Our land = La Nostra terra. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 191?-1913, 1913-03-15
MADISON NEWS
Breweries Likely To Clash
With Prosressives


dence of tendency to regulate liquor
traffic in Wisconsin is found in the
large number ( excise measure now
before the Legislature Approximate
ly fifty bills have been put in and it is
a noticibe fact that in almost every in
stance the proposed measure tends to
regulate and curb the freedom of the
liquor interests.
Unless straws have quit indicating
which way the. This is best indicated
by the vote on Merlin Hulls measure
to create dry zone" of one mile a
round all dry territory. The speaker of
the assembly left the chair to engage
in vigorous plea for the passage of
the measure and on the final vote forty
! six were for the measure while fifty
were opposed.
( The 'wets' have by no means a
cinch on the senate that body, during
the last week, ordering engrossed SEN
ator Taesdale's bill prohibiting treat
ing. This is the middle step in the
route to passage.
The excise bills deals with all the
different phase of the subject from
free lunch to county option
There are several reasons for the in
terest in the liquor question this year
and the alleged activity of the brewers
in the last campaign. against the in
come tax. against women's suffrage
and against various progressive candi-
dates whose attitude on liquor ques-
tions is not pleasing to the brewers, is
said to be by no means the least.
Among the supporters of some of
the excise measures now pending are
many who strongly denounce the liquor
interests participation in questions of
purely political nature. and their eff
fort to control the state administration
and the Legislature. 1t is evident that
if the brewers continue their political
activity against progressive measures
and progressive candidates and fail to
see. as did the railroads and some other
politically active special interests "
in Wisconsin the handwriting on the
wall. they will force a lash in this
state between the progressives and the
brewers, the outcome of which know
one can doubt.
For these reasons the assembly bill
making it unlawful for the manufactur
ers of spirituous liquors to own or con-
troll saloons is the center of muck inter
est. The measure commonly known
as the divorce law was originat-
ed by Milwukee retail saloon keepers
and would do much. it is said. towards
curtaiing the political influence of the
breweries 1t is pointed out that Sc
peration of the retailers from the brew
ers would take away an immense pow
er heretofore welded with little discri-
mination by the Latter.
That the breweres realize the impor-
tance of much of the pending legisla-
ton is indicated by the strong lobby
they are maintaining at Madison. Led
by the venerable lobbist Billy" Aus.
tin, group of high salaried counsel
leave no stone un-turned in the path of
anything that scents of limitations of
reduction of brewery power.
At the recent hearing on the divorce
bill, which was attended by the retail
saloonmen all ore the state. the argu
ments of the two faction reached white
heat and the dirty line" in the busi
ness was thoroughly and publicly aired.
Brewery men went so far as to refer
to the saloon keepers as buns ;,
while the latter pictured the modern
day saloon controlling brewer as slave
driver and laid at his door much Of the
blame for the evils alleged to result
from the sale of intoxicating beverage.
The bill of Senator Teasdale proVid-
ing for 500 license in towns Of from
100 to 500 population and $500 in all
other towns IS one Of the measures
against which the breweries are center
ing their attacks. With a large majori-
ty Of the saloons said to be controlled
by the breweries and increased license
means a sum Of money Of no mean con
siderattion, it is claimed.
+ The Sparta senator Is the author Of
many excise measures among them be-
Ing county option bill which provides
that the county clerk call a special
election any time petition, bearing
signatures Of twenty per cent Of the
voters, is presented to him demanding
that an election be held to determine
ths license. question. Senator Teasdale
would also prevent the issuance cf h.
censes 10 women Assamblyman Fre-
derrick is the author Of the anti free
lunch measure.
A bill which. II passed. would give
the breweries ample means Of defeat
ing the intention Of a dry gte Is
that Of assemblyTpan He3jing which
snogs Dreweries 70 establish agencies
IN d.. .erri4or, and sell direct IN the