The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1913-05-16

the republican Party.
Madison, Wis, May 13.-(Special. J
In one of it's business-like and ser
ious moments the Wisconsin legisla
ture will proabbly pass bill of great
interest to the farmers of the state
The bill was introduced by Assembly
man Axel Johnson of Polk county and
! provides for the semi-annual payment
| of taxes. The joint committee has
already recommended the measure
. for passage.
The theory of this bill is that il
will make the payment of taxes less
of burden, the total amount to be
paid will be half of the amount under
the present system of annual nav.
ment of taxes, and for that reason it
will seem less burdensome. Taxes,
according to the Johnson plan, will
be paid in January and in July,
periods of the year, it is said, when
the farmer is best situated to paw
taxes. The bill is of general interest.
as the same rules that apply to the
farmers of the state in a matter of
this kind also are applicable to the
general citizenship of Wisconsin.
Protection for the Public.
The Holmes bill to broaden the
powers Of the state railroad commits
sion so that this board may act more
promptly to protect the public by i'm
proving DANGEROUS crossings has pass
ed the assembly and will doubtless
receive favorable action in the SEN
ate. Mr.. Holmes has introduced prac-
t1cally all of the bills in which mem
Ders OF the commission are especially
interested. The crossing measure
gives to the commission the right to
act upon its own motion. Under the
present law in order to have danger
Gus crossing made safer it is neces-
sary for some citizen to file a COM
plant There is considerable red
tape to the procedure provided by
statute, and it is the aim to remove
delay incident to carrying out the
present law.
Another bill by Assemblyman
Holmes which is making favorable
progress relates to stock and bonds.
the purpose of the bill being to do
away with the evil of watered stock
in the organization and reorganiza-
ton of corporations, and placing the
physical valuation of properties upon
the basis of real valuation.
Recess of Legislature.
The movement for a recess of the
legislature until sometime next win.
ter in order that members of both
houses may be given more time in
which to make study of important
bills is making little Roadway. The
members seem to feel that it is bet
ter to remain here and finish the
work now. They fear that to return
next winter would mean another ses.
sion of four or five months for which
they would receive no additional com
pensation. Most Of the members have
already spent their full compensation
for services and the majority of them
feel that they can i'll afford to return
next winter to do work which NAV
be done within another month or
two.
A bill of interest to farmers has
just been passed in the senate and
has gone to the governor. It is a bill
which provides that after Jan. |.
1915, that sleighs shall have the same
width as automobiles wagons and
other vehicles This measure. how. !
ever, provides that any sleighs pur-
chased previous to JAN 1, 1915, may |
be used until they are no longer fit !
for service
Many Bills Are Killed.
After discussing subjects for weeks
and months, the legislature during the
last few days has killed number of
bills which have been given much
time and attention. Among these is
the Rosa bill which had as it's pur-
pose to give to parents equal rights
Ii TIC o10pOSAIlOu OF minor children.
The medical bill to make more string
ent the medical requirements in this
state, the Hull bill to inaugurate a
college course in the normal schools
Of the state and the bill to divorce
he breweries from the saloons have
also been recorded in the legislative
obituary column.
The Glenn bill for a referendum
Tote on equal suffrage has passed
both houses, and is in the hands q
he governor. Early in the session
some of the McGovern men actively
opposed the proposition, but there
vas change of sentiment and when
he bill came to vote there was lit
lie debate of note, and the vote was
'ne-sided and strongly in favor of the
referendum idea The women of Wis
'onsln plan to make a vigorous cam
laign in the interest of equal suf-
rage. Mrs. La Toilette, wife of Sen
tor La Toilette, plans to return to
fn&n 4o1-