Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-05-14
BIG BILLS AHEAD
OF STATE SGL0NS
Present Week to Be Most Impor.
tant of Session.
LIQUOR AND MARKETING ACTS
Vital Measures Scheduled for DISPOSE
tion-Fierce Clash Anticipated
Over Dry Enforeement-Speedy
Action Is Necessary

MadisOn.-Hope of an adjournment
of the legislature by June is slipping
fast, as postponements during the last
few weeks of many important ques-
lions have thrown the burden of work
upon the concluding days of the SEES
sion.
Lieut.. Gov. E. F. Dithmar, presiding
officer of the senate. and Speaker
Riley Young made the prediction some
time ago that work would be finished
by June l, and they are making every
effort to fulfill their promise. Speaker
Young has ordered every bill pending
before the lower house to be scheduled
for hearing during the week.
But with the prohibition enforce
ment. the recall Of appOlntive officials,
the teaching of foreign languages in
the public schools, the soldier bonuses,
the marketing commission, the mini
mum wages, the eight-hour day, the
other of the most important questions
placed before the present session still
undisposed of, the legislature will have
to break all records for speed If it is
to complete its work within four
weeks.
To date less than half of the bills
before the two houses have been acted
upon. Almost 1000 bills have been in
troduced and final action taken on less
than 600.
A large part of Senator Wilcox's re-
construction program remains to be
acted upon, and these bills probably
will take up more time than any other
matters still pending. Senator Wilcox
appreciates the danger of having inn
pOrtant bills caught In the closing
rush. when measures are killed in
wholesale fashion. and will make every
effort to have reconstruction subjects
acted upon as early as possible.
Perhaps the biggest and longest leg
islative battle yet to be concluded this
session is that over the enforcement of
the national prohibition amendment.
The first dry bill to reach either house
for action was the enforcement meas
IRE OF the assembly state affairs com
mittee which is the most rigid bill on
the subject before the legislature 1t
was met by an attack of amendments,
which the dry leaders claim seek to
throw the enforcement of prohibition
in Wisconsin into chaos, and with lit
tie debate action on the bill was post
pOned until Thursday.
A significant fact in connection with
the brief talk on the floor of the as
sembly over the first prohibition
measure to come out was the willing
ness of the vets for vote.
This evidence of confidence by the
wet forces In the lower house, at least,
Is source of worry 10 the dry leaders
In the legislature and to the officials
and attorneys for the Wisconsin Anti
Saloon league, who have been on the
job in full force as the prohibition en-
forcement question has approached a
vote.
Gov. E. L. Philips statement in
favor of 3 per cent beer has greatly
strengthened the position of the VETS
but the prohibition forces have re-
piled with flood of printed petitions,
addressed TO Assemblyman Axel John
son. coming from all sections of the
state, and bearing the following plea:
81 urge defeat of all bills to legal
lie sale of beer of any per cent of al
eoholic strength"
Too many of these petitions, which
were printed on postcards, have been
received to crowd into Mr.. JOhnsOn's
mail box, and so they have been d.
vided up and delivered to the member
representing the particular district
from which they came.
The big fight. therefore. has re-
solved itself into what shall be the
definition of an intoxicating liquor in
Wisconsin. and 1t is not likely that the
present session will adjourn until some
sort of law has been enacted.
On the same day that the next vote
will be taken on the prohibition ques-
ton the assembly will act on the mar
keting problem. Thursday has been
set for action on the substitute TO the
committee marketing bill, which has
| passed the senate and which provides
for the creation of commissioners
Of markets within the department of
agriculture.
The senate committee on education
and public welfare pulled a surprise
when II reported for indefinite post
ponement Senator Birds bill provid-
ing that a candidate nominated by
two parties In their primary by
plurality in each primary may run
| on both tickets.