934 WISCONSIN 



valuation. If the income is less than I % of the assessed value, the income tax is yi % and if 

 the income is 12% of the assessed value, the tax is 6%. The income tax on individuals is 

 I % on the first S 1,000 of income, and an additional K^% on every extra thousand up to the 

 fifth thousand for which the tax is to be 2 % and an additional ^ % on each extra thousand 

 up to 812,000, so that the tax for 12,000 or more is 6 %. Exempt from the tax are $800 in- 

 come for an individual, 1,200 for husband and wife and $200 additional for each child under 

 1 8 or each dependent person. 



On June 30, 1910 the balance on hand in the general fund was $1,559,988; on June 30, 

 1912, 83,161,512. The receipts for the two years were 827,868,781 and the disbursements 

 $26,267,256. The state debt, on June 30, 1912, was $2,251,000. 



Education. In 1911 a state board of industrial education was created, composed of six 

 members, three being employers and three skilled employees. The state is to appropriate 

 not more than 10,000 to any industrial school and is to give this grant to not more than 30 

 schools. The board is to have charge of this fund and is to act as a trustee of the Stout Insti- 

 tute in Menomonie (opened 1908). No state aid is to be given to any school for vocational 

 teaching unless teachers in these subjects receive at least $60 a month. School boards may 

 levy fa of a mill as a tax for trade schools. The law for teachers' pensions in cities of the 

 first class was slightly amended so that if teachers do not elect to come under the act at the 

 beginning of their service they may do so later on by paying what they would have paid with 

 compound interest; and a law for retirement of teachers elsewhere than in first class cities 

 created an insurance and retirement fund to be managed by a board of five. The fund is to 

 be created by assessments for 25 years, I % a year (not more than 15) for the first 10 years, 

 and 2 % a year (not more than $30) for the next 15 years; and all who become teachers after 

 September I, 1911 agree thereby to the assessment. Other teachers may elect to come under 

 the provisions of the act before September I, 1912. From the 7 mill tax for educational 

 purposes the state treasurer is to set aside loc for every person of school age for the retirement 

 fund. Any teacher leaving the service may have half of the amount paid in. Teachers 

 retired are to receive per annum $12.50 for each year of service but in no case more than $450. 



On the petition of one-half of the voters of the school district a school house may be used 

 for meetings of non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-exclusive associations. 



The tax for the university was f of a mill and for the normal schools 5 of a mill. A high 

 school in connection with the University was opened in the autumn of 1912. In October 

 1912 the General Education Board gave $40,000 to Lawrence College, Appleton. 



For the year ending June 30, 1912 the school population was 775,472, the total enroll- 

 ment, 435,611, and the average length of school year, 170 days. The total revenue for 

 schools was 13,041,600 and the expenditures $12,475,349. 



In 1910 of the population 10 years and over 3.2% was illiterate (4.7 in 1900). 



Charitable and Penal Institutions. County boards of supervisors with the consent of the 

 state board of control may maintain tuberculosis hospitals and in county asylums for the 

 insane a hospital or pavilion may be built for the tuberculous insane. A uniform system of 

 accounting is to be introduced in asylums for the chronic insane. On the grounds of the 

 state prison there is to be erected a hospital for the criminal insane. The law provides for 

 a probation officer in any county having 250,000 inhabitants or more. In 1911 $400,000 in 

 two annual instalments was appropriated for the revolving fund of the binder twine plant 

 at the state prison at Waupun. The new plant went into operation in November 1912, with 

 an equipment sufficient to employ 100 convicts and produce 15,000 Ibs. of binder twine a day. 



History. In 1911-12 the state government was Republican of the progressive 

 type. The senate contained 27 Republicans in a membership of 33 and the assembly 

 59 in a membership of too; there were 2 Social Democrats in the senate and 12 in the 

 assembly. The legislature re-elected (January 24, 1911) to the United States Senate 

 Robert Marion La Follette (b. 1855), a progressive Republican who had been a repre- 

 sentative in Congress in 1885-91, and as governor in 1901-6 had worked for direct 

 election of senators, state control of railway rates and taxation of railway property. 

 He was a candidate in 1912 for the Republican nomination for the presidency and 

 sharply criticized the policies of both Roosevelt and Taft. His physical breakdown, 

 on February 3, induced many of his followers to support Roosevelt, but he re-entered 

 the campaign on March 13 and six days later carried the state-wide primary in North 

 Dakota (q.v.). In the Wisconsin primaries (April) he defeated Taft by 133,354 to 

 47,514, Roosevelt 628. Twenty-three delegates from the state were instructed for 

 him, and in the national convention 1 he received 41 votes. In the campaign he ( spoke 

 against Roosevelt in New Jersey and elsewhere. The other senator from Wisconsin 

 is Isaac Stephenson (b. 1829), .a wealthy lumberman, who represented the state in 



1 Governor McGovern was the Progressive candidate for temporary chairman of the 

 Republican convention and received 502 votes to 558 for Senator Elihu Root of New York. 



