Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-01-17

high and steadily advancing standard
usefulness in The prevention Of diseess
the study OF Sanitation and the protec-
ton of health and lte.''
Stock and Bond Law
THE stock ard bond law enacted In
1907 has been so construed by the Su-
prerne court as to limit the scope of in
curry which the railroad commission may
institute where public service corpora
uons desire to issue stocks and bonds
OF other evidences of Indebtedness, for
money only. to an ascertainment of the
legal capacity or competency OF such cor
/ p6ration to issue these securities So con-
strued. this law is of little value. 1t
should be amended without delay so as
to give the commission the broadcast pow
1 ers of investigation possible.
"Over-capitaliZation of corporations,
| commonly called ''stock-watering" is q
most mischievous evil, with far-reaching
Consequences. The manifest purpose of
| the legislature in enacting Chapter SIG
of the laws OF 1907 was absolutely to
pI ohibit 1t, SO far as public service COR
porations are concerned This purpose
should be effectually accomplished now
/ by the enactment of law which will
clearly define the powers of the commits
sion and extend its authority in the ways
herein suggested"
L
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 so organized
as TO work in cooperation with the bu-
reau of labor
The creation of a state commission to
investigate the marked increase in the
cost of living is one of the strong recon-
finnS
Amendment of the law Is urged to pre-
vent fraud in weights and measures now
prevalent in the state.
Education.
The question of education is always
one of fundamental Importance. 1t should
be broadly and literally considered. The
various agencies and institutions now
gagged in educational work in Wisconsin
are all parts of a single system They
have nothing to gain by dissention. Rival
ry or jealousy between them is as ilogi-
cal as 1t will ultimately prove unproft-
able The common schools cannot be
built up by tearing the university down
any more than the university can be
built up by tearing the common schools
down. And so of the relation of the high
schools to both the common schools and
the university And so 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 peo-
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-
ton and better supervision. Competent
observers maintain that at the present
time. In about hair the country schools
of Wisconsin, all of these essential fac
tors 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
takes decided stand Liberal sup
port Of the university is also urged.
The New Capitol.
''The Capitol commission informs me
that since the legislature was last in ses-
sion the construction of the Capitol has
progressed as rapidly as the funds APP
propriated for this purpose have become
available
1.-THE work completed since the last ses-
sion includes the east wing designed for
the Supreme Court. the State Library,
the offices of the governor the attorney
general and some of the departments
There have also been completed the heat
light and power plant and the tunnel
connecting 1t with the capitol.
II am told that contracts have been let
for the construction Of the south wing of
the Capitol which has been designed for
the use of the senate, and for the south
east and southwest corner pavilions and
for the erection of the central portion
and the dome.
Financial Statement
'T am informed by the secretary of
state that at the end of the fiscal year.
1910, there was balance on hand in the
general fund of 1898, 067.91. Two years be-
fore this fund showed a balance of ST.
1856 POI. 81 The receipts for the fiscal years
1909 and 1910 were s12 ,494S5 and the
disbursements during the same period
were s12, $50, 1885. The receipts from July
list 1910 to January 1st 1911, were 81
469 lis. go and the disbursements during
the same period were $2,77S,725.eS. The
balance in the general fund. therefore on
January list 1911 was $494 05T.90. 1t is to
be borne in mind that these figures re-
late only to the condition of the general
fund.
cat the close of the fiscal year. June
30th 1910, the balance in all funds In
the state treasury aggregated $1.541, 924 26.
Figures showing the balance on hand for
all funds on January LIST, 1911. are not
available at this time"
Important Measures First.
In concluding the governor says:
'In the main the legislation here rec
commended has already been overwhelm-
inglv approved bv the voters of the state.
Its enactment, therefore. should not be
delayed
Fundamentally this demand is for an
increasingly enlightened appreciation Of
the rights of the average man. 1t is a
call for a return to the ideal of equity be-
fore the law in both business and politics.
In the final analysis all of the things
here urged upon your attention signify
just this and nothing more
'"These suggestions come to You not
as the personal views of any individu.r
or the perfunctory recommendations OF
any department of government, but in
very real sense as 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
any interest or influence which may sur
round other proposals of less general sig
nifcance In this way. l believe, bust |
ness may be best expedited and justice |
done and this the 50th session of the leg
islature of Wisconsin concluded. as
trust it may be- at an early date"
"A short, business~like and therefore
comparatively inexpensive session is alike
desirable from the standpoint of your IN
dividual convenience and the public well
fare The order in which the bills to
come before you shall be taken up will
have much to do with the length a we'll
as the success of your labors.
I'm all the affairs of life there Is time
Of preparation and time fo- action
There is seed time and harvest In other
years. and largely by other hands, the
ground was broken and the grain planted
from which has sprung the abundant
Legislative harvest which now waits to
be garnered by you. It is a high privi-
lege to have been called to the service
of the state at this time and under these
circumstances. In the years to come II
will be great honor indeed to have had
mart however humble. in the achieve