The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-05-09
EXTRA SESSION Of
LEGISLATURE ENDS
Wisconsin SoIons Finish Work
on Emergency Measures
WATESP0WER BILL KILLED
Twenty Two Laws Enacted in Seven
Days Session-Only Three Meas
ures Proposed in Call Met Detea.
Public Lands Bill Loses.

Madison.--The special session of
the Wisconsin legislature for 1912
came to an end at 3 O'Clock this
afternoon after session of just sew
en- legislative days. Twenty-Five laws
were enacted-seventeen assembly
bills and five senate measures.
Thirteen bills were introduced in
the senate, five were passed and
eight were killed. Three joint reso-
lutions and three senate resolutions
were introduced in the upper house.
The main legislation adopted was
the state wide non-partisan and mu-
nicipal election law and the bills APP
propriating 100000 for the relief
of flood-stricken Black River Falls,
The most important bills passed
during the session were:
Appropriating 100000 to Black
River Falls to relieve the destitu-
ton caused by food, improve sani-
tary conditions and construct dams
in future.
Appropriating $4,000 to strength
en- the levee system in and near the
city of Portage.
Appropriating $4,000 for a com
mittee appointed to investigate the
general leyee system in and near
Portage and report to the governor.
Providing for non-partisan NUM-
cipal elections in the city of Milwau-
kee and all of the cities of the state
Providing that presidential cleo
tors shall be elected at the platform
convention instead of by presiden ;ial
delegates.
Validating election of delegates to
national convention.
Clearing up points in election laws
and the fish and game laws.
Authorizing the use of short berry
boxes, properly marked, until March
/, 1913.
Admitting the Lloyds insurance
association to the state.
Legislation on three subjects in
the call of Gov. McGovern for the
special session failed of recognition.
They were measures for waterpower
control, the legislation asked to
limit the sale of state lands to set
tiers and providing no more than
100 acres should be sold to any per-
son, and the measures to place the
rough fishing industry in the hands
of the state. State Treasurer Dahl
believes a great mistake was made
in the defeat of the land bill, which
he says would have proved of great
advantage in preventing state lands
falling into the hands of specula-
tors.
The issue in the contest over the
passage of a water powers bill was
whether the state should grant mill
dam and water power franchises in
perpetuity or for a limited time. The
representatives of the water powers
were opposed to any legislation on
the subject, but If any act were pass
ed they preferred a provision for per-
petual permits.
The committee bill on the subject
authorized the state RAILROAD com
mission to grant franchises on condi-
tons relating to the construction and
maintenance of the dam. 1t contain
ed provision reserving to the state
right of repeal and provided for state
supervision and inspection of dams,
but imposed no fee to defray the eX-
pense of such supervision The most
Objectionable provision to the water
power interests was the repeal
clause.
Senator Husting drafted a substi-
tute bill which contained most of the
restrictions Of the committee and in
addition imposed an annual fee based
on horsepower for supervision and
inspection.
When the bill was reported by the
committee Senator Sanborn of Ash
land offered an amendment providing
that franchises granted under the
act should be limited to twenty years
with the privilege OF two successive
thlSbSiohs vi lNll sVdIc edCH' i IL II
was adopted, reconsidered and re-
adopted. The vote on readoption was
IA to ~.
Senator Browne offered an amend
ment providing for the granting OF
franchises in perpetuity. This, after
considerable discussion, was rejected
by a vote of 8 to II.
The Husting substitute bill was
then rejected by vote of IL to II.
Finally the committee bill was re-
fused third reading and engrossment
by q vote of [ 10 "a