Iowa County Democrat

SEEKS REPEAL OF
WHEY BUTTER ACT

Farmers to Attend Hearing Before Legislature.

CASES OF FRAUD ARE CITED

Claim Is Made That "Whey Butter" Shipped Out of State Is Sold as Wisconsin Creamery - Sleigh Bill Back to Committee.

By FRED L. HOLMES.

Madison, Feb. 18. - Farmers from all sections of Wisconsin will be here on Wednesday to appear on the hearing scheduled before two committees of the legislature on the whey butter law.

Assemblyman William R. Olson of Green county has offered a bill for the repeal of the present whey butter law. Under the old law, when cheese had been made the whey, or residue remaining, was run through a cream separator and the butterfat thus obtained was made into a whey butter. By the terms of the present law this butter was labeled "Whey Butter." The claim is now made that, when shipped outside of Wisconsin, the label is removed and the butter is sold as good Wisconsin butter.

Most of the farmers who will appear here on Wednesday will be in favor of the measure. They think by the repeal of the law the deception on the public outside of Wisconsin can be controlled.

The wide-sleigh bill, which was recommended for passage by the assembly committee on state affairs, has been sent back to the state affairs committee for further hearing. The claim was made that this law would compel many farmers to buy new sleighs and that millions of dollars' worth of present sleigh property would be destroyed. After debating the matter for a long time, the committee sent the bill back, directing the committee to give further hearing to the plan.

Assemblyman A. C. Otto, Milwaukee, has a bill to control the sale of firecrackers and fireworks. His measure provides that no firecrackers, torpedoes, roman candles, bombs or other fireworks shall be kept or displayed in any place within 200 feet of a neighboring building.

A big fight is expected in the house on Wednesday over the Ganz resolution to limit by constitutional amendment the length of the legislative session to 90 days. Strange as it may seem, most of the old members of the legislature are opposing the plan. They claim that bad bills are passed by pushing legislation through in a hurry.

The circuit judges of the state are now asking for an increase of salary. They are at present receiving a salary of $5,500 annually. Both houses of the legislature have given some consideration to the matter and the joint judiciary committee will recommend a bill favoring a $1,000 annual increase.

This increase in salary will not apply to judges during their present term of office and the total expenditures during the next two years will only be about $2,000, as only two judges will commence new terms within the next two years. There are 25 to 30 judges in the state. Many of these judges claim that the cost of living has gone up so rapidly that they are unable to live on a salary of $5,500.

Senator Timothy Burke of Green Bay has offered a bill providing for the annual encampment of soldiers returning from the world war. Under the terms of this bill encampments in 1919 will be held at the Camp Douglas military reservation and the expenses will be paid by the state. A new organization to bring together members of the different companies, sailors, soldiers and marines, is proposed by some of the legislative leaders, and former State Senator Ackley plans to have a bill before the legislature which will give official recognition to the new organization.

Scores of petitions are being received in the legislature protesting against the passage of the Kandutsch bill providing a tax on the farmers' dogs. Other petitions which are being received ask that the state dairy and food commission be given power to prevent the starting of new cheese factories or creameries without the consent of that department. Hundreds of petitions are coming in favoring the passage of the Kuckuk bill increasing the amount of tuition which a town must pay for the education of children in a nearby high school from $36 to $72 a year.

Among bills offered in the senate were:

Stevens - Providing that compensation of registers of deeds may be increased when his fees are less than $500 a year.

Wilkinson - Regulating the making of abstracts of title.

Wilcox - Providing that milk and cream shall be paid for at the depot on the basis of the butterfat test.

Bever - Creating a joint board on public buildings and improvements in Milwaukee city and county.

Burke - Providing for a field encampment in 1919 at the Wisconsin military reservation for veterans of the European war.

Wilcox - Amending the constitution to permit issuance of highway bonds up to $50,000,000.

Huber - Forbidding the sale of cigarettes to persons under eighteen years of age.