Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-05-25

the nre ana ponce cOnMlSSlOD are
prescribed by law ana its members
render no service to the city that
could in any way be improved upon
by giving them police powers. The
bill is open to the objection that it
confers police powers upon men who
may act independently of the regu-
larly constituted police authority of
the city, which | believe to be con-
trary to public policy"
Action on the veto was postponed
until next Tuesday.
Dobie Cigarette Bill Passes.
The senate passed the Richards
bill, prohibiting the sale of groceries,
meats and meat products on Sunday,
the Ackley bill, providing that can
didates at primary elections must, if
they desire to run independently
after such election. give notice Of ten
days before the primary of such in
tention; the Dobie bill, authorizing
the sale of cigarettes to adult per-
sons, and the linn bill, permitting
the use of land for public park pur-
poses when it is not market land in
the city of Milwaukee used for mar
ket purposes.
Bills passed included the Donnelly
bill, which provides that the prem
ium on bonds sold by cities shall be
applied on the sinking fund to make
the first payment on the bonds; the
linn bill. validating bonds issued
without their having first been voted
on by the people, through mistake,
and the Whitcomb bill, which pro-
hibits persons who are forbidden to
marry in other states being married
in Wisconsin.
Oppose Senator Bosshard's Plan.
Strong forces in the senate will op-
pose the plan of Senator Otto Boss
hard to amend the so-caNed Husting
water power law instead of repeating
that statute and enacting another one.
Senator Bosshard made the plea that
as a piece of legislative drafting, the
present law is fine work, and as much
of it as possible ought to be retained.
Supporters of the Ackley repeal and
substitute bill say the measure now
before the senate is carefully drawn,
and will stand close observation. They
insist that the opposition to the Ack-
ley measure has admitted that the
present law is wrong, and is willing to
amend it by wiping out the clause re-
lating to the repeal of franchise and
changing the method of compensation
in cases where a developed water
power is taken over.
Senator Ackley and his friends say
that most Of the fight at this session
has been over those two questions.
They insist that had the amendments
been offered by the opposition early In
the session that the whole water pow
er question would have been disposed
of by the present legislature. Now
Senator Ackley and his friends are
disposed to stand their ground for the
Ackley bill and will fight the move to
amend the present law so that the Ack-
ley bill may be discarded.
Change in Taxing Proposed.
A number of important changes with
reference to the state tax commission
are contemplated in a joint legislative
investigating committee bill, abolish
ing the present tax commission, which
is to be introduced at an early date.
In place of the present tax commits
sion, the bill provides for one tax COM
missioner, who will receive a salary of
$4,000 a year. The governor and the
state treasurer will act in an ex officio
advisory capacity. A change with ref
erence to the present income tax law
is contemplated in the provision which
allows counties to elect income tax as
SCISSORS. Other changes are: The work
of collecting the Inheritance tax, now
done by the tax commission, will be
placed in the charge of the attorney
general, where it was before; the valu-
alton of public utility and railroad cor
pOratiOns made by a joint staff from
the railroad commission and the tax
commission at present, is to be given
to the railroad commission. which will
reports to the tax commission when
desired. 1t repeats that clause of the
present law allowing the tax commits
sion to order municipal audits and in
stall municipal accounting systems. 1t
is understood that the present commits
sion is not in favor of this clause and
has utilized the right only twice.
Would Bond Jitney Owners.
Another jitney bill has been intro
duced in the legislature, this time by
Assemblyman Schroeder, Milwaukee.
The bill provides that every motor
driven vehicle carrying passengers
shall take out $4,000 liability insur-
ance. The bill was submitted to Lewis
E. Gettle. secretary of the Wisconsin
railroad commission, for his approval,
but he declared that he would have
nothing to do with it,
Bulletins announcing committee
hearings before the legislature are
growing smaller. The number of hear
ings scheduled indicates that members
of the legislature will not be over
worked, unless the proceedings in the
assembly and the senate are longer
than expected.
Practically all of the big" measures
have been passed upon in committee
hearings. One of the few bills of i'm
pOrtance remaining to be discussed in
committee is the Hanson bill, creating
a department of agriculture and engi-
neering.