Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-02-24
MEASURE OFFERED
BY d.. DOBIE
Superior AssembIyman Would
Repeal Anticigarette Law.
HEAVY PENALTY FOR MINORS
Bills Have Been introduced to Pro.
hbit Hunting Licenses to Per-
sons Who Are Not United
States Citizens.


ly repeal the present anticigarette
law was introduced in the assem-
bly, by Assemblyman D. L. Dobie
of Superior The bill which was in
troduced, however, fixes a heavy pen
atty to minors who use cigarettes and
| for persons who sell cigarettes to
minors The bill provides that
minors who shall smoke cigarettes
or tobacco shall be punished by fine
of not more than $40 or by imprison-
ment not exceeding thirty days in
Jail" Every person who sells ciga-
rettes or cigarette papers shall take
out a license at a cost of S25. and for
violation of the cigarette law shall
have his license revoked and not be
permitted to sell cigarettes for five
years thereafter.
At least a half dozen bills have
been introduced In the legislature to
prohibit the issue of hunting licenses
II other than citizens of the United
States. The Everett bill on this sub
ject will be given a hearing by the
senate committee on state affairs and
promises to attract considerable at
tention. This measure is aimed q
foreigners who have not been ma ural-
lied but who are allowed to hunt
In the leisure hours which members
of the legislature have every evening,
many of the topics of legislation are
discussed in great detail. The prin-
cipal subject for the past ten days has
been the state highway aid law. It
permits the town to raise a.y amount
of money for state highway work and
the county and state are then Obliged
to match it with a similar amount
each. This has been one of the main
causes for the increase in state taxes.
The law resulted in the state having
to appropriate 100000 the past year,
which means with the amount raised
by the towns and counties the total
amount of money spent in highway
construction was 100000. Assem-
blyman W. Woodward of Chippewa
county is the author of bill to cut
the state aid to 100000 a year and
then to pro-rate that amount to the
counties according to the value of the
real estate In the counties as fixed
by the tax commission. If a county
did not raise any amount for highway
construction, the sum Que that county
would be held in the general fund for
one year. when 1t would revert to the
general fund of the state. Several
bills have been presented for wiping
out all state aid and leaving it to the
counties to decide what highway WORK
shall be done. In the senate these
bills have been presented by Senators
J. Henry Bennett of La Crosse and L.
E. Cunningham of Beloit. In the
house the county bills have been Of
fered by Assemblyman Robert Cald-
well and George Harrington.
There is CONSERVATION in boxing
circles. The presentation of the bill
to repeal the state boxing commission
law, which legalizes boxing contests
In the state. has brought a score OF
fight fans here to present their side
of the case to the members of the
legislature. They claim that boxing
under regulation is as clean sport
as football The opponents of the re-
peal bill are aiding Assemblyman A.
J. Hedding of Milwaukee, who secured
the passage of the law two years ago,
and who claims that it has given dig
nifty TO the spor The friends of the re-
peal measure are supporting the
views of Assemblyman Hanson, who
claims that it is a brutal sport that
is not conducive to elevation of
morals.
The joint committee on state af
fairs of the assembly and of conserva-
ton of the senate will hold hearing
February % on all waterpower bills
before the legislature The only bill
thus far presented is by Senator E. F.
Ackley, which would repeal the pres
ent waterpower act and enact in its
| place law with more general fea-
lures and less drastic provisions of
control United States Senator-elect
Paul o. Husting of Mayville, the author
of the waterpower law enacted two
years ago. announced that he will be
present at the hearing to oppose any
repeal of the waterpower act until
| the measure has been given further
| trial. He says that in spite of finan-
| cial depression some of the powers
have come under the act and that an
| Improvement of general conditions
will insure the safe working out of
| the present law.