Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-04-19
LOOKING IN
ON THE
LEGISLATURE


municipalities and the Wisconsin
County Boards association, was rec
commended for indefinite postponement
by the joint highway committee of the
legislature. Two committee bills, pro
viding for a graduated license fee
based upon weight and a gasoline tax,
We're recommended for passage.
Wisconsin cities and county boards
were backing the Polakowski bill,
which provides for a graduated weight
tax ranging from So to $24, a 2-cent
gasoline tax, and a highway privilege
tax of 2 pei. cent of the valuation of
automobiles to be assessed in lieu of
the present personal property tax.
This measure would raise $4,000, 900
to be distributed to cities, counties
and the state.
The committee bills, which together
would produce approximately $11,000,-
900, would give $8,000,000 Of that
! amount to the state to be applied on
q 10,000-mile trunk highway system,
with the remainder to be distributed
back to the counties on the basis of
mileage of rural roads.
These city representatives expressed
opposition to the weight and gasoline
lax bills sponsored by the highway
committee, because Of their distribu-
lion feature.
New 8-Hour Bill Hits Farmers
Action on the Tucker bill to pro
hibit the working of employers in in
dustry more than eight hours a day
was deferred in the senate when Sen
ator Bernard Gettelman, Milwaukee,
offered a substitute amendment.
Under Mr.. Gettelman's amendment,
farmers also would be included and a
statewide referendum on the ques-
ton would be held in November, 1924.
The Tucker bill exempts farmers
from it's provisions. 1t would impose
q fine of from $40 to $500 for an en-
ployer found guilty of working en-
ployes more than eight hours. En-
ployers having less than five persons
are exempted from the provisions of
the bill
Vets Defeated in Senate Test
The senate, by vote of II to Is,
rejected the Peterson memorial to
congress to amend the Volstead act
for a bigger percentage kick in beer
and wines.
The vote in the senate had been an
ticipated by dry leaders, who have
claimed control of that body by one
vote more than majority They as
gert all other bills and resolutions de-
signed to lift the prohibition line will
go down by the same vote. The Peter
son roll call is accepted as the first
accurate test in the upper house.
Hitherto the vets have travelled a
primrose path in the assembly, voting
amendments and changes desired by
wet leaders amid jubilation, and with
majority that went as high as 2 to
1. They were cheered by the backing
of Gov Blaine, who supported some
of their measures, particularly the
Sachtjen bill to repeal the search and
seizure clause of the Severson act.
Dry leaders have fingered on the land
scape calmly awaiting the day when
bills should come to a vote in thes en-
ate The Peterson resolution was the
first.
The Kamke bill, already passed by
the assembly amending the restrictive
clause Of the state primary law, to
provide that but 5 per cent of the
party voters need to cast their ballot
for party candidates at the primary
to assure a party column in the gen
eral election, was unanimously en-
crossed by the senate. This measure
has the support of the Democrats, who
were left out of thu parry column last
November by the 10 per cent clause
of the primary law.
An Fold age" pension not to exceed
81 a day is provided for in bill in
troduced in the legislature by Senator
A. E. Carey, Edgerton. A hearing on
the measure will be held on April 20.
Under the provisions of the bill, the
state would raise 100000 annually,
while the counties share would be
S80O,0OO or a total Of S1,200,000. The
amount of pension awarded to an ap-
plicant would be fixed by the county
courts.
Two bills relating to the sale of I'M
wholesome eggs were killed by the
assembly, practically without dissent.
Both were introduced by the commit
tee on agriculture and would have
prohibited the sale of unwholesome
eggs and prescribed regulations for
places where eggs are removed from
the shell and prepared for food.
The assembly engrossed the Sacht-
len bill, with the Peltier substitute
amendment, empowering the indus
trial commission to fix regulations for
the employment of children under 16
in agricultural pursuits.
The Wisconsin National guard is
planning it's annual summer encamp-
ment despite the attitude of the joint
finance committee Of the legislature
favoring a large reduction in appro-
priation, the adjutant generals depart
ment announces.
Limitation of child labor in Wiscon-