Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-07-18

completed in each county. This bin
also provides that towns aud villages
not served by the trunk line system
should receive In proportion to their
valuation the other half of the state
aid funds, but that the place Of ex-
pendlture in each town and village
should be selected by the county
board. This law, together with the
trunk line law, provides for a greater
concentration of expenditures for the
next two or three years on the main
lines of travel and at the same time
insures that every town and village
will get fair deal by getting less inn
portant roads improved If they do not
happen to be directly benefited by inn
provements upon the state trunk line
system.
In addition the laws providing for
bonding counties for state aid high
way construction were simplified and
improved, and while no great activity
Is anticipated In the bonding of coun-
ties during the present war conditions.
there will be great activity when con-
ditions resume the normal.
'Bill 590A was also passed. This
provides that cities of all classes may
receive aid on streets and roads lying
in the outlying portions of them
Some minor changes were made in
the common road laws of the state,
but none of Importance or far-reach-
inc pffaat Tn, uannroI Iarrt Slafl1rA
confined itself to the problems of Sc
curing the Improvement of the main
lines of travel. and ii is believed that
wonderful results were accomplished.
especially in improving conditions as
TO maintenance"
During the session of the legislature
that has Just closed a number of very
important changes were made In the
labor laws of Wisconsin. Foremost
among these Is the amendment of the
workmen's compensation law.
There is scarcely section of the
compensation act which was not
changed. The net effect of the changes
made is to liberalize the law and to
increase the benefits 10 injured work
men. The maximum wage basis ana
the percentage of compensation were
NOT altered, but additional compensa-
ton Is given for all the more serious
injuries. For instance, the old law
limited the compensation payable to a
workman permanently totally disabled
to six times his annual wage. Under
the new law a workman so injured re-
ceives compensation for 10 years.
Again, the act provides that workmen
who sustain multiple injuries, as, for
instance, when several fingers are cut
off. shall receive not merely the com
pensation payable for each separate
injury, but something additional be-
cause of the more serious character OF
the accident which they sustained.
Saves Unreasonable Delay.
The new law also makes important
administrative changes In the compen-
sation act One Of the provisions along
this line provides that where employ
ers unreas0nably delay the payment OF
COMPENSATION. they shall be liable TO
10 per cent penalty. Another provi-
sion limits the fees which attorneys
may charge in compensation cases to
10 per cent of the amount recovered
by the injured workmen, and not more
than 500, unless the industrial com
mission finds that higher charge was
justified. The law also provides that
in cases where miners are employed
without permits or at prohibited EN-
pigments the compensation which can
be recovered shall be trebled.
A noteworthy feature of the new
compensation law is that these amend
ments were adopted practically with
out opposition. Not a vote was cast
against the la In the state senate, and
only three In the assembly. This
unanimity was secured through the ac-
ton of the industrial commission in in
wiling representatives Of manufacture
ers' associations and OF trade unions
throughout the state to conference
upon the proposed amendments. The
bill drawn was accepted as compro-
mise by both these interests. and hence
was accepted without contest.
insurance Board Created.
Another important labor measure of
the present session was the bill Great
ing workmen's compensation insur-
ance board. to be composed Of one
member of the industrial commission,
the insurance commissioner and third
member appointed by the governor.
This board Is charged with the regula-
ton Of workmens compensation insur-
ance rates and classi1cations. II Is
one Of the first boards of the kind in
the country and is designed to prevent
discrimination between employers In
their compensation insurance rates.
Another bill along the same line In
creases the reserve whir.. companies
writing w0rkmen's comp, N insur-
ance must carry, and still another bill
provides for stricter regulation Of in
ter insurance contracts and exchanges.
All these bills are designed To protect
employers In their dealings with insur
ance companies and to prevent compa-
MES from operating In Wisconsin
whose rates are inadequate and whose
resources are very small.
A measure of much promise for the
future is the bill passed by the legisla
ture providing for Il legislative commit
tee To Investigate the question of social
insurance. and 10 report thereon to the
next legislature. This committee Will
consider the problems Of old age pen
sions and health insurance