River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-04-13
RAILROAD BILLS
ADVANCEDBY HOUSE
Assembly Obtains a Quorum and
Launches Out Long Calendar.
AIMS BLOW AT DEAD BEATS
Coal Dealers Are Also Hit, Those
Who Give False Weights and
Measures May Be Punished
Only Two Senators Present.

Measures May Be Punished
Only TWO Senators Present.
Madison.-The assembly surprised
itself by achieving a quorum and then
launched out the longest calendar OF
The session.
The house followed the precedent
recently established and again over
rode the transportation committee by
advancing two railroad bills, one by
Nye, providing for the collection Of
damages for fires caused by locomo-
tive engines, doubling the damages in
case a railroad seeks to delay matters,
and one by Wells compelling railroads
to establish comfort stations" in con-
nection with depots where tickets are
sold.
Mortsnsen made a strenuous fight
for his bill to wipe out the exemption
of state, county and municipal en-
ployes from garnishment, declaring
that it was aimed at class Of dead
beats that it has not been possible to
reach.
Long of Prairie du Chen opposed it
on the ground that this exemption is
a settled policy on the state that has
been fooled for half century. On
roll call, the assembly overturned the
judiciary committee and recommends
ton for killing, 80 to 20, and then ad-
vanced the bill.
Among the bills passed were Bal
iard's to make the giving Of false
=
q misdemeanor and Nye's, compelling
sleeping car companies to leave the
upper berths open on request of the
occupant of the lower unless in use
Or engaged.
Two senators were present in the
upper house. Senator Lyons moved
that Senator Shower be elected presi-
dent pro tenn and Shower was unani-
mously elected. The calendar was put
over for a week. The senate prob
ably will do nothing this week.
Governor McGovern announced
reconstruction of the state fish
commission, only two of the pres
ent membership being retained. None
Of the appointees Of former Governor
Davidson had been confirmed by the
senate, and the statute had not been
followed in the requirements that the
term of one commissioner should ex-
pire each year. The appointees named
are:
B. G. VOTERS, Appleton; term ex-
pires April /, 1917.
Jabe Afford, Madison, (reappoint-
ed; expires April /, 1916.
A. L. Osborn, Oshkosh (reappoint-
ed; term expires 1915.
James o. Davidson, Madison (for-
mer governor); 1914.
George w. Peck, Milwaukee (for-
mer governor); 1913.
John Burns, La Crosse; 1912.
The fact that the statute had not
been followed was discovered when 1t
came to making the appointments in
the cases of Jabe Afford and George
B. Hudnall OF Superior (who succeed
ed Calvert E. Spensely of Mineral
Point, whose terms expired. The
governor thereupon decided, in view
of the fact that none of the appoint
ments had been confirmed, to recon
struct the board in accordance with
the law.
Others besides former Senator Hud-
nall who were not reappointed are
Dr. A. A. Dye, Madison, whose term
would have expired in 1916; w. J.
Starr Of Eau Claire, 1916; and ]. ].
Hogan Of La Crosse, 1913.
The members of the commission
receive no salaries, but are paid their
expenses on various trips to hatch
cries and ponds for the purposes of
inspection. These trips generally are
"junkets" of an enjoyable nature.
The appointments will be sent to
the senate for confirmation, but they
probably will be laid over until next
week on account of the lack of a
quorum.
Madison will be the mecca of rep
resentatives of women's clubs.
uplift societies and manufacturers
on April II, when various bills
relating to child labor will be
discussed at a public hearing in the
assembly chamber. There is little
doubt of the passage of more strin-
gent laws on the subject than are
at present on the statute books,
and the extent to which the laws will
be amended will re determined by
the general hearing.
One lone assemblyman is loadng
around the capitol with nothing to do,
and marking time until the house re-
turns to work. He is F. w. Draper of
Clark county, and he's staying in
Madison because there was no use go
Ing home, even to vote, for he had no