The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-08-01
Senators Go to Madison to Con-
firm Eight Appointments.
HOUSE ATTENDANCE is SMALL
Gov. Philip Vetoes the Skogmo Bill
Providing for Creation of Public
Utility Dissatisfaction Came
as Great Surprise.
BY FRED l.. HOLMES.


sine die adjournment within twenty
four hours. The attendance in the
house on Tuesday was small, but In
the senate a quorum was present to
confirm the eight appointments which
have been sent to the legislature by
Governor Phillip.
Governor Phillip sent to the senate
a veto of the SkOgmO bill which pro-
vides for the creation of public utility
districts to take over public utilities.
The veto came as a great surprise, as
many members of the legislature be-
lieved that the bill was In the interest
Of municipal ownership. Governor
Phillip says that he believes the bill
would work against public interests.
The bill provides that several commu-
mites may join and issue bonds for the
purchase Of any public utility. Cover
nor Philip points out that the cities OF
the state are quite generally bonded
to their limit and that this bill would
permit a further bonding of cities I'M
der the name of a new public utility
district. There is no hope Of passing
the bill over the veto of the
governor.
Two important bills which have held
the center Of the stage for the past two
months of the legislative session have
now been signed by Governor Phillip.
The first on these Is the market COM
mission bill, which redeems a platform
pledge Of the Republican party. AS
finally amended and signed by the gov
ernOr, the bill provides for the crea-
ton of market commission as divf-
sion under the supervision of the COM
missioner of agriculture. The farmer
members Of the legislature were reluc-
tant about giving the entire power Of
appointing this new market commits
siOner to the governor. For that rea-
son special advisory board was Gre
ated, consisting of the commissioner
of agriculture, attorney general and
secretary of state. With the approval
of the governor, this commission will
have power to select the market direc-
tor. The legislature was notified Tues
day that the commission would imme-
diately prOcede to a consideration OF
the qualification of available market
director candidates and will probably
organize the market commission be-
fore the end of the week.
The second important bill to receive
the approval of the governor is the sol
der bonus bill. Under the terms of
this bin special referendum at cleo
tiOn will be held on September 2 to
determine whether the provisions of
the measure will become effective. As
the bill goes to the people it provides
for the raising of $15,OOO,OO0 to pay
soldier bonuses, and of this sum S.
100000 will be raised by surtax on
incomes. Corporations having an in
come in excess of $1,000 and individu-
ais having incomes of $4,000 will be
compelled to pay per cent surtax
under the terms of this bill The re-
naming S1O,0O0,000 is to be raised by
a general property tax which shall not
exceed 8 mills on the dollar Any
county desiring to pay it's share by
bond issue instead of by direct tax
will be permitted to do so.
Soldiers are to receive minimum of
500. For each month in the service
they are to receive SO. AS the long
est period of time served in the army
was about two years the highest
amount to be paid to any soldier will
be $240 The provisions of this meas
ure have also been extended to sailors,
marines and nurses. A number of mem
berS of the legislature will Immediate
ly take the stump in favor of the refer
endum plan. Senator Roy P. Wilcox
of Eau Claire is already making ad-
dresses in favor of the proposal.
When the rivers and harbOr bill
came before the senate of the United
States Senator LenroOt introduced an
amendment providing that the interna-
tiOnal commission on boundary waters
of the United States and Canada be in
structed TO make an investigation of
an international deep waterway by
which the ST. Lawrence river should
be canaliZed and deepened and to make
report TO congress OF the Feasibility
of the project, its cost and the utility
to be achieved.
Minnesota, Michigan and Indiana
then, through their legislatures, in
structed the governors of those states
to appoint deep waterways commits
sions to spread propaganda for such
project, and now Wisconsin, through
the efforts Of Wilkinson and Nye, has
followed their example.
The commission appointed by Cover
nor Philip consists of o. A. Lamo-
reaux of Ashland, Prof. J. G.. D. Mack
of Madison and William George Bruce
of Milwaukee. 1t is expected to use its
best efforts to secure proper Iegisla-
ton for this deep waterway project In
both countries
Mr.. Bruce has been chairman of the
Milwaukee harbOr commission Sfnc6 Nh