Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-04-15
NIL WAUKEE 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 ii 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 a 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 great deal more than a
salary possibly could" said Assembly
man Smith. In some of the towns
and counties there are officials who
receive both salary and fees. This
is not a businesslike method of han
ding affairs and my bill would abol-
ISL it,
Similar bills have been offered in
past sessions of the legislature but
have been defeated because of the
ton as to how far-reaching such a
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
form of bill by Assemblyman Duffy,
who, like Mr.. Nordman, was elected
on 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 Tomkins of Ashland has a
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
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
H. rSeIo %1,oL &6o,.
be an annual appropriation of $780,
900 for building purposes. Because
of the rapid increase in the popula-
| ton in the home for the feebleminded
at Chippewa Falls the 1909 legislature
made an appropriation for the loca-
ton of a site and the 1913 legislature
appropriated 100000 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 will 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
| information gained from visitations
at other institutions and with the re-
ports received from them, a plan for
a completed institution has been
| adopted. The institution when COM
pleted, which will take approximate
ly twenty years, will provide for $50
feebleminded and SIC epileptics.
1T 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 to
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"
Assemblyman August Heden of
| Ogema has asked for further hear
ing on his bill to prohibit treating
with liquor in the state. The meas
ure was recently adversely reported
to the house, but Assemblyman
| Heden said that there were a number
| Of people who have asked for a fur
Their hearing on the proposition and
the legislature has sent the bill back
to the committee on excise and fees.