Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-07-12
PUBLIC HEALTH.

| them.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
AS part of the state campaign against
| the great white plague the legislature
abolished the public drinking cup, and
| passed a bill for the erection OF county
| sanitariums for the treatment OF ad.
vanced CO les Of tuberculosis. The leg.
! islature also created a sanitary inspec-
tor who will tour the state inspecting
hotels jails, water supplies, epidemics,
etc. Among the other public health
measures is one requiring the registra.
| ton of nurses.
CONSERVATION.
True 10 pledge in the platform OF
the Republican party, much attention
was given to the question Of conser.
walton. The rev law relating to wa.
terpowers repeats existing dam and
waterway franchises and establishes a
new state policy along this line. The
railroad commission is given power to
grant short term franchises and the
state will levy a tax from 25 cents 10
81 per horsepower By granting
franchises covering a limited period
the state will come into control OF
the waterpowers of the state.
A Lnard Of public domain also was
created The fish and game depart.
ment and the state forestry depart
inert will operate under this board.
Fish and game wardens will act as
fire wardens.
An appropriation of $4,000 a year
for FIVE years for the purchase of land
for forest reserve passed. The orig.
inal bill called for an annual appro-
priatlon OF $500 900 for ten years.
The salary of the state forester was
increased and that office has been
made more important than before.
ELECTIONS.
More drastic than the Oregon idea,
the Wisconsin legislature wrote into
statute books the most thorough cor
rupt practices act In the country
This act prescribes how money may be
lawfully spent for campaign purposes
limits the amount in accordance with
the importance of the Office and pro
vides that all campaign money shall
be spent through agents appointed by
the candidates. II also provides for
the frequent publication Of statements
concerning campaign contributions
and expenditures. Under this act the
secretary OF state viii publish a book
let Of information to the voters con,
corning the qualifications Of men who
are seeking public offices.
A law providing for separate bal.
lots for presidential electors. state of,
ficers, constitutional amendments and
referendum questions also was en-
acted
The question of whether or not wo.
men shall vote will be submitted ia
popular vote of the people.
The Mary Ann" bill, providing for
first and second choice of candidates
in the primary. finally came into its
own and now is a law
BANKING.
Banking in its various aspects re-
ceived careful attention at the hands
of the Legislature. in fact. this subject
has not received so much legislative
thought since 1905, when the present
banking law was enacted. The so.
called guaranty of bank deposit bill
was in the limelight for weeks, and
was fought out before committees and
| in public hearings. The organized ef.
forts of the bankers Of the state final
ly resulted In the defeat of the pro
position in the assembly.
| Supporters of the guaranty of banl
| deposits said that the theory of this
legislation was TO protect the small
depositors. Two bills on this subiec
were introduced, one by Senator Owen
Republican, and one by Senator Hust
ing. Democrat. The Owen bin was re
/ ported into senate without recommen
dation and after hours of debate wa,
killed on the floor Of the upper house
The bankers made the promise tina
II the bin were defeated that the,
would organize mutual insuranc,
company for the protection of de
positors. and in this way would al
tempt to work out the question O
guaranty Of bank deposits. Some o
the members were disposed to give tn
bankers this opportunity and that
why the bill was killed in the senate
As a sort OF protection against
promise that might not be fulfilled
Senator Oweh offered substitute I
the Husting bin putting the question
of guaranty Of bank deposits up to
vote of the people. Friends of III
proposition could not see any reaso
why there should be any serious OPP
position in the legislature to permit
ting the people of the state to pas
Judgment on the question. nut never
theless the bill was killed In the as
sembly, thus putting an end to an
possibility OF favorable action on guar
anty OF bank deposits by this legisla
ture.
A number Of bills dealing with h
enforcement Of the criminal law c
the state were advocated by the WI,
consin Bankers association and pas,
ed. Weakness in the old laws as the
were brought out in prosecution
were corrected by these bills
A bill Of importance was one provi,