River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-03-02
EE 1IN HEARING ON
milwaukee BILLS
JUDICIARY AND EDUCATION COM
MITTEES TAKE UP THE TWO
STERN MEASURES.
EKERN REFUSES RELICENSE
Commissioner Hits the Indiana Mil
Iers Insurance Company Because
of the Action of Ohio
Superintendent.

Madison.-Senator James and AS
semblyman Hamper, sponsors for the
woman suffrage bills, are extremely
hopeful of the passage of the one
measure giving all women of twenty
one years of age or over the right to
vote, but containing clause that the
act must be approved by the people
ct the November (1912) election be-
fore going into effect. A canvass of
the senate shows at least sixteen SEN
ators, just enough, In favor OF 1t, and
In the assembly the canvass has pro-
crossed to the point where at least
thirty-five votes for It are assured.
Assemblyman Hamper believes he can
secure at least twenty-six more before
the bills come up in the house.
The proponents of the measure
hold that it will be constitutional in
spite Of the provision that every
male" etc, may vote. because there
is no express prohibition against '-fe
males"
AS a result of the decision of the
supreme court in sending back to the
circuit court for trial the case of the
state against Milwaukee city and
county, to recover 100000 in munich
pal court fees collected during the
past fifty years and alleged to belong
to the state school fund, 1t is be-
lfeved that the state eventually will
win It's suit The decision suggests
amending the complaint to comply
with the statute relating to such mat
tiers, and this will be done in Milwau
kee by Assistant Attorney General A.
c. Titus, who has had charge of the
case. The matter may not be set
tied, however, until it has gone to the
United States Supreme court, provid-
ing some means can be found for the
Milwaukee city and county attorneys
to get It into the highest tribunal.
The senate judiciary and education
committees began the brief hearings
that have been arranged for the Stern
measures for nOn-partisan judicial
and school board elections in Milwau-
kee county. At the same time Sen
ator Bodenstab asked leave to intro
duce a bill, by the committee route,
providing for the division of the civil
tain kinds of matters Of litigation.
Insurance Commissioner Ekern has
refused to relicense the Indiana Mil
lers' Fire Insurance company, upon
receiving q communication from the
superintendent of insurance of Ohio
that that official has revoked the
company's license in that state. The
company recently organized as a
stock company, in order to secure a
100000 surplus that had accrued
while it was a mutual company, and
upon the reorganization only eight of
a total of 1000 shares were secured
by members of the mutual company,
the officers and directors "gobbling
the rest"
This situation corresponds with a
condition which It is sought to rem
edy by bill already introduced in
the assembly, which will give the In
surance commissioner power to regu-
late the surplus of all mutual insur-
ance companies.
Both houses of the legislature held
brief sessions, the senate, with eight
members present, reconsidering the
laying over of the Linley resolution
favoring the Sulloway pension bill
and adopting It under suspension of
the rules. reconsideration was asked
by Senator James, who discovered
that on previous motion to lay over
he had voted AYE" when he thought
that in realety he was voting for
adoption.
The resolution was ordered mes
saged Immediately to the assembly,
but for some reason it did not turn
up there, although the lower house
was appraised of the senate's action,
and Assemblyman Stevens displayed
some anxiety regarding 1t.
Only five members were present In
the assembly and Phil H Jones of
Delafield presiding and attending to
the perfunctory reference of fifty-odd
bills to the proper standing commit
tees Former Assemblymen Curtis,
Hambrecht and McLloyd were given
seats on the floor.
When the Hahn bill prohibiting the
ownership by breweries or liquor
manufacturers of retail liquor bust
ness comes out of the revision com
rnfttee of the assembly. it will be sent
to the committee on excise and fees
and printed, and then the warning in
terests affected by the measure will
be able to Judge the nature of the act
which this legislature will direct to-
ward their business. A careful read