River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-06-07
ESCAPE NECESSITY
OFIAN EXTRA LEVY
Receipts of Wisconsin Will Meet
the Amount of Legislative
Appropriations.
A TOTAL OF s28,o0o,oO0
Estimated That Finances of the State
Will Be Safe Without Providing
Any Further Source of
Revenue.

MaQlSOn.-I0e total appropriations
by the present legislature, according to
Finance Chairman Platt Whitman, will
approximate $28O00,OOO for the bien-
MUM, as shown by figures compiled by
the finance committee. This will be
within the estimated receipts of the
state, SO that no levy will be necessary
for the usual expenses. The estimated
receipts are SOS, 8OO,G00. The total APP
preparations will be very near to the
figures of the last legislature.
Members Of the finance committee,
headed by Mr.. Whitman, occupied the
weekend in visiting Leslie, Lafayette
county, where stands the two-stOry
frame structure which was the terri
tOrial capitol of Wisconsin in which
the first territorial council met in 1886.
The structure is now used as COW
barn. 1t is located about two miles
from Belmont, the first capital in Wis
consin.
Some years ago the building was
moved across the road from its original
site, but the place where it first stood
is still marked by marble slab. A
bill is pending in the legislature to
purchase the old territorial capitol
building, together with another old
building, which was used for some Off
cial purpose, and the original site, two
acres in extent. The cost will be about
$4,000. Historical societies of the
state favor the purchase.
Licenses for Detectives.
Private detectives, private police and
employment agencies will be licensed
by the state if the Oil bill, which has
passed the assembly, is cOncurred in.
The bill fOrbids any person to receive
q fee, or to represent himself to be en-
gagged in any of the occupations named
in the bill. without first taking a Ii
cense from the secretary of state. An
amendment was adopted to eliminate
private watchmen, Investigators and
claim adjusters from the bill. The Ii
cenSe fee is 81 per year. Applicants
for license are required to give bond
of 81 ZOO, with two suretieS capable of
indemnifying any person who suffers
by reason of the transaction of any of
the agencies to whom the license is
granted. The fine for operating with
out a license is 500 to $50.
A big sign of the times in legislative
circles is the fact that there is no
printed bulletin of committee hearings
for the week. The mills of legislation
have well-nigh ground their grist.
The joint finance committee is the
only one to which bills will hence
forth be sent, and to this committee
will 60 all those involving appropria
lions.
Unfinished Business.
There are, however, some matters
still left for disposition by the legisla
ture These include industrial educa-
ton, the state board Of education and
proposed organization thereof, and
workmen's compensation.
Concurrence by the assembly in the
senate amendment to 568-S, inserting
the preamble of Senator Wilcox's reso-
luton for printing and distributing
President Wilson's address q north
ern Wisconsin development measure
drainage bills; bank taxation; Separa-
ton of grades and sidetrack bills; APP
preparation measures, some of which
are somewhat involved, and social in
surance bill and joint resolutions.
The first appeal to the legislature for
a direct appropriation for the Wiscon-
sin Veterans home at Waupaca, since
the control of the home was placed
with the state early this session by the
legislature, was made when the finance
committee was presented with re-
guest for an appropriation of $6O,OOO
for a new power house at the home.
There were two plans placed before
the committee, one of which was to re-
pair the present power house and the
other for the building Of new one.
Residents of Waupaca and represen-
tatives of the home were in favor of
building a new power house. 1t was
stated that the present power house
was not we'll located and could not be
repaired so as to give satisfaction.
Whether the committee will grant
the appropriation is matter of doubt.
Many prominent members of the G. A.
\. II. nave Written 1SllGIS ~ Tic I6SISA0-
sture in favor of the appropriation. The
home officials are also DESTROYS for the
new power house. Department Com
mander @. L. Rosenkranz of the Wis
consin department of the G. A. r. APP
peared in favor of the bill.
Vetoes School Lunch Bill.
Governor Phillip has vetoed the
Smith bill to furnish lunches for less
than cost to schoolchildren. The bill,
which is generally known as the free
lunch bill, had general application to
all school districts in the state. Gov
ernor Philip intimates that a bill to
furnish free lunches might be uncon-
stitutional. The governor suggests
that a bill be introduced embodying
his suggestions. SO that lunches shall
be furnished at cost. In that form he
will sign it. The governor signed the
bill providing for central purchasing
\ board in Milwaukee.