Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-23
Madison Correspondence.


eating Committee has held its daily sessions
during the past week, and as they are of
private character. am unable 10 correctly
report who has been acquitted or convicted.
It is said that just as fast as the committee |
convict members Of corruption, the Legisla-
ture win expel them. and that wheH the cor
rupt ones are all cleaned out the balance VIII I
then do something. For the prosperity and |
economy of the State, trust there may be |
quorum lsft What would thorough in /
vestigatiOn reveal What has been revealed !
without investigation Why. that all the /
members ride free over all the railroads in the /
State. OF course Il would be wrong 20 sus- |
Pect that the railroad companies, who annu-
al distribute hundreds of passes among the /
members Of tine Legislature, do so from any
other motive than respect for the high /
character Of the representatives of the people /
These companies are noted for their geEerosi- !
~ and benevolence, but these traits Of chara- |
Ter do not become conspieuously manifest I
but once year, and that happens. acciden- /
tally, to occur at the assembling Of the Leg |
islature. It would be wrong in any way TO |
attempt TO check this annually recurring gem /
erous impulse in our unusually soallsss corpo- +
Fations- Nine months in the year their hearts /
are as hard as the iron rails over which their
ears roll. and then they become as /" soft as
the sinews Of the new born babe" l do not
allude to these things in a complaining mood,
but with desire TO accord justice 10 these
much abused monOpOlies. and TO show how
much and how heartily they respect the peo-
pie in their bessowing so many substantial
tokens OF kindness upon their representatives.
Since The creation of this formidable COM
mittee, ] think detect evident signs of alarm
among the railroads. They seem to be APP
pallej before the inyinsible honesty Of the
Legislature. When the arch iend encoun-
tered the arch angel.
Abashed the devil stood.
And felt how awful goodness is"
So il is with these men. Even the locOmo-
tive whistle seems 10 have become less def
ant and more subdued in as tone. Ie guilty
ccrruptionisis stand from unde. when the
bribery investigating committee make their
report TO the Legislature.
RAILROAD CONSOLIDATION.
The air is filed with frighiful Iumors re-
garding the consolidation Of all the railroads
in this State, Iowa and Minnesota. The bill /
for that purpose has passed third reading in
the Senate. The bill was introduced BY Sem
sIor Lsrkin. Of Milwaukee. ON the 18th of
January. aud has been vigorously discussed
~ the Senate. Senator Fulton strongly OPP
posed the passage Of the bill, rejecting en-
Pha;ically the wishes Of his constituents
Section second, an important prov ision of .ue
bill, reads as follows:
The Milwaukee and ST. Paul Railway Co.
are hereby authorized to purchase, lease, join /
stocks. or consolidate with any railroad or
railway company in the States of ainngso-
Ia or Iowa. and centrally to exercise all their 1
rights, privileges and franchises in either or .
both VI the named States
JUDGE S TO BE SALARIED.
a bill has teen i, PRODUCED Ly SIR. Parks. /
Ct Taukcsha. which has passed the Assem-
bly,. 10 provide for establishing the salaries of /
Probate, and to provide for the appointment |
Of Registers OF Probate. and to establish their I
FalaFies. The bill provides that the County ,
Judges shall receive for their services such |
sSlGry "A the Board Of Supervisors of tie pro-
per county shall deem or allow. The salary I
shall be established before This election. and /.
shall not be decreased or diminished during |
his term OF Office. No fees are TO be allowed |
the Judges for any services rendered. and the /
salary fixed is 10 be the only compensation
10 the Judges. In many respects this is w:se
and wholesome legislation. for it prevents
Probate Judge from picking TO Pieccs and
swallowing up the smulI estatrs of dead men.
il is moi. however. any true criterion that this
bill will become a law, for the reason that it
has passed. the Assembly. The dignified and
fasiidious Senate. tina; deals so extensively in
fine particularly. may so amend the bill that
will rob il Of its present force, if they do not
eho Jse 10 wholly defeat il.
THE STATE CAPITAL.
A bin has been introduced into the Senate
by the Committee on State Affairs, amend
ing bill that was passed last winter, appro-
priating eighty five thousand dollars towards
the completion Of the Capital, and recon-
mending in lieu thereof the sum Of one hun
bred and fifty thOusana dollars. Sixty-fiye
thousand dollars TO be paId during the year
OF 1867, and the remainder to be paid in the
year 1868 ; the State Treasurer being author
lied to make the payments as the work pro-
crosses under the contract. This stipulated
amount is expected to be sufficient to thor
Oughly finish the building.
TAXES.
The bin reported by the special commit
tee appointed BY the Governor for the revis-
ion Of the tax laws. has made the special or
der in the Senate one evening last week. and
after general discussion. with several amend
L. IL