Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-04-17
MILWAUKEE, MAN
BACKS MEASURE
To Abolish All Fees in State, City
and County Offices.
MAY SUBSTITUTE SALARIES
Modification Of Nordman's Single Tax
Resolution in the Assembly Has
Appeared IL the Form Of
Bill by Duffy.

Madison.-One of the far reach
ing bills introduced in this legis-
lature provides for the abolition Of all
fees in state, municipal, county and
town offices and the substitution Of
the salary system. This measure Is
backed by Assemblyman w. L. Smith
Of Milwaukee At the present time
many justices OF the peace and other
local officers receive fee for their
services 1t is the aim of this bill
to abolish all such emoluments.
In some of these Offices the fees
amount to a great deal more than
salary possibly could" said Assembly
man Smith. In some of the towns
and counties there are officials who
receive both a salary and fees. This
Is not businesslike method OF han
ding affairs and my bill would abol-
ish 1t"
Similar bills have been offered in
past sessions of the Legislature but
have been defeated because of the
lack of time in making an investiga-
ton as to how far-reaching such
measure might be. The change from
the fee to the salary basis will in the
opinion of Assemblyman Smith save
the public many thousands of dollars
annually
A modification OF Assemblyman
Nordman's single tax resolution in
the assembly has appeared in the
~f f,Ia Tlftf
who, like Mr. Nordman, was elected
on a single tax platform. A repetition
OF the fight over the Nordman reso-
luton is expected The Duffy bill
would exempt from taxation $500 of
the assessed value Of buildings on
land occupied as a homestead, as a
first step in the direction Of exempt
ing personal property and improve
ments.
Senator Tomkius OF Ashland has
bill Of similar effect 1t provides that
all personal property shall be exempt
from taxation He says that this was
the promise made to the people when
the income tax was adopted and that
the carrying out Of this pledge will
greatly simplify the taxation system
Of the state,
The report OF the state board Of
control on the need of appropriating
money for the building of the home
for the feebleminded at Union Grove,
Racine county. has just been sent to
the legislature. II suggests that there
be an annual appropriation of $780,.
900 for building purposes. Because
of the rapid increase in the popuia-
tion In the home for the feebleminded
at Chippewa Falls the 1909 legislature
made an appropriation for the loca
tion OF a site and the 1913 legislature
appropriated $500 000 for the pur-
chase of the site and the erection of
the first buildings The bill directed
that the new institution be located In
southwestern Wisconsin, because the
institution at Chippewa Falls was To-
Gated so far north
Even this viii not meet the in
creasing demand for the proper segre-
cation and care OF these classes of
detectives" says the report in refer
ring to the annual appropriation of
100000 for buildings
"A canvass was made of the state
of Wisconsin to determine what pro
portion Of the inmate population of
this new institution would be epilep-
tic and what proportion feebleminded
With this information and with the
faf "a
at other institutions and with the re-
ports received from them, plan for
completed institution has been
adopted The institution when com
pleted. which will take approximate
ly twenty years. will provide for $50
feebleminded and SIC epileptlcs
IT is the purpose OF the first few
years AT least to care for the younger
classes at the institution at Chippewa
Falls. and at this new institution 70
make provision for these classes for
whom no room is now provided and
who are being committed to county
asylums for the chronic insane. The
demand for buildings for the imme
diate future is pressing.
Assemblymau August Heden OF
ogema has asked for a further hear
ing on his bill TO prohibit treating
with liquor in the state The meas
ure was recently adversely reported
10 the house but Assemblymau
Heden said that there were number
If people who have asked for a fur
Their hearing on the proposition aud
the legislature has sent the bin back
TO the committee on excise and fees