Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-02-18

Supreme Court of Wisconsin
Rules Against Statute.
IS HELD UNCONSTITUTIONAL
New Resolution viii Be introduced
in Both the Senate and Assem-
bly, TO Re-Enact Amendment
That Was Defeated.

Madison. - Following the decision
of the supreme court holding that the
constitutional amendment creating the
forest reserve was unconstitutional,
a new resolution viii be introduced in
both the senate and assembly next
week to re-enact the amendment which
has been defeated The decision Of
the supreme court is one of the most
far-reaching mandates ever handed
down by the court affecting a project
Of internal improvement. The deci-
sion is written by Justice r. D. Mar
shall Justice John Barnes took no
part. The court held that most Of the
statutes on forestry, under which the
forest reserve Of half million acres
In northern Wisconsin was set aside,
were unconstitutional. 1t further holds
that the amendment under which this
project was treated was not legally
adopted and that hence forestry is an
internal improvement prohibited by the
constitution The court further holds
that statutes and acts taking from the
common school, university, agricultur-
and putting them directly or indirectly
into the forest reserve are unconstitu-
tional; that the appropriations and
contracts for the purchase of forest
reserve lands are void; that the diver
sion from the trust fund of between
$4,000. 900 and 100000 and the plac-
ing Of the same in the general FUND
are illegal and the state must account
to it's trust funds therefore. Former
Circuit Judge Samuel D. Hastings OF
Green Bay has been appointed by the
supreme court as referee to ADJUST
the accounts. There are only few
Of the forest reserve statutes that re-
main intact.
Before both houses of the legisla-
ture adjourned until Monday night,
action was taken on a number OF
pieces of legislation and several new
bills were received. The assembly
passed under a suspension of the rules
the bill decreasing the term of office
of Judge F. c. Eschweiler Of Milwau-
kee. This law is enacted so that the
judicial election will not fall at the
same time as the municipal election
in Milwaukee. A bill looking toward
the direct annual appropriation for the
University of Wisconsin has been pre-
scented by Assemblyman Ellingson by
request. It repeats the present seven
tenths mill tax for the University OF
Wisconsin. Another bill has been
presented for the repeal of the boxing
commission law, passed by the last
session of the legislature. Assembly
man Kent of Milwaukee has presented
a bill requiring the state to insert IN
it's printing contract limitation pro-
viding that the work on the contract
shall be limited to eight hours. A
second bill to confer the right Of suf-
frage to women upon the Endorsement
of the voters was introduced by AS
semblyman Laursen of Shell Lake.
The senate received a bill from
Senator Bray which provides for the
licensing of automobiles on the weight
basis. The bill provides for three
dollar license for motorcycles and a
five-dolIar license for electric automo-
biles.
The thirty farmers of the legisla-
ture at a conference spent three hours
time discussing the highway bills
now pending before the legislature
and two other measures that are about
to be introduced. After prolonged
discussion over the subject of whether
there shall be state aid or whether
all construction shall be done by the
towns and counties, a straw vote was
taken with the result that the pro-
ponents of the state aid won out. Two
committees were appointed, however,
one headed by Assemblyman W. Q.
Bradley of Hudson and the other by
pewa. The former committee will con-
slider all of the bills relating to town
| and county highway construction and
will draft a measure along that line.
| The second committee will draft a
new bill for state aid construction.
Two new highway bills will be intro
| dueed in the assembly next week, one
/ by Assemblyman Harrington of Elk
/ horn and the second by Assemblyman
| Robert Caldwell of Lodi. Both of
these measures provide for the aboli-
ton of state aid in highway construc-
ton and for a county and town high
| way system.
The teachers retirement fund law
will not be repealed. This was decided
| at a meeting of the senate on state af-
| fairs and the decision has just been
| reported to the senate.