Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-05

The electric voting device has dem
onstrated its feasibility. About so per
cent more roll calls were taken at this
session In the assembly than at the
session of two years ago. This has
been due to the facility with which it
was possible to operate the electric
voting machine. The records show
that !, ,156 roll calls were taken on the
machine.
In the previous years roll calls were
taken by calling the names of the IN
dividual members. This took from six
to ten minutes for each roll of the time
Of the assembly. With the electric
voting device the roll call has been
completed in less than one minute. The
installation of the electric voting ma
chine has not only shortened the time
of the assembly, but it has been pos
sible to get a more complete record of
the views of the members on questions
Of legislation. Because there are only
33 members in the senate, the roll is
still taken in the old way. Only in the
assembly has the electric voting device
been installed.
Bills of Importance to the progress
of the state defeated by the legisla-
ture, which has practically closed its
session, are numerous. Many Of these
measures will probably become bones
of contention in the next campaign.
Heading the list was the measure to
give the people a chance to express
their voice on the booze" question.
The legislature passed this bin, but
Governor Phillip gave 1t the executive
ak.
Among other important bills defeat
ed were:
City manager plan Of government.
Bills to shorten the hours of labor.
Woman suffrage measures.
Farm marketing plan.
To put the cost of grade crossings
upon the railroads.
Constitutional amendment for the
short ballot.
Progressives held their Gwn against
radical changes in the laws they have
put on the statute books. Three sep
arate bills-one In the senate, two in
the assembly-to amend or abolish the
primary law were defeated by decisive
votes. The mildest of ALL the Bray
bill, was beaten in the senate 10 to II.
The prOgressives also defeated an at
tempt to abolish the fund in which the
state and many counties insure their
buildings Two measures were aimed
at this fund On the other hand, the
progressives failed to pass a measure
for compulsory state insurance Of state
and county buildings.
Every bill proposing any radical
change in the tax laws was beaten.
Banks failed in the effort to enact
law to bring them under the income
tax law. Another important banking
bill that failed was the Jennings bill
for loan banks in cities. His bill was
designed to legalize banking system
under regulation to compete with loan
sharks
In the creation of an industrial edu-
cation system and in revision Of work
mems compensation rates, labor gained
substantial recognition Of demands,
but other labor measures were mostly
defeated Among such measures were
the Campbell eight-hOur law, the Brad
ley minimum wage law, the Smith bill
for one day rest in seven, the Kent
eight-hOur law IN state printing plants
and the Turner bill to exempt striking
workmen from liability under the con-
spiracy act.
Except for war purposes, the legisla-
ture generally rejected restrictive
liquor legislation. 1t made an excep-
ton In the case Of the Evjue liquor ref
erendum bill, which was vetoed. After
the veto had been sent In 1t refused to
enact legislation to limit liquors to
beer and light wines, or to establish a
state commission to administer the ex-
else laws.
Two suffrage bills were defeated
the Skogmo bill, which was killed in
the assembly, and the Reinnoldt bill,
which proposed to submit the suffrage
question to the women of the state.
The only bill presented to effect
further decrease in the personnel Of
commission was beaten.
An attempt to establish farm mar
keting department in the board Of ag-
riculture was defeated In the senate,
and instead a special committee was
appointed to investigate the proposal.
Two bills were offered for the regu-
lation of private detective agencies.
Governor Philip has approved the
bill changing the personnel Of the In
dustrial board of education.