Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-01-13

work of road building He says:
THE state commission should have am
pie authority to protect the states in
terests, and should be provided with ade-
quate funds so that all work done with
| state aid may be properly inspected be-
| fore it is finally accepted The policy of
| state aid should be of real co-opera-
| ton between the state and its subdvi-
sions not only in a financial way but also
| in the matter of supervision and organi-
| cation of forces in the actual construc-
| ton of roads"
| The value of the legislative reference
| department of the Free Library commits
sion is pointed out and more liberal finan-
| cial support is urged.
| The governor urges the passage Of q
| law authorizing the publication Of the
| revised statutes as soon after the close
| Of each session of the legislature as pos
| sible.
On the subject of public health the
| governor says:
Boards of health, public hygienic lab
| oratories and other similar agencies
| should be SO provided and equipped at
| public expense as to give assurance of q
! high and steadily advancing standard of
usefulness in the prevention Of disease.
| the study of sanitation and the prptec-
| ton of health and life."
Stock and Bond Law.
THE stock and bond law enacted in
| Low IlcS USSH So COIlSlTuGu ny the ou-
preme court as to limit the scope OF in
quiry which the railroad commission may
| institute where public service corpora
| lions desire to issue stocks and bonds
| or other evidences of Indebtedness, for
| money only, to an aScert5in3nent OF the
legal capacity or competency of such cor
| porat1on to issue these securities. So con-
strued, this law Is of little value. 1t
should be amended withov! delay so as
to give the commission the broadcast pow
ers of investigation possible.
| 'Over-capitalizauon of corporations,
commonly called "stock-watering," Is a
| most mischievous evil, with far-reaching
| consequences. The manifest purpose of
| the Legislature in enacting Chapter 576
| of the laws Of 1907 was absolutely to
prohibit 1t, so far as public service cor
porations are concerned. Tbs purpose
| should be effectually accomplished now
! by the enactment of a law which will
clearly define the powers Of the com1rts-
sion and extend it's authority In the ways
| herein suggested
The governor points out that the en-
actment of an employees compensation
law will require the organization of a
| state board or commission as tribunal
| to settle disputes In accident cases. This
| board, he says, should be organized
as to work in cooperation with the Eu-
reau of labor.
The creation of a state commission to
| investigate the marked increase In the
cost of living is one of the strong 1ecom-
mendations of the new governor.
Amendment of the law is urged to pre-
vent fraud in weights and measures now
| prevalent in Ehe state.
Education.
The question of education is always
one of fundamental Importance. 1t should
be broadly ard literally considered. The
aop0cicS and institutions A.
gagged in educational work in Wisconsin
are all parts of a single system. Taey
have nothing to gain by dissention. Rival
ry or jealousy between them is as 1llog1-
cal as 1t will ultimately prove unprodt-
| able. The common schools cannHt be
built I'D by tearing the university down
any more than the university caa be
| built up by tearing the common schools
! down. And so of the relation Of the high
schools to both the common schools aHd
the university. And Of the normal
schools and the county training schools.
They are all agencies of the same state
| having one great object and depending
for financial support upon the same pee
pie.
The common schools are now the weak
est part of the entire system. Country
schools, especially, have not kept pace
with city schools. The country schools
need better attendance. better instruc-
tsn and better supervision. Competent
observers maintain that at the present
time, in about half the country schools
OF Wisconsin, all of these essential fac
4ors are lacking and that in all of them
supervision is far from satisfactory.
| Consolidation of country schools has,
! according to the governor. resulted in
| great improvement in efficiency. Better
| supervision and higher wages for teach
ers are subjects upon which the COVER
nor takes a decided stand. Liberal sup
port of the university is also urged.
Financial Statement.
! st am fnformeS by the secretary OF
state that at tho end OF the fiscal year,
1910. there was a halance on hand in the
general fund of $79S 167. 81. Two years be-
! fore this fund showed balance of ST.
! 156, 291. 80. The receipts FOR the fiscal years
1909 and 1910 were $t2, 631, 494S5, and the
| disbursements during the same period
were s12. 9S9, 1855. The receipts from July
1st 1a10 to January lst, 1911, were ST.
469 715 49, and the disbursements during
| the same period were 5773, 5.93. The
balance In the general fled therefore, on
January lst 1911 was $49+ 0j7.90. 1t Is to
| be borne in mind that these figures re-
| late only to the condition Of the general
| fund.
"At the close of the fiscal year, June
! Goth 1870 the balance In all funds in
| the state treasury aggregated 81 541, 1924 e.
Figures showing the balance IN hand for
all funds on January LIST, 1911, are not
| available at this time"
Important Measures First.
In concluding the governor says:
I'm the main the legislation here rec
| commended has already been overwhelm-
| ingly approved by the voters % the state.
! It's enactment, therefore. should not be
| delayed.
| Fundamentally this demand is for an
| increasingly enlightened appreciation OF
| the rights of the average mar 1t is a
call for a return to the ideal of equity be-
| fore the law In both business ard politics.
In the final analysis all of the things
| here urged upon your attention signify
| lust this and nothing more"
'These suggestions come TO you not
| as the personal views of any iEdividuar
| or the perfunctory recommendations OF
| any department of government, but in
very real sense a mandate from the
| people themselves and they should, so
| far as possible, be given precedence upon
| YOUR calendars and in your consideration.
| Let other bills wait until the main bust
| ness of this session has been transacted
| and these most important measures have
| been heard upon their merits, free from
;ptcreSt or Influence which NAV SIR