The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-01
MAY EXTEND into ALL LINES
Constitutional Amendment Acted on by
Legislature Gives State Wide Powers
Along this Line-Must be Voted on
by the People.

likely to receive very strong endorse
ment as a result of the action of this
was true of the history of the bill in
and almost unnoticed there has been
passed through this legislature a joint
constitutional amendment resolution
which will permit, if it is finally in
corporated in the constitution, state OF
Wisconsin to engage in any kind of in
surance business which it may desire.
The resolution was introduced origi-
nally in the assembly by Assemblyman
Hurlbut and passed that house with
very little opposition. In fact, there
was scarcely any debate as it was adj
vanced on the calendar. The same
porated in the state constitution, some
the senate, it having gone through
that house with little or no opposition
OF course, before it can be basis for
legislation the resolution must be pass
ed through another legislature and re-
ceive the Endorsement of the voters
at the polls.
Friends Of the measure seem to
think that the next Wisconsin legisla-
ture will be as friendly to the resolu-
ton as this legislature has been and
that there will be no great opposition
shown to the resolution anywhere.
The friends of the measure say that it
is not the intention in the passage of
the resolution to make the state of
Wisconsin competitor in all sorts of
insurance business, but that it is the
intention, if the insurance companies
do not give Wisconsin fair treat
ment, to place the state in a position
where it would be possible for it to
insure the property and lives Of its
inhabitants.
1t is admitted that one of the imme-
date legislative results of the resolu-
tion will be, should it finally be incor-
consin in giving them damages in
form of state industrial and sick bene-
fit insurance. 1t is said that while
the workmen s compensation act is do
ing a great deal of good in the pro
lection that it affords employees in Wis
consin of giving them damages in
cases of injury through accident, the
adoption of the wage compensation act
has but demonstrated that the state
has got to go a great deal further in
this question of aid to the laboring
classes and that its full duty viii not
be performed until thorough system
of industrial and sick benefit insurance
has been adopted. It is said that the
wage compensation act simply pro
tects the workingmen in cases of ac-
cident and gives him no protection
when he is not in position to work
on account of illness. This protection,
it is claimed, can only be properly adj
insurance.
Undoubtedly the idea is the eventual
working out in this state of some plan
of industrial and sick benefit insur-
ance similar to that now in vogue in
tributions by both the employer and
the employe to the fund and the state
will simply be trustee to take care
of the proper handling of the money.
In fact bills creating state fund of
this kind to be administered under the
direction of the Wisconsin Industrial
Commission for the protection Of per-
sons suffering from vocational diseases
/ are pending before this legislature.
The idea is, however, that the legisla-
ton which viii be permitted after the
adoption of the constitutional amend
ment will be much more comprehensive
in its scope and will afford protection
TO any employee who for any reason
becomes either temporarily or per-
manently disabled.
The idea would be also to furnish
a compensation more nearly adequate
with the employees regular wages in
cases of accident than can be afforded
by the wage compensation act, the
basis for such compensation being, of
course, a joint contribution by the en-
ployer and employee and not sim
pie contribution from the employer
such as is not provided for where acct
dents arise in the plants of employers
who are under the wage compensation
act. Such system Of state insurance
has proved a great benefit to employees
in Germany and friends of the plan
believe Wisconsin can be a pioneer
along this line of legislation as it has
been on so many other subjects.
1t is proposed that at the next SEES
sion of the legislature if the state in
surance constitutional amendment is
adopted to pass resolution for the
creation Of a special committee of the
Legislature to make study of the ac-
cident and sick benefit question and
to be ready to report legislation on the
subject at the subsequent session in