Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-01-21
DELIVERS MESSAGE
TO BADGER SOLONS
Gov. McGovern Makes Recon-.
mendations to Legislature.
MUCH SPACE TO INCOME TAX
Governor Urges Lawmakers to Pro-
coed Slowly in Any Proposed Re-
vision of Law-Mothers' PEN
sion Bill Given Approval.

sion Bill Given Approval.
Madison-Gov. McGovern's message
70 the Wisconsin legislature in part is
as follows:
Before. passing on to a consideration Of
me purely public matters that L am about
~ present 70 you, permit me to greet YOU
~ I'M ana IN the name of all our people
70 welcome you to the capitol
1 nave frequently commended the work
OF the last legislature and congratulated
b ie bpeoPIe OF wisconsin upon the amount,
Ign qualty and enduring character of
the legislation then enacted / have felt
ana sun feel that too much cannot be said
LABOR LEGISLATION.
=, no topic occupied more of the time and
LHought of the last legislature than the
rights OF labor. On this subject il took
a a6uPa ,II.ti ground II generously fulfilled
me plaIofm pledge that in all matters ar
lectihg workers Wisconsin should be plac-
60 N the lead. 1t enacted the first valid
CO kui ts compensation law ever put into
ekett IN America. 1t regulated the hours
OF employment of women IL amended and
Improved the statutes relative TO child
lSDoT ana street trades. Most important
u an II Ilfted the whole subject of the
reldNoh or employer and employee to a
new ana higher plane by establishing the
EQUESTRIAN Commission modelled after the
Wisconsin Railroad Commission thar has
deservedly won such Widespread commen-
dation. Through this new commission as
Lhrough ITS prototype the public interests
are now adequately protected and the poor
are enabled to get Justice without having
practically 60 buy 1t in court in an I'M
e9ual struggle with wealthy and powerful
adYersaries
The legislature of 1911 was rightly eau
ueus IN granting to the Industrial Com
MISSION very much discretionary power in
deallng with exceptional labor conditions
Instead, rigid rules were laid down re-
specung child labor, women's hours of EN-
pIoyment, and other similar subjects But
IN the administration of these avs the
commission has found a variety of con-
dluoEs In different industries that seem
70 can for greater elasticity. In the en-
Iorcement of the wOmen's labor law, for
instance. it has been found that there is Il
wide difference between the light work on
a rural telephone with frequent periods
OF rest and the nervous strain at a city
Switchboard. InharmOnious provisions in
the law have also come to light such as
an hour for dinner in the wOmen's law
ana only half an hour in the children's law
In respect of these and similar matters
nc would seem to be advantageous to make
the law more flexible by authorizing ex-
ceptlons from the strict letter OF the stat
ute as at present laid down in every case
where the Commission shall find on pub
nc hearing the requested notifications to
De within the spirit of the law and not
preJudlclal to the health of the EMPLOYEES
TO be affected by it. The law may be
permitted to stand as it is but the iegis-
lature should now in view OF the known
methods of administration employed by the
Commission and the marked success that
has attended them, consider the wisdom
OF authorizing greater opportunity for the
exercise of discretion in clearly exceptional
cases. This principle of greater adapta-
Dlhty should apply to the laws concern
ing child labor, street trades women s
hours of employment. and possibly other
similar matters now committed 10 the In
dustrial Commission for enforcement.
WorlHmen's Compensation.
The workmen's compensation act has
December IS, 1912 567 employers and
about 760 900 employees had come within
its operation. During the month of No
yember. 1912, "A per cent of the accidents
reported to the Industrial Commission
were subject to compensation under this
plan. Thus nearly half of all industrial
hazards are already covered by the act.
When it was passed the defences of as
sumption of risk and the negligence of a
fellow servant were taken away from en-
plOyerS who did not accent its provisions
Other STATES ike MossaCbusettS Eanscs
Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey. Rhode Island
and Illinois in legiSlating on this subject
abolished not only these two defences hut
also that OF contributoFy negligence. In
surance rates in these states are now found
TO be about the same for those within as
for those outside the operation of such
laws. and marked tendency is manifest
TO come under them. With this object
in view, 1t seems to me the defence of
contradictory negligence should be wiped
out here also. That no hardship viii re-
suit from this course is shown by the
fact that among all who, accepted this
humane enactment only one employer has
thus far taken advantage of the oppor-
tunity it affords to withdraw from the
operation of its provisions
A number of states. including Alichi-
gan. New Jersey, Massachusetts and
Rhode Island, have made provision for
compenSating employees for specific in
Juries such as the loss of an eye or hand
by requiring payment for definite time
on the basis of a certain percentage of the
wage received when the injury occurred
I'm IoAy ha "a ha
the basis Of actual loss of wages only.
This is not always just and recommend
an amendment which will provide for the
adoption in such cases of the rule now
followed In other states.
4 5 the law now is no employer can be
come subject to its provisions without first
fling with the Commission notice of his
acceptance. and after he has given such
notice workmen in his employment are
presumed to accept the law unless they
specifically notify the Commission to the
contrary. The rule applicable to employ
erS should now be revised so as to har-
monte with the requirements imposed up
on wOrkmen At a certain date fixed by
law all employers in Wisconsin should
be deemed to be within the scope and
act unless prior to this time they shall
have notified the Commission in writing
10 the effect that they do not wish to
do SO.
Taxation is one OF the most important
subjects with which legislators have to
deal. W Hefher He9NN or uEnI. the aver
age citizen is ever sensitive to its weight.
No effort therefore should be spared TO
eQuhlize the burden. The demand of rural
communities for better roads and schools
the requirement of rapidly growing cities
for streets, sewers and sidewalks and for
more and better parks aud Fairgrounds
inevitably call for increased expenditure
which must be met by increased taxes
The problem OF distributing this burden
so that each shall contribute his just share
is by no means either simple or easy IL
solve.
The Income Tax.
The Wisconsin method of taxing prop
erty has long ranked among the best IN
the country. hut it necessarily shared the
defects inherent in all systems OF general
property taxation. The selection of as
SCISSORS every year. the difficulty of val
hostile attitude of large numbers o. peo-
pie we'll able to pay, resulted in the prac-
teal breakdown of personal property tax
alton. Thereupon the people of the state
demanded a substitute and the Legislature
of 1911 took long step in advance by
ensCtins an income tax law
In the language Of Chief Justice Wins
low who delivered the opinion of the court
in the income Tax raSe, 'thiS law marks
a very important change in the taxation
policy Of the state. and is but concrete
embodiment OF popular sentiment which
has been abroad for some time
AS might be expected so radical change
in our fiscal system aroused strong oppo-
sition. especially among those directly af-
fected by IL. many OF whom had not borne
their fair share OF the public burden uu-
der the old plan. Notwithstanding this