River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-02-27
FIGHT ON.
THE SEVERSON BILL
Asks Repeal of Secrecy Clause"
in Income Tax Law.
Is ADVANCED BY THE SENATE
Opposition to Whey Butter Label Law
Endangers Repeal of Measure by
Legislature - Narrow Gauge
Sleigh Bill Doomed.

Madison.-The vote IN the WiscOn-
sin senate advancing the Stevenson bill
to repeal the secrecy clause" of the in
come tax law discloses one of the big
fights which will be made at this ses-
sion of the legislature. Senator Sever
son claims that the secrecy clause is a
cloak to protect dishonest business.
Senator Witter claims that the secrecy
clause protects men engaged in COM
petitive business. After q big debate
in the senate, the Seyerson bill was adj
vanced by vote of IL to TO-
The big fight On the Seyerson bill.
however, will probably come in the as
sembly. That house by vote of 40
to 80 has killed the Bennett resolution
calling upon the state tax commission
to furnish a report showing the profits
of profiteers. The resolution called for
a classification of the manufacturers
making necessities of life--WhOlesale
grocery, boot and shoe and war sup
plies-so as to show the exact profits
made by these concerns.
Assemb1yman E. w. Knappe, Mil
waukee, made an effort to save his res
olution calling for a constitutional
convention. He argues that cOnven-
ton was necessary to revise the basic
law. Assemblyman @. b. Ballard, APP
pleton, took a similar position. The
resolution was killed 81 to 80.
Such strong opposition has devel-
oped to the repeal of the whey
butter label law that it is doubtful
whether the repeal measure can be
passed by the legislature. The bill
has been given an extensive hearing,
but has been recommended for indefi-
mite postponement by the assembly ag-
riculture committee.
When the matter came up for hear
Ing before the committee, J. L. Sam
mis-, secretary of the wisconsin Cheese
makers association, appeared in favor
Of the repeal measure. He declared
that the whey butter label law carried
with it a bad smell, whereas whey but,
ter was as good as any other butter.
He declared that the farmers of Wis
consin were losing hundreds of thou
sands of dollars annually because Of
the label law and that it SHOULD be re-
pealed. State Dairy and Food Com
missioner George J. WeigIe opposed
the repeal OF the law.
BY vote of 81 to 2, the assembly
passed the JordOn resolution for con-
stitutional amendment giving the legis.
lature power to FIX the salary of sue.
RI -
to 10 it passed the Hewitt constitu-
tionaI amendment resolution permit
ting sheriffs to succeed themselves.
By a vote Of % to 6, the senate
passed the Pullen bill fvfixing the sal
airy list for county and district school
and minimum salary based on the
number of schools in the district, and
provides state aid only when the sal
aries are allowed by tho county
boards.
The state affairs COMMITTEES of the
assembly has reported for death the
Coe bill prohibiting the use of tho mar
row gauge sleigh in Wisconsin. In its
place comes a committee bill repeal
ing the present law on the statute
books prohibiting the manufacturing
of narrow sleighs after this year ne
new bill provides that any person can
use a narrow or a wide gauge sleigh,
as the owner pleases. The matter
seems to be q simple subject for legis-
lation, but scarcely any bill that has
come before the house this year has
attracted such wide discussion.
The assembly committee on state af-
fairs has reported in favor of a bill in
creasing the states share for the care
of the insane from $1.75 to 1926
week.