The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-05-26

treasurer annually snail U0uuCl lsoui
the common school fund 10 cents for
eEh person Of school age in the state.
1t is estimated that this sum will ag-
gregate about $4,000. Assemblyman
Hull, the champion of the rural school,
opposed the bill on the ground that
this money should be deducted from
the general fund of the state instead
of the school fund, which, he con-
tended, should be increased rather
than decreased. He insisted that If
the bill had merit that the teachers
pension fund should in no manner be
permitted to cripple the common
school fund. Because the pension is
considered form of compensation for
teachers the assembly decided it
should come out of this common school
fund, and the bill was not tempered
with in this respect.
X i y
Two important joint resolutions
have been adopted in both houses One
provides for committee to investi-
gate the status of legislative work
with a view of bringing the session
to a close as early as possible. The
other point resolution provides for
committee Of six senators and clever
assemblymen who shall study the
question of reapportionment. This
latter proposition may take up consid-
cradle time. Whenever there is an at
tempt to take away an assembly dis
trict on the ground that the popula-
ton is not sufficient to warrant the
present representation there is sure to
be fight. Members OF the legisla-
ture hope to have all business cleaned
up early in June, but if they are dis
appointed reapportionment probably
will be to blame.
Progressivism in Wisconsin has no
association with legislation aimed at
the liquor traffic Of the unprece-
denied number of bills introduced at
this session to tighten the lines around
the saloon business, only one bill,
which prohibits the sale of booze at
public auctions, passed. All the others
were discarded without much cere-
mony The lower house still has a
county option bill to dispose Of. The
usual motion to indefinitely postpone
the bill will be made, and the meas
ure will be smothered to death under
a heavy vote The assembly commit
tee on excise and fees has the distinc-
ton of having more reports stand
up than any committee of the legfsla-
ture 1t recommends for indefinite
postponement all of the anti-saloon
bills and that is what the assembly
likes Public sentiment in Wisconsin
question, and the progressives evident
ly consider that there is no great de-
mand for reform along this line The
University of Wisconsin came before
the legislature asking for special sa
loon legislation to drive the saloons
out of Madison, but even this was re-
fused. Assemblymen Merlin Hull and
Ellingson worked hard for greater reg
ulation Of the saloons.
Much levity and informality of dress
marks the closing days of the session.
The weather has become extremely
hot, and the big statehouse is not the
coolest place in the capital city. Most
of the members attend sessions in
their shirt sleeves. Whenever the
meetings are long the members be-
come impatient and the popular pas
time is throwing paper wads and bull
1etin books. 1t has become useless to
try to maintain order, and Speaker
Ingram in the assembly is not bother
ing his head about it. 1t also has be-
come difficult to get a full member
ship at committee meetings. The mem
bers prefer to spend their afternoons
at ball games or at some of the sew
eral parks on the Madison lakes. Sew
eral of the members have imported
their automobiles and have brought
their families here.
The state oil inspection department
is in danger of being abolished The
roll call on a bill to abolish the de-
partment brought out a close vote in
the lower house This vote, however,
was against doing away with the de-
partment and delegating the inspec-
ton work to the state dairy and food
commission. The proposition will
come up again next week, Assembly
man Wheelan, of Grand Rapids, one
of the Democratic leaders, having
moved to reconsider the vote by which
the bill was defeated.
\ X X
Milwaukee's tax ferret bill is safe
The measure was passed in the assem-
bly, and the motion to reconsider the
matter was subsequently killed. The
bill applies to all cities of the state.
This bill authorizes cities to employ
tax ferrets to get after tax dodgers.
In Milwaukee's case the ferrets will
receive % per cent of all the money
turned into the city treasury as a re-
suit of their work. Other cities will
be free to make their own contract
1t is optional with cities whether or
NOT tax ferrets shall be employed
y. "