE.
OF WISCONSIN HAS DONE.


If Legislature gains fame through its
great accomplishments, the question as
to whether the Legislature of 1909 has
proved itself of historic Importance re-
| mains open. Two years hence the ses-
sion of 1909 will be remembered for its
far-reaching and truly important legis-
lation. Taking position in the year
| 1911, one might look back upon the ses-
sion of 1909 and ask what did it do?"
The answer might be that it put off GER
tain great questions until a special ses-
sion was held the following January, and
then acted upon these questions, or, that
| two special committees held an inquiry
into the senatorial primary campaign,
found that too much money was spent by
candidates, analysed the testimony, re-
ported the conclusions, and enacted pro-
gressive legislation. But neither of these
things has been done. The investigating
committees have not reported, and the
session of next January still is in the
| future. Thus the conclusion is forced
| in upon the observer that the results still
are to be known.
| In truth it must become apparent that
/ procrastination has been the consistent
and persistent policy of the Legislature
| of 1909. So powerful has been this pol
| icy that it seems not to have been the
| creed of faction but of two, or three,
or four factions. In the legislative world
| of Wisconsin it has been the watch
word
When. early in the session, the leaders
realized that close to a thousand bills
| had been introduced, it was decided that
| some of the legislation promised IN the
| September platform would have to be
| put off. A little later it became the
| generally recognized belief that at least
| some of the subjects, chiefly, banking
| laws, industrial insurance, and the in
come tax, would be subjects for a spe-
eial session to consider 1t was decided,
| tentatively, that special joint committees
| should be named to investigate the sub
| jects, 'ormulate reports, and report to
the special session.
Heavy Work Next Year.
At that time, early in the session, the
cry of "a To-day session" was heard in
| the Assembly and Senate. Putting off
| the big bills, it was thought, would make
| "a To-day session reality. Like a
| superficial student. the Legislature work
| ed out the easiest of several problems
| in study hours and put off the solution
| of the hard ones to tomorrow" So
many of these hard problems have piled
up for future solution that the special
session of next January promises to be
a duplicate of the session just closing
| it is likely to extend into the spring of
1910. Here are the subjects, the work
in Of fms 1lxyh hos hoa of
to next January:
Waterpowers, involving the work of
defining a state policy for the future re-
garding the granting of special dam priv
ileges and defining delicate legal questions
as to the ownership of river beds, riparian
rights and control of flowage. The COM
mittee in charge of these questions also
will take up drainage questions. To it
have been referred nearly a hundred
drainage bills and nearly that number of
requests for dam privileges
Industrial insurance, including the
framing of a law creating a state indus
trial insurance department which shall re-
ceive annual premiums from employers
and employed and pay specified indemni-
ties in casualties and fatalities.
State aid for good roads, including the
framing of laws with provisions for large
appropriations to be used in aiding COM
munities in improving public highways
Banking laws, including, chiefly, the
work of framing law for guarantee of
deposits in state banks.
Income tax, with the framing of bills
for the inauguration of the income tax
system in this state.
Education, Including the investigation
of educational conditions throughout the
state and an inquiry into the best meth
cd of harmonizing high school and uni
versity courses
1t is quite possible that the two hous-
es will decide to put still more matters
of Importance over to the special SEES
sion. The resolutions under which the
six subjects already enumerated have
gone over to next January, provide for
the appointment of joint committees,
five Assemblymen and four Senator's on
each, to work between now and next
January. While reports have been ex-
pected from the two committees that in
vestigated the senatorial primary cam
paign as to great amounts of money ex-
pended by candidates, chiefly Isaac
Stephenson, no reports have been pre-
sented. The first committee was a joint
committee made up as follows: Senator's
Marsh, Morris and Husting, and Assem-
blymen Bray ingalls,, Hambrecht, Whit
man and Chapple.
When the joint committees lease of
life expired the Senate named a commit
tee of its own to carry on the work.
The Senate members of the expiring
committee were reappointed and the COM
mittee still exists, although it has not
held open sessions for several days. 1t
has introduced three political bills regu
lating elections, but it has made no re-
port. 1t is expected 10 resume its hear
ings fifteen days after the session ends,
at which time the legislative privilege of
Assemblymeu who refused to testify will
have expired.
One of the most interesting features
of the session, the extent of its appro-
priations, cannot be taken up until the
actual close of work. 1t may be said at
this time. however, that this was a ST.
100000 Legislature. The university gets
81. 100000 of this sum for the bi-annual
period, while S1600,000 goes toward the
work on the building of the new capitol
in the same period. Most of the remain
der of course, goes toward the mainte-
nance of State institutions and the car
rying on of general State business
Probe VIII BE Remembered.
In the way of big legislation, judged
by recent standards. the Legislature of
1909 has done nothing marked In part
this is due to the TACT that the large is
sues were early in the session made mat
tiers for special consideration at special
session. Views differ on the work of the
two investigating committees but it gen
orally is admitted that the moral effect
will be beneficial
Little Liquor Legislation.
Legislation which has attracted wide
attention has been that on the liquor
question Two major issues were
brought forward one from each of the
opposing sides Led by the Wisconsin
Anti-SaloOn League. the temperance peo-
pie made their fight for the county OPP
ton for the license question. The liquor
interests brought forward the creation
of the excise commission as a proper So
luton. Both failed of passage. The
comfy option bill was killed in the Sen