Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-02-25
TWO REPEAL BILLS
ARE INTRODUCED
Appropriations TotaIing $780,
900 For University Hit.
MAY HALT NEW BUILDINGS
Measures Offered in Legislature
by Senator Bennett of Viroqua
and Assemblyman Hoffman
of Calumet County.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. aggregat-

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. aggregat-
ing over 100000 for new buildings
at the university, the money for
which becomes available March l,
have been made the target of re-
peal bills. Senator J. Henry Ben
nett of ViroQua has offered bill to
repeal the appropriation Of 100000,
available March 1, for the building
Of a wing to the agricultural soils
building, agricultural college annex,
liberal arts building, physics build
ing, and equipment for the new edu-
cational buildings. Assemblyman
Henry Hoffman of Calumet county
has offered the bill to repeal the ap-
preparation of 100000 made two
years ago for the erection Of mems
commons and union at the univer-
sity.
Both of these measures will be sent
to the joint finance committee for
hearing. 1t is understood, however,
that the contracts for the physics
building have already been awarded,
as a part of the money for this build
4hS OOScA4O dNd11dU1S 1ooS ySoA S1AAN
the authorities have proceeded on the
assumption that the building would
be erected.
The assembly has advanced the
Ham bill making Lincoln's
birthday a legal holiday. 1t was OPP
posed by Assemblyman C. K. Filing
son Of Rusk county, who said we had
too many holidays already. The
Frederick bill to require all passen-
ger coaches 20 be equipped with vesti-
bules was reported for indefinite
postponement by the assembly COM
mittee on transportation and will
come up before the house for final
consideration on Tuesday; the state
affairs committee unfavorably report
ed the Weber bill for a half holiday
on election and primary days and the
Bradley bills to change the present
law with relation to legal fences. The
judiciary committee reported the
Helm bill to allow a mayor greater
power in removing city officials for
indefinite postponement, and the cleo
tions committee favorably reported
| the DonneIly resolution to have a
committee Of five paid experts go
over the election laws and codify
them. The assembly killed the Cret-
ney resolution to memorable con-
gress to prohibit navigation on the
| Wisconsin river; the senate laid over
until Tuesday the confirmation of DR..
J. NJ Furstmann of La Crosse as a
member of the state board of health.
Senator Bray would keep a part of
the pay of. the members of the Iegis-
| lature in reserve so as to insure more
regular attendance. He has intro
| duced a bill by which the members
will be paid monthly allowance, in
stead of the present system Of giving
them the whole $500 salary at the
beginning of the session. Bray has
also introduced a waterpower bill de-
signed to eliminate Objectionable fea-
lures of the present law.
Following three hours of hearing on
the Helm bill to make it possible to
garnishee state, county and city en-
ployees, the assembly committee took
| IuS SUBJECT uIluSl 6QF1SCu1SuL- IuOSS
appearing in favor of the bill we're NJ.
/ Slattery, secretary of the Retail Mer-
chants association; J. A Oswald of
the Retail Grocers' association, Mil
waukee, and Leroy Thayer of the
Business Mems Credit exchange, Mad.
ison. Peter F. Leuch, city clerk of
! Milwaukee, opposed the bill. He said
it would delay work and that the city
had an ordinance that where an EN-.
ployee did not pay his bills one-third
| Of his salary would be deducted
monthly upon the filing of a com.
plant.
Senator A. Pearce Tomkins of Ash.
land has introduced a bill to abolish
the personal property tax.
LAS some changes have to be made
to fill the gap left by the abolition
of personal property taxation" said
Senator Tomkins in explaining his
bill, "the income tax rates are in
creased and the share which the state
receives from the income tax is re
duced from ten to five per cent. The
increase in the income tax rates is
not particularly heavy. Persona
property has ceased to be an import
ant element of the assessment of the
rural districts of this country. There
fore, little change would be effected
by the abolition Of the personal prop
erty tax as it now stands. Ever since
and even before the passage of the
income tax law our own tax commits
sion and all recognized authoritie:
have urged that it should take the
place of the personal property tax.