The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-03-20
Governor McGovern Sends a
Bill to Legislature to Cut
Cost Of Living in State.
TO ELIMINATE FORMER BOARDS
New Commission Proposed for State by
Governor will have Charge Of Coop
erative Markets and Seek to Bring
Consumer and Producer Together.

What is declared to be one of the
most important pieces of legislation to
be considered by the legislature dur
ing the present session was sent to the
legislature Monday evening with
special message from Governor Mccoy
ern. The bill is declared to be an act
creating market commission, pro-
hibiting monopoly and unfair trade
and for the promotion of cooperative
enterprises. =
In a lengthy resume of the bill sent
out from the governor s Office publicity
is sought in favor Of the measure. In
this review it is said:
1.-THE measure is offered because of
the insistent demand from the rural
communities Of the state for assistance
in organizing and establishing CO.
operative enterprises and for protec-
tion against the results of unfair BUSH
ness practices and methods of compe-
tition. Its provisions also take note
of the definite desire on the part of
the legislature and Of the people OF
the state to improve, not only educa-
tional and industrial conditions, but
also to improve the conditions sur
rounding home life in the country.
The proposed law creates state
commission ito be known as The State
Market Commission composed of the
dairy and food commissioner ex-officio
and two other members appointed by
the governor, by and with the consent
of the senate. AS stated in the
language of the bill itself the purposes
Of the commission are (1) to prevent
monopoly, contracts and combinations
in every form detrimental to the peo-
pie of the state; (2) to promote in
the interests Of the public, including
consumer and producer alike economi-
NAL and efficient production and dis
tribution Of all commodities; (3) to
promote development Of the natural
resources of the state and of its prop
err agricultural, industrial and CONNER
cial interests, SO far as such develop
ment is consistent with public wei
fare; (4) to improve country life and
to provide equality of opportunity for
the people of the state; 90 to per
form the duties and functions hereto
fore performed by the dairy and food
commissioner, the state board of i'm
migration and the state board of agri-
culture.
That the commission may continue
to be responsive to the wishes of the
legislature and the people is assured
by rather novel devise heretofore
unknown in American law. Any mem
Der of the commission shall, upon re-
quest of three senators or ten members
of the assembly, appear before the
senate or assembly, as the case may
be, to answer written interrogatories,
and to be examined with respect to
any official act. The questions and
answers and all proceedings are fully
recorded and a copy thereof, with rec
concentrations, are then transmitted to
the governor. The governor may I'M
der his general power of removal then
proceed to act upon the evidence pro-
duced and the recommendations made
The legislature is not itself helpless
however, for the next section pro
vides that any member of the commits
sion may be removed from his office by
two-thirds vote Of all the members
elected to each house, without any ac-
tion on the part of the governor the
commissioner complained of having
been first served with a copy Of the
charges and having had opportunity to
be heard in his own defense.
1t is noticeable also that it is not
the producer alone who is to reap the
benefits of the efforts of the commits
sion. Evidence is everywhere found
that carefully thought out plan is
being inaugurated to lower the cost
of living. Every effort is to be made
to reduce the waste of marketing and
distribution; city markets are to be
established, organized, inspected and
rendered efficient and the city con-
sumer is to be put in close. touch with
the rural producer.
Great emphasis is placed on an eff
fort 20 prohibit and prevent all I'M
fair trade, practices and unfair
methods of competition. The bill pro-
vides that if the commission finds that
any person is attempting unreasonably
to limit competition by such practices
as discriminating between communities
where competition is present and where
| it is not, by refusing to deal with
more than one person in a community,
by making any false representations
as to the product, OF character Of a
competitor or by other devices of a
similar nature these practices shall be