Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-05-04
will receive the benefits.
= =. =


Public hearings on the income tax
bill will be resumed this week This
measure, as the title clearly indicates,
provides, for the taxation of incomes
and practically eXempts the personal
property tax. Thus double taxation
will be avoided. The income tax will
be levied at the source of income.
The question of double taxation was
given careful consideration by the
committee as that is the thing that
had to be avoided if the bill was to
have any chance
The banks are fighting the bill
creating fund for the guaranty Of
bank deposits. The large strong
banks contend that under the pro
posed bill that the weakest bank will
become as strong as the strongest.
and that the strong banks will make
the weak ones strong without any re-
turn for doing so. The large bankers
contend this is unfair, and they are
working to defeat the measure. The
bill must secure a two-thirds vote i'm
both houses, and there is some doubt
II the senate will vote that strong for
it.
The senate laid to rest the county
option bill and all of its measures.
but the assembly still has a chance to
pass upon the question as the Gulick
son county option bill is yet to come
before the lower house. This legis
latuTe already has expressed itself on
the various measures aimed to tigntep
the lines about the liquor traffic. This
is one question that this progressivs
Legislature is not dabbling with. Thus
far all anti-saloOn measures of any
Importance have failed in both houses,
and those that are to be acted upon
will be treated in the same manner
;. :. ;.
The Donald good roads bill passed
the senate, but the assembly commit
tee on highways has sort of a dealt.
grip on this bill The committee
spends many hours each week work
ing on it, but there is no Immediate
indication that the measure will be re-
ported out until near the close of the
session. The real bone of contention.
is whether the commission shall be
composed of salaried or unsalaried
men. The Donald bill. which appears
TO have the call with most of the
members, provides an annual state ap.
preparation Of $350000 for the inn
pTovement of public highways
!. \ \
The Gettle initiative and refpren-
dunn Is to take the place of all other
legislation on this subject now pend
ing. This week the initiative and
referendum will pass the assembly
The Gettle bill provides that the peo-
pie Of the state shall reserve the pow
er to propose laws, resolutions and
amendments to the constitution ana
to enact Or reject them at the polls.
independent Of the legislature, and al
so that the people reserve the power.
at their option, to approve or reject
at the polls any legislation passed by
the legislature. No more than s per
cent nor in any case more than 10000
voters of the state shall be required
to propose any law by initiative petit
tons. Every initiative petition shall
contain the full text of the law or
amendment to the constitution The
petition must be filed with the secre-
tary Of state no less than ten days be
fore any regular session of the legfs>
lature, Matters of this nature shall
take precedence over all other meas
ures before the legislature except an
preparation bills. II the legislature
fails to pass legislation proposed by
the people it shall refer it TO a vote
of the people at the next ensuing
election, In no small degree this
makes the legislature useless, and is
one of the most progressive ideas ever
considered in this country,
X y X
The question of woman suffrage viii
go to vote Of the people. The James
woman suffrage bill passed the senate
and then was passed by the lower
house. Lawyer members of the as.
sembly, however, considered the bin
full of legal defects and it was recon
sidered and a substitute bill which
smooths out the legal defects of the
James measure was reported in. This
is in the hands of the committee. but
there is not the slightest doubt about
its passage in both houses. The legis.
lature washes its hands by putting the
suffrage question right up to the vo-
ters.
FRED c. SHEASBY.