Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-02-07
BILL To CHANGE
DRAINAGE LAWS
100000 Acres of Wet Land
Can Be Used.
SIMILAR TO EVERETT BILL
Senator Declares All Of Desirable Pro-
visions Of Present Act Have Been
Retained and Undesirable
Features Eliminated.

Madison. Upwards of 100000
acres of wet land In Wisconsin may be
affected by a proposed law pro-
viding for a Reconsideration and
| codification Of drainage laws. Senator
Charles Everett of Racine, who Is
head of the legislative committee
which has investigated the subject,
believes that the law viii work great
er benefit 10 the people of the state
than any measure In recent years.
Senator Everett says that all of the
desirable provisions of the present
law have been retained, with many OF
the undesirable features eliminated.
The bill has been worked out along the
lines OF the Everett bill introduced at
the 1915 session.
1--WE still have about 100000 acres
of wet land that can be made excellent
farm land at comparatively small ex-
pense." declared Senator Everett. In
explaining the purposes of the bill.
The expense of draining farm lands
depends in large degree upon the
number OF acres involved. togethr.
with the natural difficulties to be over
come. Some districts have been given
excellent drainage at so per acre.
While lands are selling at from $40 to
$3.50 per acre. SIS, or even $50 per
acre in making worthless land just as
valuable as upland, is money well
spent"
Senator Everett points to number
Of sections Of the state where large
crops have been grown on marsh
drained land during the past year. He
says that the committee bill will facil-
itafe the drainage Of these lands.
Senator Fred A. Baxter of Superior
believes that the counties, cities. viii
lagos and towns OF the state are pay
ing an excessive price for cement used
in highway construction. He has pre-
pared a bill which. he claims, win save
the people Of Wisconsin upwards az
$4,000 annually
The Baxter bill provides for the Gre
alton Of a commission known as
state purchasing commission to con-
sist Of the state engineer, the superin-
tendent OF public property and the
state highway engineer The mem
bers OF the commission shall serve
without compensation. The bill d.
reefs that each winter the commits
sion shall circularize all state depart
ments, boards. counties. towns. vii
lagos and cities. collecting informa-
ton as to the amount of cement which
viii be used during the calendar year
In public construction. The state
shall make the purchases. II desired.
for these Different communities Last
year upwards II 100000 barrels of
cement were used in road coustruc-
ton. The purchases were made by
the individual units. Senator Baxter
claims that by the state making the
purchases a much lower price could
be obtained and that large amounts
cg~lld be saved to the public in eIIui-
hating present freight rates His
measure prohibits the sale OF public
purchased cement for private uses.
For Constitutional Convention.
Senator George b. Skogruo 0f River
Fails viii Introduce a resolution for a
referendum on "a constitutional con
vention, to be voted on IN the election
OF 1918.
Sooner or later a constitutional
; convention viii be necessary Ia this
state both 10 enable the legislature 10
take up some Of the questions that are
arising and 10 clear away from the
constitution some OF the provisions
which are obsolete" said Senator
SsogIuo. other states have been re-
visiHg their constitutions, prompted
I bs the same necessity that confroats
thls state.
The governor himself has advocat-
F 81 one constitutional amendment az
/ this session. aud members Of the Iegts-
lature who are affiliated with the gov
+ ernor In political belief have offered
+ several others"
+ The question TO be submitted. &C.
4 cording 10 Senator Sk0gmo, is: shall
( a constitutional convention be called
for the purpose OF revising or chang
{ ing the constitution or the state OF
/ Wisconsin,"
Should the referendum carry In the
: affirmative, the. next legislature would
make provisions for election OF It's del
/ egates.
Many Health Bills Planned.
Almost a score of public health
Z bills VIII be offered this year
Many of them have already been
: presented The state department OF
health Is making a concerted move
Can't Reach Settlement