Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-04-25
THE WATER POWER PROBLEM
Is Again Occupying Attention of the
Legislature

Northern Wisconsin is claiming a
goodly portion of legislative atten-
ton this session. The growing i'm
portance of the northern part Of the
state, industrially and politically, is
coming home to the Legislature. This
is evidenced in the attention given
measures particularly affecting the
northern part of the state by mem
bers from the southern counties.
Foremost of these questions, per-
haps, is the forestry problem. The
state is committed to a forestry pro
gram, and there is no indication that
the great conservation policy will be
abandoned, but there is every ev1-
dence that members from all sections
of the state give serious attention
to the grievance voiced from coun-
ties in the reserve section and pro-
pose to preserve the rights of the
people of that section as we'll as of
the whole state. They propose to in
vestigate the conflicting claims and
do justice to all.
OF more general Importance to the
development of the northern part of
the state is the waterpoWer problem.
Enactment of a development law at
as early a date as possible, that the
great natural resources of northern
Wisconsin may do their share in
opening up the wealth of this region,
is assured A conflict: will undoubt-
edly ensue over the new. bill, which
has been introduced but it is hoped
that the waterpoWer representatives
will evidence the interest in the de-
velopment Of the state that they pro-
fess by taking the same interest and
giving the same assistance il the
writing of a workable constructive
law, that will preserve at once the
vested rights of riparian owners and
of the people, as is taken by those
who are endeayoring to write a'suc-
cessful waterpower control law, in
stead of continuing to pursue the
purely obstructive tactics that have
marked their previous campaigns.
Another question of particular in
terest to the northern half of the
state Is the question Of loans on wild
lands either directly by the state or
with the assistance of the state.
The Nye amendment to the consti-
tuition to enable the state to sell
bonds to make loans to settlers is re-
ceiving serious consideration.
"A bill to permit a few small hold
ers of wild lands to incorporate to
issue mortgage certificates, and max
ing these certificates good security
in state banks is proposed to give
immediate aid
Various other plans are being ad-
yanced to bring into the northern
counties money, the lack of which
is the greatest impediment to rap
id development and growth in wealth,
industry and population, and mem
bers from all parts of the state are
giving attention.
The success in government aid in
securing development and improve
ment capital for unimproved agricul-
tural land in New Zealand, Australia
and some other countries is shown
in a recent report on this subject
by the State Board of Public Affairs.
These. examples and it's recent trial
in the province of Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick, Canada, give the
legislature various plans to consider
and 1t Is probable that some definite
and material step will be taken by
the legislature unless some grave
difficulty arises which makes it ad'
visible to give the subject further in
vestigation and deeper study before
entering upon what will be in this
country an almost new and untried
proposition.
County Superintendents
A committee bill creating count.
board of education will probably be
reported for passage by the assembly
committee The county .superntend
ents' support will be secured, it is
said, by continuing the office elec
tive, and securing a probable genera
increase in salary by giving the new
county board of education power t
fix the county superintendents sal
ary. The plan to create county
board of education, say it's friends
is based upon the principle that tht
schools should be placed in care O
a board elected for that purpose
alone, rather than in the control o.
the county board, which: is concerned
with roads and bridges, the county,
finances, etc.
Railroads Must Accommodate
Senator Monks bill to compel rail