The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-03-21
INFLUENZA HALTS
LEGISLATIVE WORK
Slow Progress Is Made Under
Handicap of Epidemic.
MANY MEMBERS ARE ABSENT
Lieut.. Gov. Dithmar, Presiding Officer
of Upper House, and Senator Ste
Vens, President Pro Tenn, Are
Victims of Disease.
By FRED L. HOLMES.

MdUlSOn, Marcn IJ.-Ine WlSCO1SlH
legislature is making slow progress
this week under the handicapS and in
cOnveniences of "flu' epidemic which
has hit the body with vengeance.
Speaker Young and 80 members of the
lower house are absent. Lieutenant
Governor Dithmar, the presiding OIL
Ger of the upper house, Senator w. e.
Stevens, president pro tempOre, and
several other members are ill. AS
semblyman Frank n. GraaS of Stur-
geOn Bay has been elected as acting
speaker of the assembly, and Senator
ROethe, FellnimOre, has been chosen
as the presiding officer Of the senate,
until the old officials are able to re-
sumo their work. From the commit
tee on public welfare there was re-
ported for passage tOdE::- bill pro-
viding that influenza is a contagious
disease, subject to quarantine by the
state health department. The assem-
bly, adopted a resolution by Assembly
man J. w. COnnor, Burle, for an ad-
iournment of the legislature from
March % to April 8. he explained
that many members of the legislature
were interested in local elections and
that this would give them an Oppor-
tunity to participate.
The senate advanced, without Oppo-
sitiOn, the university appropriation
bill carrying approximately $5,OOOOOO
for the biennium. Two constitutional
in
by the senate Tuesday forenoon are
now ready to be certified by the sec
rotary of state to popular vote at the
next general election. One provides
that the legislature may fix the salary
for the members of the succeeding leg
islature. The other provides that a
sheriff may be elected to succeed him.
self. The senate engrOssed the Perry
bill creating the city manager form OF
government and the C. e. Hanson bill
empowering the legislature to remove
any public official by joint action after
a hearing.
Advocates of moderate course
with respect TO the foreign language
problem will have their innings in the
senate committee on education and
public welfare Thursday, when the
measure they favor will be heard.
The moderatists have so far come
off victorious in all contests in the as
sembly, tabling the Axel Johnson Bill.
which forbade the teaching of foreign
languages in all schools of the state,
and in the senate so amending the
Wilkinson bill to prohibit legal publ
cation in foreign language papers that
Senator Wilkinson himself, declaring
the bill was rendered worthless, made
the request ON which the senate killed
it.
Senator Zlmach has introduced
bin to provide means for college edu.
cation for all who desire it. The bill
creates an opportunity fund.
The total deficit at the state chart
table and penal institutions at the
close of the biennium will be upwards
Of 100000. This fact is disclosed by
the requests made upon the emergen-
CIV board and to the finance committee
today. The deficit for the close of the
first year was $195, 514.63, according to
the report, and it is estimated that
the deficit for the end of the present
fiscal year, July L, 1919, will be S261,-
414S5 additional Requests are al
ready being made of the emergency
board for funds. The board gives as
general reason for the deficit the
high cost of maintaining the institu-
tons during the war period.
The report of the board OF control
shows that, in addition to the $685.
51463 deficit last year, the deficits for
the present year for which the pres
ent legislature must make appropria-
lions are as follows: -
State Hospital for Insane. .........$ Is, 76SoO
Northern Hospital for Insane. 10,20S.46
wisconsin School for Deaf. 14906.00
Wisconsin School for the Blind. 12,6So.00
Wisconsin Industrial School for 8
Boys ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Z5,S0l.W
Wisconsin state prison. ........... 7o,394.0e
state public school ................ 10, 1000
Wisconsin Home for Feeble
Minded ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 40, lu.W
Wisconsin state reformatory -. 16162S
State tuberculosis Sanitorium. 1880. 90
Central Hospital for Insane...... 103S0.5A
Industrial School for Girls. ....... 5,183. 81
Total deficit OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 1, Ala s.
'"The appropriations made by the
legislature of 1917 were not sufficient
for the operation and maintenance of
the institutions" says the board of
control. "They were based upon
prices of provisions and other prod
ucts and commodities that existed
prior to and during the period ending
June 80, 1916. 1t is well known that.
Nv