Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-05-17
JOINT COMMITTEES
POWER BILL
Unique Measure Is Presented in
the Senate.
STATES POWERS INCREASED
Bill Follows the Public Utility Act
Closely in Providing the Maehin-
cry for Regulation by the
Railroad Commission.

Railroad Commission.
Madison.-A new draft Of the Hust-
ing-Krumrey bin for the control and
regulation of water powers in Wis
eonsin came into the senate from the
special joint committee which intro
duced the original measure. The new
bill is peculiar and unique from the
fact that preceding the main features
is a set of declal ations which in eff
feet are as follows;
The use of the nayigable waters OF
this state are reserved for the benefit
of the people
All powers developed from the navi.
gable waters of the state are subject
10 the control of the state for the pub
lie good.
The state expressly reserves the
right to regulate the use and distribu-
ton of such power.
The declarations therefore are based
on the doctrine that wherever a
stream is navigable and therefore
properly open to use for navigation
by the people, the state has the right
to step in and declare the extent to
which navigation may be impeded and
power developed from the flow Of
the waters.
The bill places the regulation Of all
water powers in the hands Of the
railroad commission and declares
that any bridge. dam. etc, which Is
allowed to remain in navigable
stream in violation Of the provisions
of the act shall constitute public
nuisance, which may be abated in the
manner already provided by law II
is further provided that for every day
such nuisance shall remain the own
ers shall be subject TO a forfeiture Of
$50 a day
The bill follows the public utility
act closely In providing the machinery
for regulation by the railroad commits
sion. Water power owners are given
year in which to apply to the com
mission for a certificate and fran
chise. The commission thereupon is
to value the plant and fix the amount
Z
state for the use OF the water power
which may range from 10 cents to So
per horse power. depending upon the
conditions under which the power is
developed. its availability, market. pos
sibility of transmission, etc. The new
bill repeats all existing water power
franchises which are subject to repeal
either expressly or implied. Fran
chises are TO be granted for twenty
years, with the privilege of two re-
newals for the same period, with a
readjustment, II advisable, OF the
amount of compensation. No fran
chises may be assigned or conveyed
except upon the approval of the rate
commission. All franchises must be
accepted subject to the terms Of this
act
To the state in this bill is express
ly reserved the right to take over
operation and ownership of any water
power to do so.
Considerable interest is being
manifested in the welfare of the
Stern home rule" bill, which has
gone to engrossment in the assembly
and which will come up for passage
during the week This bill, which. be
sides providing machinery by which
all cities in the state will be relieved
of the necessity Of coming to the leg
islature for the rover to make minor
changes in their charteds, will
make all municipal elections non
partisan in nature. has been opposed
by the Socialists and may not yet
be out of danger, but it is generally be
iieved that the opposition will not be
sufficient to defeat the measure
There has been considerable vote
trading" between the Republican and
Democratic contingents as such In
order to get the bill through, the Re
publicans being ready to concede to
the Democrats a lowering of the per-
centage of votes required at a pri-
mary and as provided in the new
second choice primary bill, and II is
likely that this log-rolling will be eff
feetive. In this case such trading is
hOt ueeheu 10 u5 III FIDidLiOu VI Az
semblyman Hul's '1og-rolling" bill,
which has been passed and which APP
plies only to individual members Of a
small coterie.
Governor MCGoyern has appointed
the membership Of the industrial ac-
cident board This board, which win
administer the workmen's compensa-
tion law will consist of Prof. John
r. Commons Of the economics depart
ment Of the state university, Charles
H. Crownhart If Superior and Joseph
- Beck, commissioner Of labor and
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