Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-01-15

allowance of this sort should only be maif
to mothers who in the judgment OF a
court are worthy of the custody OF their
children and ordinarily it should not De
made unless found necessary to save the
children from neglect. This aid to needy
but deserving mothers should not be re-
garded as charity, but rather as the rec
ognitiOn of an obligation actually due them
in return for their service to the state
as bearers of children.
MINIMUM WAGE
A bill providing for minimum wages
was introduced in the legislature of this
state two years ago but failed of passage
This class of legislation while reported to
be wholesome and effective in Australia
and England is novel to our system OF
Jurisprudence and involves such difficult
problems of administration that the legls-
lature should proceed with caption respect
ing 1t. But we should not again fail TO
do anything whatever in the matter
SETTLEMENT OF FARM LANDS.
The settlement of unoccupied farm lands
in the northern part of the state is a
problem that has engaged the attention
of the Board of Public Affairs for%more
than year There are about 10000, 600
acres OF such land, once in forest but now
practically stripped OF its timber. The
idle lands together for the betterment of
both We should not only invite settlers
to Wisconsin but should encourage and
protect them in every way possible after
may become successful farmers and indie
pendent, self-reliant citizens.
The prime need of new settlers is capt.
taI For the most part they are men OF
small means and the banks and other
lending agencies about them are either I'M
willing or untitled to supply them with ne
cesSarY funds to enable them to farm their
lands in proper manner. The state should
relieve this condition by cncouraging the
development of agricultural credit insti-
tutions whether private or cooperative,
.l,r, / IL m lnDCr- fiT1o
loans to farmers on the security of their
lands
ABSENT VOTING
The rapid increase of transportation ia
cilitieS in recent years, the steadily grow
ing tendency to conduct business upon a
large scale and hence over wide areas,
lower railway fares and better accommO-
datiOnS have greatly increased the amount
Of travelling done and the number of per
sons Therefore who are necessarily absent
from home on election day. Travelling
statesmen, railway employees, mail clerks,
and many others are now compelled to
choose between sacrificing two days of
election week from their employment or
losing their votes. Many who are away
from home at the beginning of the week
are required to travel hundreds of miles
or submit to diSfranchiSement This con
dition of affairs has become more marked
each year and should not be permitted to
continue. Numerous plans have been sug
geSted for absent voting or baIiotIng by
mail In Australia, Tasmania. Kansas ana
elsewhere some of these plans have been
put in operation and have been found TO
work we'll | most respectfully recommend
the enactment OF similar legislation for
Wisconsin.
THE INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND
RECALL.
The proposed initiative referendum and
recall amendments to the Constitution are
before you for final passage before SUB
mission to the people for their approval.
The ideas embodied in them are no longer
n thew L
believe. the best resolutions upon these
subjects adopted by any state legislature.
Al parties are pledged to the tHfoo
tional changes they propose. therefore
recommend that they be passed at TINS ses'
sion without unnecessary delay
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL.
Since the adjournment of the last legls-
lature various committees and BOARDS nave
been active in the investigation or rural
school problems with the view OF makln as
recommendations for enriching the courses
OF study. vitaliznG the instruction ana Sc
curing better results
In November, 1911, the Board OF Pub
lie Affairs invited the Training School ZOE
Public Service Of the Bureau of Municipal
Research OF New York City to conduct an
investigation of the country schools OF WIS,
cOnsin. In response to this invitation and
at very triting expense to the state thlS
investigation has been made. 1t included
a general examination of educatlonaI G GoIr,
ditions in twenty seven counties in widely
separated portions of the state ana more
detailed examination of the facts concern EN-
ing 81 schools in thirteen countles, 1n ~"
report presents a vivid pictude or all
phases Of rural school life; fiscal educa-
tlonal and sanitary. 1t is vigorous un-
biased statement of the facts as the eX-
pertS of the Training School saw them, III
clear, untechnical language. The recon-
mendations given at the end OF the re-
port represent also the Judgment OF lead-
of the Board of Public Affairs. most re
specfully recommend this report to your
careful study and consideration.
| am personally we'll satisfied That no
greater service can be rendered the cause
OF education in Wisconsin at the present
time than the establishment by law OF the
ton. This is the key to the whole prob
lem-the point at which all effective re
form must begin.
COOPERATIVE RURAL CREDIT.
Their, l.. real need for agricultural co
operative credit The farmer often finds
it difficult t. secure a loan to tide over
the period between seed time aHd harvest,
to buy stock and machinery VI to make
permanent imp royementS upon his land 1t
is even more difficult for him to buy and
pay for a farm, especially IN the thick!y
settled sections of the state Indeed this
task is so hard as to discourage many and
drive them to other states where land is
cheaper or to other occupations where more
immediate if less substantial rewards are
offered for their labor
At the present time the average farmer
is denied the credit advantages enjoyed by
the merchant or manufacturer, even though
he be equally honest, equally trustworthy
and equally able to meet his financial obi
cations His credit moreover is always an
individual matter. Until recently the col
lectiye credit of a group of farmers had
not been thought of in America, and even
now it is employed only to 4 limited extent
in one or two states. In Europe this prob
lem is solved by a system of rural banks.
Under the auspices of the Southern Com
mercial Congress and the International In
stitute of Agriculture a delegation made up
of two representatives, from each state in
the Union will go abroad in April of this
wear to study the operation of rural banks
and cooperative agricultural credit societies
in Enrope Wisconsin has been invited to
send representatives. Believing as L do
that AGRICULTURAL cooperation is one of the
big things of the future, too large and sig
nificant to be ditched by its short sighted
friends and destroyed by its oWn mOmen-
tum, | recommend the appropriation of
SUFFICIENT sp'n of money to defray the ex-
penses of two delegates from this state, as
requested by those who have the matter in
charge.
PRICE DISCRIMINATION.
Equality OF opportunity i'll industry and
trade is a sound American ideal; but like
all ideals it is not easily attained. Here
and elsewhere in recent years unfair meth
DDS have been Systematically employed by
noverful organizations of capital to break
Of G.nran nlnPr A