WISCONSIN

567

Reports of the various Executive Departments of the State. Charleston.

Atkinson (G. W.). Prominent Men of West Virginia.

Leiois (V. A.), History of West Virginia.

Willey (W. P.), An Insight into the Formation of West Virginia.

WISCONSIN.

Governnieilt. — The legislative power is vested in a Senate and Assembly. Tlie Senate consists of 33 members elected for a term of four years, only about one-half of the members being elected at one time. The Assembly consists of 100 members, elected for a term of two years, all of the members being elected at the same time.

Eligible to the Legislatm^e are all males who are qualified electors in the district to be represented and who have resided one year within the State, except members of Congress and office holders under the United States. Wisconsin has universal suffrage for males over 21 years of age. There is no property or educational qualification.

Wisconsin is represented in Congress by 2 Senators and 11 Represen- tatives.

Wisconsin is unique among other States in that it has delegated important legislative power to three Commissions, each of Avhich is composed of three members at 5,000 dollars yearly for each. The Eailroad Commission fixes rates of railroads and public utilities ; the Tax Commission assesses and collects all taxes, including the new progressive income tax ; the Industrial Commission administers all laws relating to factory inspection, women's and child labour, workmen's compensation, truancy, street trades, free employ- ment offices, &c. The latter commission has power to enforce rules of its own making regarding the safeguarding of machinei'y, sanitation and ventila- tion.

Governor.— F. E. McGovern, 1913-15 (5,000 dollars).

Secretary of State. — John S. Donald.

The State Capital is Madison ; population, 25,531 in 1910.

Area, Population, Education. — Area, 56,040 square miles, of which 54,450 square miles is land. In 1910 the population numbered 2,333,860 (1,208,541 males and 1,125,319 females) of whom 512,569 were of foreign birth ; 2,900 were negroes ; 10,142 Indians ; 224 Chinese and 34 Japaaese. The foreign-born population in 1900 numbered 515,971, the principal nationalities represented being Canadian, English, German, Irish, Norwegian . Polish, Swedish, and Italian. In 1910 the population of the cities was as follows : —

Cities

Pop.

Cities Green Bay .

Pop. 1 25,236

Cities

Pop.

Milwaukee

373,857

Ashland . .

11,594

Superior . .

40,384

' Eau Claire .

18,310

Janesville, .

13,894

Racine . .

38,002

1 Fond du Lac.

18,797

Beloit . . .

15,125

Oshkosh . .

33,062

' Appleton , .

16,773

Manitowoc .

13,027

Lacross . . .

30,417

Kenosha . .

21,371

Merrill . .

8,689

Madison . .

25,531

, Marinette.

14,610

ChippewaFalls

8,893

Sheboygan

26,398

Wausau . ^ .

16,560

Stevens Point

8,692

The chief religious bodies are ; Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist,

Congregationalist, and Baptist,