River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-03-22
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
FROM MADISON
Prohibition Bill Is Center Of
1nterest---Vaughn Bill
Is Killed
GOV. PHILLIP ENTERTAINS
Large Delegation Of Women
Attend Hearing On
Suffrage

Madison, Wis, March 10Th, 1917.
Interest at this weeks session of the
Legislature conferred around the
Evjue Bill, which has been slated for
final action on Thursday. This bill
provides for a referendum on the
subject of Statewide prohibition, at
the November election, 1918. At
the meeting of the Excise and Fees
Committee last week, the measure
was reported for indefinite postpone
ment. Those favoring indefinite
postponement were Assemblymen S.
H. SCHNEIDER, New Glarus, Nicholas
Feldhausen, Green Bay, j. j. Aulen-
bacher. Washington County, and
Benjamin Webster Of Grant County.
It has been known for the past three
weeks that the Committee was prac-
tically evenly divided over the meas
ure, but it was not until last Thurs
day. when Assemblyman Webster
announced his opinion, that it be-
came certain that the bill would be
recommended for indefinite post
ponement. Just what this recon-
mendation will be made of when
to the Assembly was uncer-
tain. It is known that the vote will
be close. Both sides will have their
adherents in attendance. No matter
which way the vote goes, the Senate
will have an opportunity to vote on
the question, for Senator Geo. B.
Skogmo of River Falls, has intro
duced duplicate of the Evjue Bill
in the upper house Of the legislature.
4
The little green trading stamp"
may be wiped out of existence in
Wisconsin. The Assembly has sent
to engrossment, the bill offered by
Assemblyman Hart to prohibit the
use of the trading stamp in Wiscon-
sin. Originally, his bill provided
only for trading stamps used with
tobacco, but when the measure came
up for consideration on the floor, he
offered an amendment, including all
other kinds of merchandise. Assem-
blyman Nottingham of Wood
County said that while Milwaukee
County was in favor of trading
stamps, the rest of the State was OPP
posed to such devices. The bill went
to engrossment by a vote Of % to 90.
The Assembly has killed the
Vaughn Bill, which would make all
Of the rural district Of the State
dry; it killed the Chapman Bill, which
would give the wards Of a city the
right to decide whether they desired
the saloon or not. 1t has re-consid-
cred and sent to engrOssment, a bill
offered by Assemblyman Hart of
Oshkosh, which allows a saloonkeep-
er to violate the law of selling liquor
to a minor or posted person at least
once before the license can be re-
voked. At the present time, under
decision Of the Supreme Court in
the famous Niebuhr case Of Dane
County, it is mandatory for Com
m on Council to revoke license if
saloonkeeper has been guilty of SELL
ing liquor to a minor or posted per-
son.
Last week, the members Of the
legislature were given banquet by
Governor Phillip. All were in at
tendance. The Governor asked the
members to forget their troubles;
forget that this country may be in
volved in the European War; to for
get the possibility of railroad
strike, and to spend one evening in
friendly intercourse with each other.
Speeches were made by Lieut.. Gov
ernor E. F. Dithmar; Justice ]. B.
of the Supreme Court;
Secretary Of State Merlin Hull;
Speaker L. C. Whittet; Judge E. I.
Fairchild, and others. The banquet
was presided over by Insurance Com
missioner M. J. Cleary.
The Senate Committee on Educa-
ion and Public Welfare, has report
ID the Bennett Resolution, designed
Continued on page Al