Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-02-28
ASKS REPEAL OF
SECRECY CLAUSE
Seyerson Bill Is Advanced and
Big Fight Scheduled for
income Tax Measure.
WHEY BUTTER LAW MAY HOLD
Opposition to Repeal So Strong That
Change Is Doubtful at This SEES
sion of LegisIature-Eiealth
in Schools.

Madison.-One of the fights of un-
usual proportions in the present ses-
sion of the Wisconsin legislature is
indicated by the vote Of the senate to
advance the Severson bill to repeal
the secrecy cl; Ise' of the income tax
law. 1t is asserted by Senator Sew
erson that the secrecy clause is a cloak
TO shield dishonest business. Senator
Writer declares that the secrecy
Iclause protects persons engaged in
competitive enterprises. The Severson
bill was advanced by the vote Of IL to
% the past week.
The big fight on the Severson bill,
however, will probably come in the as
isembly. That house by vote of 40
to 80 has killed the Bennett resolution
calling upon the state tax commission
to furnish 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.
Assemblyman E. w. Knappe, Mil
waukee, made an effort to save his res
olution, calling for a constitutional
convention. He argues that conyen-
ton was necessary to revise the basic
law. Assemblyman G. B. Ballard, APP
pleton, took 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 postpouement by the assembly ag-
riculture committee.
When the matter came up for hear
ing before the committee, r.. 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 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. Weigle opposed
the repeal of the law.
By vote of 50 to 2, the assembly
passed the Jordon resolution for con-
stitutional amendment giving the Iegis-
lature power to fix the salary Of sue
ceeding legislators. BY vote of n
to 10 it passed the Hewitt constitu-
tional amendment resolution permit
ting sheriffs to succeed themselves.
By a vote of % to 6, the senate
passed the Pullen bill refixing the sal
airy list for county and district school
superintendent 1t fixes the maximum
and minimum salary based on the
number of schools in the district. and
provides state aid only when the sal
aries are allowed by the county
boards.
The state affairs committee of the
assembly has reported for death the
Coe bill prohibiting the use of the mar
row gauge sleigh in Wisconsin. In it's
place comes a committee bill repeal
ing the present law on the statute
books prohibiting the manufacturing
of narrow sleighs after this year. The
new bill provides that any person can
use a narrow or wide gauge sleigh,
as the owner pleases. The matter
seems to be a simple subject for legis-
Iation, 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 bill in
creasing the states share for the care
of the insane from $175 to 1925 a
week