Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-05-23
Governor Signs Bill.


permitting circuit court clerks of the
state to appoint as deputies men or
women. II has been the practice in
many sections of the state to appoint a
woman as a deputy clerk of the circuit
court. Because of the Uncertainty in
the statute on. this subject. the legis-
lature believed il advisable TO pass Il
law making the authorization certain.
The executive approval has also been
given to u bill exempting from execu-
ton any automobile used or kept for
the purpose of the debtors trade or
business, not exceeding S400 in value.
To make ii impossible for any life
insurance company operating IN Wis
conSin 10 be exploited as the Pitts
hurgh Life and Trust was exploited
by New York Spectator recently,
Insurance Commissioner NJ. j. CIeary
has prepared bill for submission to
the legislature. The measure requires
all stock life insurance companies OPP
Grating in Wisconsin 10 file with the
Insurance department list of stock
holders and list of all transfers of
stock. No transfer can be voted by the
new owner until notice of transfer is
filed and acknowledged by the depart
ment of insurance. No director can be
elected 10 fill vacancy except by
vote of the stockholders upon 20 days
notice to all the stockholders and 10
days notice to the insurance depart
A
believes that this bill win curb the ac-
tivity of any eNploiter who may con
template operating in Wisconsin.
Abandon Suffrage Fight
\ further fight on the subject of
women's suffrage by the legislature has
been abandoned Assemblyman ]. {.
Hanson, who had duplicate suffrage
bill in the assembly, has recalled the
measure. BY unanimous consent of
the assembly, the bill was returned Ia
the author The suffrage bill over
which the record vote was made was
introduced in the upper house by Sen
ator Skogmo. 1t passed that house
by two to one vote but was de-
feated in the assembly by four votes
when the measure came up for final
passage.
For a time the suffrage leaders con
sidered the ACCESSIBILITY of resurrecting
the J. c. Hanson bill. introduced early
in the session on the same subject. At
first they planned TO secure a second
record vote on this bin with the hope
that it might be possible to get the
bill through the house. This plan,
however. has now been abandoned.
Suffrage leaders generally attribute
the defeat of the bin to the uncertain
ty Of the time The pending war
caused many of the legislators to be-
lleve that il was an inotiicious time TO
attempt any reform That this fact
was controlling TO a large degree is
Indicated by Il vote of some of the
members who were heretofore believed
TO be In favor of suffrage
Cut Normal School Appropriation.
The joint finance committee has re-
duced the requested appropriations of
the nine state normal schools S125,O00.
The regents of the normal schools will
make an effort to have this amount re-
stored TO the normal school Gppropria-
ton bill over the vigorous objections
by Senator Fred A. Baxter, speaking
for the finance committee. the senate
has adopted a motion 10 hear argu-
ments on the normal school appropria-
ton bin before the senate sitting as n
committee OF the whole. Senator BaX-
ter declared that the motion virtually
undid everything the finance commit
tee has accomplished within the last
three months
Ihe assembly has engrossed a bill
changing the apportionment of street
railway taxes. Under the present law
IS per cent of these taxes are distrib-
uted among the localities through
which the interurban operates and 10
per cent goes 10 the state for making
the assessment. The bill as engrossed
in the assembly provides that Is per
cent of the taxes shall go TO the state,
10 per cent to the towns and 20 per
cent TO the counties la which these
lines operate.
Check on High Prices.
A bill TO check abnormally high
prices by giving the attorney general
additional powers to prosecute c0mbi-
nations and cOnspracies TO raise prices
has been offered In the lower house of
the Wisconsin legislature by Speaker
l.. G. Whittet. The bill Is the out
growth of an attempt In the city of
Madison and other sections of the
state TO raise milk prices and prices
on other articles of food In a state
ment to newspaper correspondents
few days ago Attorney General owen
outlined his plan of campaign against
combinations which are formed for
the purpose of boosting prices, and de
clared that such combinations would
be prosecuted 10 the full extent Of
the law
Acting upon the suggestion of AT
torney General owen Speaker l.. G.
Whittet has drafted a bill which de-
fines conspiracies and combinations
formed for the purpose of boosting
prices II makes such combinations
unlawful and not only gives the attor-
ney general of the state power To-
prosecute these co .5inations. but
clothes this officer with power to make
full investigation Of suspected combi
nations.
Railroad Taxes Pouring In.
over S2,JO0000 of rollroad taxes