Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-03-31
BILL TO PROTECT
WORKMAN REPORTED
This Has Been Amended in Sew
eraI Sections.
GILBERTON'S BILL is PASSED
Measure Providing for Commission
Form of Government in Cities of
Second, Third and Fourth
Glasses Is Adopted.

Madison.-With the reference to the
joint Legislative committee on finance
of the workmen's compensation bill,
the prospect of early legislation for
the benefit of injured workmen or the
survivors Of Workmen killed in indus
trial accidents has grown larger. The
bill has been reported for passage by
a special joint committee and now is
in the finance committee for action on
those sections ~roviding for state ap-
preparations The bill has been amend
ed in several sections, but only a
few Of the amendments are Of great
Importance. Under the bill as amend
ed, employers will have restored to
them the defenses of assumption OF
risk and fellow servants negligence
as soon as they elect to pay the
schedule of compensation provided
in the bill. Those who do not come
under the act will not have these two
defenses when sued for damages by
an injured employe or his survivors.
This latter provision, however, applies
OA1y w AIIDlOJ vi III AoO1 VI AAOA =
persons The small manufacturer and
the farmer thus will not be interfered
with by having taken from him the
fellow servant defense.
The bill as 1t stands at present
provides for the payment of IS per
cent of the employees wages for the
time he is disabled IN case of death
the compensation to his surviving de-
pendents is from 81, 500 to $4,000, paid
in monthly installments. The bill as
amended has the support of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers assOcia-
ton of Milwaukee, the Wisconsin
Manufacturers association and the
Wisconsin branch of the American
Society of Equity.
The assembly gave it's stamp of
disapproval to constitutional con-
vention by an overwhelming vote. 1t
again demonstrated it's attitude to-
ward committee reports the Weber
resolution for a constitutional conven-
ton having been recommended for
adoption with Ellingson and Gettle
dissenting The assembly vote of 48
to 40 against the resolution Is expect
ed to put at rest all hope for a consti-
tutional convention
Whether the lower houses attitude
was reflected in action on a bill in
creasing the salary of a marshal for
the supreme court cannot be stated
accurately, but it remains a fact that
a fight was made on Justice Mar
.shall's bill providing for the appoint
iment of a marshal and increasing the
pay of the present janitor to 81 900.
The janitor is to get the new Office.
Several members objected to this
bill, despite Assemblyman McCon-
nell's plea that the house deal fairly
and generously with the court The
bill finally was passed 48 to 50, the
Social Democrats and most of the
Democrats voting against it. 1t was
noted that most of the lawyers in the
assembly voted for the bill
There was another long discussion
over the question of proper compen-
Sation for members of the legisla-
ture. Two resolutions, by Gettle and
Clark, were up for action. An amend
ment was tackled on to the Gettle res
olution making it $3.50 per session.
The Clark resolution makes it 81 900.
Finally both the resolutions were re-
ferred back to the committee On con-
stitutional amendments, this action
being taken after the speaker had
suggested that mileage be eliminated
from the provisions for members
They now receive ten cents mile.
When the divorce counsel repeal
bill by Mortensen came up for recon
sideration the assembly by a most de-
cisive vote refused to act This ends
the controversy over repeating the
statute providing for county divorce
counsel and the law will remain on
the books
One of the important debates Of the
session was on the Weber resolution
to bar unnaturalized foreigners from
working on state contracts Several
members spoke of the injustice of the
resolution and Mr.. Gettle referred
particularly to the services performed
for America by foreigners in time of
war This resolution was killed, as
was also the Weber resolution rela-
ting to the election, terms and recall
ing of county officers. The two Bin
.ner resolutions relating to justices of
the peace and the judiciary also went
the way of other Social Democratic
resolutions Nearly all these rasO11-
lions were killed, despite committee
recommendations for passage.
Troop A and the First battery
of the Wisconsin National Guard,
both Milwaukee organizations which