Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-02-24

was offered by Senator A. E. Martin of
Milwaukee. This resolution memori-
ali7es congress to exempt the great
lakes from the provisions of the La
Fcllette seaman's bill. Senator Mar
tin says that fixing the size of crews
on the tonnage basis would mean that
there would be no room on vessels of
the great lakes if the La Toilette bill
is made applicable to the lakes. He
believes that the shipping and traffic
interests of cities on the lakes will be
seriously injured if the La Toilette bill
in its present form is passed by con-
gress. He asks that separate consid-
GRAFTON be given to lake conditions.
That the senate will give this mat
ter very careful attention was shown
when Senator Bosshard objected to
Senator Martins motion to suspend
the rules so that an immediate vote
on the resolution might be had.
State Institutions Hit.
Established state institutions were
hard hit in some of the bills which
came in on the day set aside for the
final introduction of measures. Bills
were introduced to abolish the state
highway commission, to repeal the
stock and bond law and to transfer the
work of the legislative reference Ii.
brary to the state law library, which
would eliminate DR.. Charles Mccarthy.
present head of the ''bill factory"
Another effort will be made to re-
move the state fair from Milwaukee
and bring it to Madison. Assembly
man Caldman, Lodi. would bring the
fair to the capital city and make it
purely an agricultural exhibit to be
conducted in connection with the agri-
cultural college at the University of
Wisconsin.
Bills are in to abolish the state bar
bers board and the state plumbing
board. Another bill is in to abolish
the office of state claim agent.
The legislature will be asked to vote
$4,000 to John A Awkward and NJ. B.
Olbrich, who represented Commits.
sioner of Insurance Herman L. Ekern
when he made fight in the courts to
retain his Office after he was removed
by F. e. McGovern. Mr.. Ekern won
his case.
Many bills are in which deal with
the subject of matrimony. Special in
terest centers in the Bennett measure
to repeal the eugenics law Senator
Bennett considers the present law a
joke for the reason that it is not ap-
plicable to both sexes.
The income tax is coming in for a
great deal of attention. Senator Ack-
ley has introduced a bill to exempt
farmers from the income tax.
Railroads Ask Increase.
Three railroads in Wisconsin have
petitioned the legislature for the right
TO charge 211a cents a mile for passen-
ger service within the state Since
1901, railroads earning more than &c.,
200 a mile have been forbidden to
charge more than cents a mile. The
request for an increase of one half
cent is based upon the argument that
the roads are not earning a fair re-
turn upon their investment.
The legislative committee named to
investigate state boards and commits
sions is grinding away, meeting five
or six hours daily. Gov. Philip is
present at every session Of the com
Inittee, not always fer the full session,
but always for part of it. He takes
an active part in asking questions.
During the week it was written into
the record of the committee that the
state has purchased paper rather free
ly. Based upon the amount of paper
used for the campaign pamphlet in
1914, it was shown that enough paper
was bought for this purpose to last
the state twenty years. 1t was eX-
planned to the committee that the size
of the purchase was based upon the
size of the campaign pamphlet issued
in the state of Oregon, but it developed
that the pamphlet idea did not prove
popular in Wisconsin. 1t was shown
that the state now has such a large
amount Of paper and envelopes that
it requires space in three stOrehouses
in Madison to shelter this property.
For Constitutional Convention.
Members of the senate believe that
the recent decision of the supreme
court in the citizenship cases has es-
tablished the fact that many amend
ments to the constitution enacted in
recent years are unconstitutional, and
for that reason the state no longer can
dodge the responsibility of holding a
constitutional convention. Senator
Skogmo has presented a joint resolu-
tior. for the holding of such conven-
ton, which, if held, will be the first
meeting of this character since the
original constitutional convention in
1873. The resolution will have to
pass two sessions of the legislature