Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-05-19
ANXIOUS TOAVOID
A LONG SESSION
Lawmakers FaVOTIng Short Term
Have Eye on Legislative
Time Clock"
RECORD BREAKER THREATENED

State solons Have Nat shirked Work
and Have Given Freely of Their
Time but Job of Rebuilding State
Government Is Big One and Ad-
ministration Has Had a Rough Path.
Madison, Wis. (Special) advocates
of a short session of the Wisconsin
legislature have their eye on the
Legislative time clock" with a feeling
of fear that the present session may
prove a record breaker, or at least
continue into the first week of August,
when the legislature of 1913 adjourned
sine die.
There has been no disposition to
shirk work at the session now draw
ing to a close. Close observers of
legislative proceedings in Wisconsin
feel that the present senate and as.
sembly is composed of men who have
given freely of their time, and have
been unusually earnest about their
work. The job of demonstrating a
state government is a big one, how.
ever, and that is why the legislature
will fail to make a short session rec
ord.
Administration Has Rough Path.
The path Of the administration has
not been smooth one. Progressiyes
in the legislature have put up a stub
born fight to save acts which they feel
ought not TO be wiped out. For instance,
on Feb. 10, Senator Frank Hanson in
troduced bill to abolish the use Of
the campaign pamphlet in Wisconsin.
Lieutenant Governor Dithmar and
others who are friendly to the pam
phlet idea, have made an interesting
fight The bill still is pending and a
vote cannot be reached for another
week, which. gives some explanation
why the wheels have moved so slowly
at this session. Administration men
are satisfied with the status of work.
They say that there has been little de-
Jay on their part, that most of the de-
lay is due to the opposition.
However, the question of short
Or long session probably is not mat
ter of great importance, as the people
of Wisconsin are accustomed to long
sessions.
AckIey Bill Reported For Passage.
The fight over the Ackley bill to re-
peal the so-called Husting law regulat-
ing waterpower development in Wis
consin and providing a new statute
has taken an interesting turn. The
Ackley bill was reported for passage.
Senator Otto Bosshard said that as
piece of legislative drafting, the
Husting law represented the best
brains in the nation on the water.
power question. Every word, every
phrase in that law was carefully
weighed by men who worked many
months drafting the Husting law. He
thought that as many provisions as
possible in the existing statute ought
to be retained. Senator Bosshard offer
ed substitute to wipe out the clause
in the existing law relating to repeal
clauses, and providing that @just COM
pensation' shall be paid when de-
veloped waterpowers are taken over
Senator Ackley was quick to take
advantage of this opening. He took
the position that for Senator Boss
hard to offer these two amendments
was an admission on his part that the
present law is wrong. Senator Boss
hard said that he did not coneede that
point, and introduced the amendments
because he felt that the senate ought
to have more than one issue before it
in its consideration of the waterpower
problem.
Senator Ackley said that his bin, If
enacted, would result in the develop
nient of northern Wisconsin. Senator
William Bray considered the Ackley
bill an honest measure. The present
law is so unsound in principle, ne
said that it is almost impossible to
make it right by means of amend
ments, therefore he favored the pro-
posed law.
Business Depression Blamed.
Senator Bosshard insisted that the
general business depression is the ex-
PLANTATION why there has been no
material development of waterpowers