River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-07-19
Laws MAKE Bio Volume.

ent legislature will make about 272
pages Of the supplement size which are
circulated by the weekly newspapers
Of the state. Two years ago these sup
plements made 208 pages. The in
crease is therefore over 80 per cent.
In 1915 there were 635 chapters pub
nshed. There will be about 653 acts
this session, but the laws Of 1917 are
much larger and occupy 80 per cent
more space than those of two years
ago. Some Of the whoppers are:
Fish and game act, about 1O3 bill
size pages; drainage act, 103 pages;
workmen's compensation, 40 pages; re-
visors, 161 pages; common school sys-
tenn act, 40 pages; revis0r's bill Is,
"a pages, and revisor's bill $40, 80
pages.
In Handy Form.
Law supplements, however, are now
in a form convenient for a library
shelf and therefore much more valu-
able than when in newspaper style. 1t
Is understood they will be appearing
in the weekly papers about next week.
Appropriations made for the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin for the next b1en-
mum are practically identical with the
expenditures Of the university for the
past biennium. The compilation OF
the appropriation measures affecting
all of the institutions has just been
prepared by the state board Of public
affairs. It shows that the total ap-
propriations for the university for the
fiscal year 1918 is $2,248,7 25 and for
the fiscal year 1888 it is $2,882,945.
During the past biennium the uni
versity spent for the fiscal year 1910
Is, $2,792, $685. and for the fiscal year
1867, $2,88OO45.99.
The legislature also appropriated
$4,000 to be used in the completion OF
the stadium at Camp Randall athletic
field.
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 a section OF the
compensation act which was not
changed. The net effect Of the changes
made is to liberalize the law ana TO
increase the benefits to 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 q
workman permanently totally disabled
to six times his annual wage. Under
the new law workman SO Injured re-
ceives compensation for 10 years.
Again, the act provides that WOrkmen
who sustain multiple injuries, as, Tor
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 or
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 unreasonably delay the payment OF
compensation, they shall be liable to
10 per cent penalty. Another provl'
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 S1OO, 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 bill in the state senate, and
only three in the assembly. This
unanimity was secured through the &C
ton of the industrial commission in in
viting representatives o$ manufacture
ers' associations and oS trade unions
throughout the state te conference
upon the proposed amendments. The
bill drawn was accepted as a 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 a 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 workmen's compensation insur.
ance rates and classifcations. It 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 which companies
writing wOrkmen's compensation insur-
anca muSt carry and still another bill