The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-03-05

resign his place at the end Of the
session of the legislature. Mr. Crit
fifth stands very high in his field of
work, and the progressives in the
legislature are likely to leave no stone
unturned to keep him on the job and
to save whatever can be saved of tie
general forestry program as it was
originated by the progressive forces
Members of the legislature have re-
ceived with considerable interest the
report that in the near future a meet
ing will be held in Milwaukee to
launch a movement for Woodrow Will
son for president in 1916. Wisconsin
was a Wilson state in the last cleo
ton but in view of the fact that it is
considered certain that Senator r. M.
La Toilette will be a candidate in
1916 any movement in the legislature
to indorse Wilson policies will be
very quickly headed off. In fact, Sen
ator Bray has already made the point
that the legislature evidently intends
to avoid vote on any proposition
which might be regarded as an in.
dorsement of Wilson policies.
The legislative committee investi
eating state boards and commissions
has continued to hold daily sessions,
calling in the heads of state depart
Tents, and digging into various de-
tails of state government.
Railroads Circulating Petitions.
II order to give their request fof
an increase in passenger rates from
2 cents to 21a cents, the greatest pos
sible weight, the railway companies
arc circulating petitions throughout
the state asking the legislature to
give the question fair and impartial
hearing. These petitions will be fled
with the legislature. The railway
companies set forth that they will
be able to produce figures and facts
to prove that they are not earning
a fair return on their money. Mem
bers of the senate and the assembly
have discussed the probable course
quest of the railroads. There is a
good deal of opposition to any move
ment to refer the matter to the state
railroad commission and most of the
members seem to favor the appoint
ment of a special committee to hear
inc the whole matter. The hearing
is ant to consume considerable time,
and this is only one of several propo-
sitions which will tend to wreck Wis
ions of a short session.
Hustine Opposes AckIey Bill.
An event of much interest here
was the appearance Of United States
Senator Paul o. Husting who adj
dressed a committee of the legisla-
ture in opposition to the Ackley bill
to repeal the waterpower law intro
duced by Mr.. Husting and enacted by
the legislature of 1918. The pro-
posed measure, as it was developed
in the hearing, was written by water
power men, and Senator Husting said
that such a measure should be very
carefully scrutinized He said that
the AckIey bill provides for ''inde
terminate and indeterminable'' fran
chises, and in his judgement that pro
vision of the measure amounts to the
granting of perpetual franchises"
'The legislature, said Mr.. Husting,
has no right to bind future genera
tions in a matter of such immense
Importance. "He made the point that
the bill passed two years ago repre-
scented the views of national experts
on conversation, and that it has not
been given a fair trial. Waterpower-
men cOntended that the law is so
drastic that it has crippled water
power development, and it was
brought out that no new development
is going on in this state While some
changes may be made in the present
law, it is not considered likely that
the present statute will be repealed
for the reason that the law has not
been given much of trial to prove
whether it is good or a bad law.
The progressives forces will oppose
the Ackley bill, and the appearance
here of Mr.. Hustingi means that the
proposed law will meet with opposi-
ton from some of the democrats.
Hearing on Nordman Bill.
An interesting hearing was con-
Quoted by the assembly committee on
taxation on the Nordman bill giving a
certain degree of home rules in
matters of taxation. Prof. T. S.
Adams of the state tax commission
appeared for the bill. He said that
such law would permit the legisla-
ture to exempt certain classes such
as timber, grains and improvements
and it would, be optional with the
counties as to whether they wished
to operate under such a system of
local taxation. Glasses are now ex-
empted," said Prof Adams, under
perjured names, and the proposed