Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-01-31
SOLONS HITTING
THEIR old GAIT
Speed, Promised at Opening Of
Session, SIaGkGnS.
BRYAN CENTERS INTEREST

One Body That Is Hustiing-Lyons
Slated to Go-Van Hise Quiz
FRAGILE.
Madison, Wis, Jan. S0-With the
legislative atmosphere scharged with
short session talk, the rather startling
fact that the legislature is moving no
faster than the one two years ago,
with the exception of the joint COM
mittee on finance, stands out cOnspic
uously at the close of three weeks.
The number of bills introduced in
the senate and the assembly is about
the same as the number introduced
at this date two years ago. This does
not mean, however. that the short
session plan has been dealt a body
blow. Many members are busy draft
ing bills. and there will be food of
new measures in the near future. The
Joint committee on finance is pound
ing along and is many weeks ahead of
the record made by the finance com
mittee at the last session.
The first bill to be signed by Gov
ernor Philip is the Whitman bill ap-
propriating $4,000 year to continue
and maintain the state board of public
affairs, an investigating body vested
with almos unlimited power to dig up
information for the law making body.
Because the board would cease to
exist after Feb. l unless the bin were
rushed through, the administration
leaders got busy early in the session.
This gave rise to the charge in the
house that an attempt was being
made 70 railroad" legislation. that
the members we're asked to vote for
bill before they had been given time
to give close study to it.
No "Railroa6ine" Of Bills.
Because there was considerable un-
rest among the members of the low
Or branch of the legislature, Speaker
Lawrence c. Whittet made this state
ment:
"There will be no 'railroading' Of
bills at this session. Members will not
be expected to ote for or against any
measure on which they may feel they
are not sufficiently informed The
chair will protect the members"
Perhaps the most important recent
work of the affairs board was the com
pilation of the 1917 budget now before
the legislature. To date the committee
on finance has seen fit to follow close
ly the appropriation recommendations
OF the board of public affairs In COM
piling the budget this siN'cial state de-
partment conferred with the officials
of the different departments of gov
eminent, including President Van Hise
of the university and the normal
school regents. This will shorten the
time the committee in other years was
forced to devote to public hearings on
financial propositions.
Assemblyman Carl Hansen has serv-
ed public notice that he will not sit
silently by if newspaper editors of
the state indulge in improper criti-
cisms of the legislature. His remarks
were directed at a Milwaukee after
noon newspaper which printed a front
page editorial fling at the legislature.
charging that the vets and Socialists
had reached a working agreement in
at least one matter. Hansen an
nounced that editors who deal in IN
founded criticisms of the law making
body will be summoned before the leg
islature to prove their statements.
Clash Over Fire Rates.
State regulation of fire insurance
rates has developed into one of the
big issues at the present session. Two
bills on this subject have been intro
duced in the senate. The one by Sen
ator J. H. Bennett was drawn by Com
missioner of Insurance NJ. j. Cleary;
the other was sent in by Senator
George r, Skogmo.
In the debate thus far there is no
disagreement between Mr.. Cleary and
Senator Skogmo as to the proposition
of regulating of fire insurance rates.
They disagree, however, very mater
tally as to the language of the bill
Skogmo says the Bennett bill would
not give the commissioner of insur-
ance power to regulate rates. Cleary
says the Bennett measure does give
this power. Skogmo thinks the insur-
ance companies are favored in the
Bennett proposal. Cleary says the
same thing about the Skogmo bill
Several public hearings will be held
by the senate committee on corpora
lions, but it is not likely that fight
on the floor of the senate can be
avoided.
Senator Fred Baxter will introduce
a measure appropriating $4,000 for a
new state sanitorium for the treat
ment of tuberculosis, the institution
10 be located in the northern part Of
the state. The Wales sanitarium is in
adequate, he says, and has a long
waiting list of patients. If the state
is to make an effective fight on the
white plgue, Senator Baxter contends
that patients must be treated early
There can be no waiting lists. he says
To appropriate $4,000 for this pur-
pose is real economy, according to
Senator Baxter.
Assemblyman Campbell has started
q merry row by the introduction Of a
&f0n ID oxxro-I CfGn