Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-07-16
REPRESENTATION
BILL is OPPOSED
Whiieside Measure Puts Check
on Forestry Department.
WATERPOWER is DISCUSSED

WkTERPOWER is DISCUSSED
Senate Passes tioyt's Bill for the
Sterilization of FeebIe-Minded and
Criminal lnsane-RuIl Moose Party
to be Left OF Ballet at the Mex.
State Election.
Madison, Wis, July 15.-The con.
seryation of human happiness and hu.
man welfare is dividing attention with
the conservation of waterpowers in
| Wisconsin before the legislature. A
bill Of much interest was introduced
early in this session by Senator Rich
ards of Milwaukee. This bin provides
that persons desiring to secure a IL
cense TO marry must first secure a
certificate CT good health from a IL
censed physician. The subject of
eugenies has been given national at
tention, which was an aid to the Rich
ards bin. This bill has been report
ed fayorably by the senate commit
tee On public welfare. It is believed
that the measure viii be passed in the
senate.
The Hoyt bill for the sterilization
of the feeble-minded, criminal insane
and epileptics being cared for in state
Institutions has been passed in the
senate. only three votes being regis
tered against IT, This bill is expect
ed TO cause much debate in the assem-
bly, and it is not certain that it viii
weather the opposition that will
veiop in the house
! Waterpower development and refor-
estration are the two subjects that &C.
cupied me attention of the senate
during the past week The water
power question win continue TO be
discussed for several days. while the
REPRESENTATION problem has been TEN.
porarily disposed Of
Check Forestry Department.
The senate has passed the White
| side bin which for period Of two
years Will check the state forestry
department in the purchase Of addi-
tional land for the reserve in northern
/ Wisconsin. No more land is to be
bought until 1915, and in the interim
special committee OF the legisla-
ture. composed of five members from
the house and three members from
the senate, will investigate into the
agricultural possibilities of part of the
land it is proposed to include in the
forestry area.
Opposition to the reforestration
program of State Forester Griffith
made the charge that a considerable
portion of the land included in the
reserve expansion is good farming
land A sharp contest marked the
| discussion of the Whiteside bill. Sen
ater Husting chairman of the com
mittee on conservation, feared that
to pass the bill would be TO drive a
mail into the coffin of dead forestry
body. He said that in two years the
demonstration scheme would be buried
so deep that Gabriel's horn would not
resurreet it. On the surface, he said,
the bill did not appear to be particu-
larly destructive, but he maintained
that 1t was direct attack upon the
policy of the state forestry depart
ment. He warned the senate not to
vote for it, and he was supported in
his position by Senators Bosshard and
Tomkins, also members of the com
mittee on conservation.
Numerous letters from settlers IN
northern Wisconsin were read to show
public attitude on the reforestration
program. Senator Husting insisted
1 that a majority Of the settlers who
are conyersant with conditions in
northern Wisconsin favor, the carrying
out of Mr. Grifith's scheme.
Defends State Forester Griffith.
| The debate on the bill extended to
the personal honesty Of State Forester
Griffith, who was defended by Senator
Hust.ng. Senator Teasdale after read
I ing several reports of the department
had said that he was unable to Re-
count for S8l ,0oo Senator Husting
said this was "baseless accusation. 8
He attributed the inability Of the sen.
ator to make figures balance to mis-
understanding of reports covering ifs
cal and calendar years II was mis-
understanding of the system of book
keeping that is used, he said The
accounts Of the department as point
ed out by Senator Husting. have been
inspected by the secretary Of state
and expert accountants on the state
board of public affairs, who said that
they were o. X, and that every cent
was accounted for.
The fact that the department oper.
ates under three distinct funds was
given as another reason why its al
fairs were not always understood by
those who were inclined to be I'M
friendly to the demonstration program.
Bill Has o. X. Of LaFotIette.
The senate is face to face with the
opposition of the waterpower men To
the bill reported out by the senate
committee on conservation. In its i'm,
portant features this bin has the
| personal 0. K. of Senator La Toilette
and Louis Brandeis, but that is not
sufficient &c satisfy the waterpower
men. Discussing the bill at the first
hearing, Senator Husting said that the
measure safeguarded public rights and
encouraged water9oWer deyeIoprnent