Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-03-21
EVJUE BILL NOW UP
ASSEMBLY TO VOTE. THIS WEEK
ON IMPORTANT PROHIBI-
TTON MEASURE.
BY R. B. Pixlev

oIi"0" ~ may o0 Tie tate OF the EVjue
statewide prohibition bill will be
known. The measure comes up on
the calendar Of the assembly Thurs
DAY morning as special order OF
business, and it is certain that no
other business will be transacted.
The bill was recommended by the
committee on excise and fees which
heard arguments for several DAYS or
the measure, for indefinite POSTPONE
ment, which is the technical word IL
kill in the legislature The vote
was four to kill and three to pass if.
but the recommendation will maxi,
little or no difference when it comes
to the vote Of the assembly.
Assemblyman Carter of Virooua.
Chairman Engebretson of Gratiot.
and Assemblyman Luehrs of Calumet
county voted to recommend its pass
age, and Assemblyman Webster Of
Grant county, Aulenbacher of Wash
ington county, SCHNEIDER of Green
county and Feldhausen of Brown
county to kill it.
Many amendments have been pre-
pared, and the Introduction of one
or more of these may send the meas
ure either back to the committee or
over for week. 1t is known that
the author will fight delay but the
assembly may decide to take more
time to consider amendments. The
vote will be so close i'm the lower
house that either side can take adj
vantage of legislative procedure for
delay
One of the amendments will fix the
time Of holding the referendum at
the spring election in 1918 instead
of the fall election. Many of those
outside the Legislature who have been
backing the bill ane opposed to a
spring referendum, on the ground
that the vote always is light. On
the other hand there are several
members who have said they would
vote for the bill if it provided for a
spring referendum, but would be in
clined to oppose it otherwise.
Another amendment which may
come in will separate what is known
as hard liquor" from beer, and light
wines. In other words, it will pro-
hibit the sale and manufacture of
liquors containing more than ten per
cent of alcohol Amendments pro
viding for compensation for owners
of BUILDINGS and other property af-
fected by sudden prohibitory law
will come in, and these will present q
problem for the members. SO
It is safe to say that the bill will
not be finally passed or killed this
week, but the unexpected always canst
happen in the legislature.
The Young primary bill is slated
for a hearing this week, and it is.
probable that this important meas.
ure will soon be passed on by the
assembly The referendum clause.
viii be , noint in It's favor. The bill
is not to become a law unless the
re0ple approve it at the election in
the fall Of 1918.
Rumors of railroad strikes and the
holding of primary elections resulted
in a light attendance this week, until
Thursday, when the members all
knew the Evjue bill would cause
call of the house.
When the assembly had completed
it's business on ST. Patrfck's day.
Assemblyman Spoor Of Green Lake
county arose and moved that Mr..
Pieper be granted unanimous con-
sent to sing "The Wearin' of the
Green
'"The gentleman from Dunn" said
the speaker, lis granted unanimous
consent to sing that patriotic ballad,
''The Wearin' Of the Green"
81 am a good Irishman, Mr. Speak
err" said Mr. Pieper, 'and' when Ire
land is free, and not until then, | will
arise here and sing"
After two months of deTiberation
by the special committee on high
ways, the legislature now will CON
slider the committee bill which pro-
vides for the building of a 5,000-ile
trunk line system of roads which is
to reach every county seat and every
city containing 5000 inhabitants. One
of the points to be seriously consio
cred is the suggestion that a special
Legislative committee, to be. paid S.
a day and expenses, to act with the
highway commission, be appointed
While many members are inclined t
think that there should be some au
thority higher than the commission
10 U6C1u0 uln6I6IC6o III Tic COu1ClCo
as to county routes, others say they
will not agree to the creation of an
other commission which is liable to
cost the state a considerable sum Of
money. Under the new law this COM
mittee would hold meetings in county
seats to decide county routes ii five
per cent of the voters petitioned for
such meetings. Some members be
lieve this per cent could be raised to
ten or fifteen, to insure the need OF
meetings.
The law which has allowed coun-
ties and cities to insure buildings
with the state is certain to be re
pealed at this session of the legisla
ture. Although the state department
has been running for several years,
only twenty-eight counties have taken
advantage of it, and there is little,
money in the fund from which losses
are to be paid. The assembly has
passed the bill by a decisive vote.
u