River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-04-28
State Legislative News
c. E. Hanson


next two or three weeks. Announce
ment is made by Senator Ray j. Nye,
Superior, chairman of the joint COM
mittee on finance that late this week
or early next week some of the large
finance bills will be reported in the
house. This will bring the work Of
the session to high mark. Early
this week the committee on rules re-
ported to the house a resolution fav-
oring final adjournment of the leg
islature on May 81. With this date
in mind an effort is being made to
hasten the work and meet an early
adjournment.
There will be tax rate contest in
the assembly on Thursday Of this
week. BY special arrangement the
house has disposed to take the Dahl
bill providing for revision of income
tax rates in the state. This bill also
provides for the repeal of the secrecy
clause; for the repeal of the personal
property off set and many other tax
revisions which Assemblyman G. E.
Hanson has championed in indepen-
dent bills. If this bill could be pass
ed it would redeem that pledge of the
republican platform which declares
in favor of an adjustment of taxes
and placing the burden upon those
best able to pay. The roll call on
this bill will be worthy the attention
of every reader of the paper A. M.
Miller of Outagamie county has offer
ed a resolution memoralizing con-
gress to retain the present excess
profits tax and the present surtax.
This resolution condemns the so-called
sales tax which has been opposed by
Congressman James A. Frear. Mr..
Frear believes that the sales tax is
vicious.
While there are still some prelim
inaries to be cleared out of the way
the dry legislation of this session has
practically been disposed of. All
amendments supported by the drys
to the Matheson dry bill were passed
in the Senate last week. The Mathi-
son bill was then engrossed by vote
of % to IL. BY an agreement among
the drys an amendment was adopted
in the senate which strikes from the
original Mathison bill one so-called
inquisitorial feature. The dry bill
will be back in the house soon for
concurranc in this amendment. 1t
will then go to the governor. Ac-
cording to apparently authentic news
paper reports, Governor Blaine in
tends to sign the bill.
Louis E. Gettle, Madison, has been
appointed as member of the state
railroad commission for a six-year
term, to take the place of John 5.
Allen of Lake Geneva. The appoint
ment was sent to the Senate for con-
firmation. The salary of the position
is $4,000 per year. Mr.. Gettle is ia
miliar with railroad work, having
served as secretary of the state rail-
road commission from 1912 to 1915.
He was endorsed by John HI. Roemer,
former chairman of the commission,
David Harlow and Halford Erickson,
all of whom were commissioners while
Mr.. Gettle acted as secretary. Many
other organizations in the state in
Guiding farmer, labor and railroad
employees organizations ENDORSED
Mr.. Gettle for the position. The 9TH
err two members of the commission
are Carl D. Jackson, Oshkosh, and
and Henry R. Trumbower, formerly
connected with the faculty of the Uni
versity. Gettle's appointment will be
voted on May 4th by the Senate.
For the third time the name of Bra
ton O. Webster, Delafield as member
of the state conservation commission,
was submitted to the state senate for
confirmation. Since the last time the
name was submitted and rejected
James Nevin has resigned from the
conservation commission to take eff
feet May. /. The confirmation OF
Webster to take the place of Nevin
is now foregone conclusion. The
senate expects to vote on the confir-
nation on Thursday.
Because of the fact that Mr.. Nevin
served on the fish commission since
1880 there were many senator's who
were reluctant about displacing him.
Interviews with members of the SEN
ate Indicate that they believe that
Webster is competent but have plac-
ed their opposition vote on the ground
of friendship for Mr.. Nevin. Now
that Mr.. Nevin has resigned, the at
mosphere seems cleared, and the con-
firmation of Webster's appointment
is anticipated.
Wisconsin may be the first state in