The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-03-13
PLAN CONTINUOUS SESSION
Work of Various Legislative Commits
slons Shows Need of More Time for
Work of State Solons-R Resolutions to
be Submitted to the Electors Soon.

ate several constitutional amendments
of great interest. One of them pro-
vides for an increase in the pay Of the
legislators and increases the salary of
the legislators from $500 to 81 200 for
the biennial period, the provision OF
the bill being that the salary of the
legislators shall be paid in annual IN
stallments Of 5000 each. Although this
resolution says nothing or its face on
the subject, its theory has been more
or less that if it ever became lncor-
porated in the constitution the ses-
sions Of the Legislature of Wisconsin
should became yearly through some
form or another either by direct
amendments to the constitution provid-
ing for annual sessions or by the in
direct method of taking a recess from
one year to another.
There are many who have been fol
lowing the legislation of Wisconsin
during the last few years who have
become thoroughly convinced that the
plan of holding biennial sessions of
the legislature Is entirely a futile one
and that only through some form of
annual session or by a plan of having
the legislature in at least constructive
session all of the time, will the real
legislative ideal ever be reached. Thus
tina companion resolution to the
measure increasing salaries should be
one limiting the length Of the regular
ession to 140 days and permitting a
special session of twenty-five days, has
come rather as surprise.
The first resolution, for the increase
of the legislators salaries, has al
ready passed one legislature and the
Axel johnson resolution which aims to
put the limitation on the regular leg
islative session is on it's initial legis-
lative trip. It is more than probable
that the senate will not be so friendly
to the Axel johnson resolution as the
assembly has proved, as there are
many men in the senate, who have
been giving this subject of the length
of legislative sessions considerable
thought and who have other plans in
mind than limitation on legisla-
tive sessions.
There can be no question that peo-
pie who have been following the pro-
gTess of Wisconsin in regard to the
length of legislative sessions are
thoroughly imbued with the idea that
some day or another to obtain the best
possible legislative returns the plan
for legislative sessions which will be
adopted will be that of constructive
session of the Legislature the entire
time, Wisconsin has accomplished a
great deal in legislation and has Sc
cured results that have been bene-
fetal because it has given study to
legislative problems.
Limited legislative sessions do not
give this opportunity and comparisons
between the finished product in the
way of statute results between Wis
eonsin and other states show conclu-
sively the value of long legislative
sessions There is no question that
no state in the union has the last few
years placed its ssatutes in better
shape than has the state of Wiscon-
sin. 1t has accomplished more than
most states and has accomplished it
with less harmful results to existing
conditions.
Those who have been responsible for
the splendid results that Wisconsin
has accomplished feel that in part
these results have been obtained
through Che interim committee ses-
sions for he consideration of impor-
taut Legislation It is said there is no
question that the great legislation
Wisconsin has accomplished has been
put in better form through these in
terim committee sessions than it ever
could have been through the hurried
work which would have to be done
when a regular legislative session was
on The work has taken time, but the
results have amply paid for the time
spent. Take as an instance the wage
compensation act.
There is no state in the union which
has put in force wage compensation
legislation which has done it with the
ease and with the lack of friction that
has followed the Wisconsin legislation.
What is more, the Wisconsin act is
being largely followed by other states
who are putting in this form of leg
islation. 1t is, however, admitted that
this legislation could never have beer
accomplished but for the fact that the
members of the legislature of 1909 I'M
hesitatingly gave their time to the
writing of the bill which the regular
session of 1911 put in form of law.
1t was the ease with which this
wage compensation question was han
died that brought forth the thought