The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-06-11

Method of Distributing Aid.
Madison, Wis, (SpeciaD Changes
in certain laws could have been fore
casted before the present legislature
met. One change certain to be made
relates to the question of road build
ing in Wisconsin
The Woodward bill, No. 1874.
amending the present state aid high
way law passed the assembly by a big
vote. The principal change made in
the present law by the Woodward bill
is turning over to the local control OF
state aid highway construction in the
counties to a committee selected by
the county board from its member
ship. ~
The county highway committees
have many of the powers now confer
red upon the county highway commits
siOner and the state highway commits
sion and act in a general supervisory
way over all highway expenditures in
each county.
troll of the state highways commission,
as under the present state law. The
state highways commission must pre-
pare or approve plans, approve the
contacts and see that construction is
satisfactorily performed.
Limit of Taxation Decreased.
The limit of taxation by towns for
state highway purposes is in general
decreased, the maximum legal appro-
priation for a town varying with its
valuation Counties may not appro-
pirate more than two mills, as OPP
posed to the present limitation of
three mills for all highway construc
ton.
Special inducements are held out to
the counties engage in uniform road
improvement.
The present plan of distributing
state highway aid is entirely repealed.
Under the Woodland bill the state
money available for each county shall
be held to the credit of the county,
for practically two years, and then re-
verts to the state treasury if not used
in that county, instead of being avail
able for other counties, as provided
in the present plan. Provisions Of
the Woodland bill are such that it is
probable that every county will re-
tain its full and due proportion Of
state aid, and do away with the ten
dency on the part of some counties to
make excessive appropriations for the
money
In general, the bill leaves in the
hand of the state highway commission
its present control of the engineering
features of road construction, while
the county arrangements for the work
are left more completely in the hands
of the county highway commission.
The amount of state highway appro-
priations and the appropriation for the
maintenance of the state highway
commission were not voted on, as
these matters are covered in separate
bills to be acted On later.
Senate Kills Election Pamphlet.
The senate concurred in a new eu-
genics bill, passed the Hanson bill re-
pealing the primary election law, and
killed the Hambrecht bill which pro-
posed a new plan of selecting civil
service eiigibles for state positions.
The debate conferred around the
Hambrecht measure. Senator George
g. IL.
ent system, and declared that any at
tempt to tamper with the existing law
carries the earmarks of move to re-
turn to the old spoils system Its a
question of whether you stand for de-
cercy in politics." he said.
Senator H. J. Bennett led the attack
on the present system In one in
stance, he said, one man was certified
to the state board of control for a
position at Waupun. This man. de-
clared Senator Bennett, was so dishon-
est that he was unable to furnish a
bond. The next two men certified to
the board of control were worse than
the first, he said.
Senator Bennett Offered Amendment.
Senator Bennett offered an amend
ment to the present law which pro-
vided that in all cases at least three
names should be certified for a posi-
ton. Senator Frank Hanson offered
substitute amendment proposing
that at least five names should be GER
titled Both amendments were reject
ed. and the bill was then killed. In
this measure, Assemblyman George
Hambrecht proposed that selections
for positions might be made from the
entire list of persons who passed the
merit test.
The new eugenics does away with
the physical examination of parties
about to enter into a contract of mar
rage except where one or both parties
admit that hey ought to submit to the