River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-02-24
State Capitol News
BY VIM. J. Anderson

women of average intelligence in Wis
consin today can tell the names OF the
state officers and describe the duties
of each? Doubtless there are many
who would have to confess ignorance.
AS to those functions of the State
Government which directly affect
them. such for example as road
building, public health rules or laws,
fewer still could give such informal
ion. And yet both men and women
are now charged with the duty of ell
Getting representatives to direct the
administering of the state govern
nlent. These thoughts are suggested
by letter which was received last
week by member Of the Legislature
from a constituent Of good average
intelligence. This constituent writes
in substance that he is against the
work of the State Highway Commits
sion because as far as he can see the
greater part of the millions of dollars
raised for highway purposes goes
to "pay high-salaried officials" A two
cent stamp and five minutes OF his
time would have enabled this constl-
tuent to ascertain the simple fact
that the State Highway Commission
supervised, that is, directed, the ex-
penditure of about fifteen million dol
lars for road and bridge construction
in 1920 at cost to the state of about
$3.50, 900, or one per cent of the whole
The constituents information was
ninety-nine per cent wrong. The pity
of it is that very much of the talk
one hears concerning the adminlstra-
ton of public affairs is about as far
wrong.
Less Prisoners at Waupun
The population of the state prison
at Waupun is not increasing proper
tionately with the population OF the
state. Due to prohibition or some
other cause there are one hundred
prisoners less in Warden Towne's
care at Waupun at the present time
than there were two years ago. The
present population is $50 as against
779 at the corresponding time two
wears ago. The falling off since
year ago is So.
Not Always Practical !.
Prof. j. G. d. Mack, state chief en-
gineer, who supervises all engineer
ing and construction work done di-
rectly by the state, made declarat-
ion in a public address recently con-
corning the education of engineers
that will be accounted heterodox from
man high up in his profession. "TEe
training of engineers" said Professor
Mack, ito meet the future response
bilities of the profession, consists
largely in keeping engineering edu-
cation on basis of theory and resist
ing the attempts to put courses on
so-called strictly practical founda-
ton. Practical as usually used, in
such sense, is an alluring term,
false guide and an imposition on the
student" Prof. Mack was for twenty
wears a member of the Engineering
Faculty of the State University.
Artifcially Bleached Flour Unlawful
Dairy and Food Commissioner En-
cry has served notice on manufact-
urers and dealers in -four that the
sale in Wisconsin of artificlally
bleached -four is prohibited by law.
The use, says Mr.. Emery, OF the eu-
phemistic term, artificially "aged'
flour, to camoufiage artificially
bleached -four, does not nullify Wis
consin's bleached flour law.
Industrial Commission Cases
The Industrial Commission reports
that while the number of cases for
adjustment under the Compensation
Act has fallen off during the past two
months, owing to the slowing down
of industries, the number of contested
cases has increased. During the past
two months about 1000 compensation
cases have been reported to the Com
mission as against about 1000 cases
for the corresponding period year
ago. The amount of compensation
adjusted under the act since Decem-
Der 31st is $375,000.
Do Not Take Game Fish
One Of the complaints that come
most frequently to the Conservation
Commission is that in the Kidding of
lakes and rivers of carp and other
rough fish, the contractors take the
game fish also. This charge is made
only by people who do not know that
the Commission has an employee on
duty at every point where rough
fish are being taken to prevent the
taking or i'll usage of the game fish.
The Commission has found It neces-