Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-03-12
Especial Correspondents ofthe HHRALp.l
OUR MADISON LETTER.
The License Fee-Taxing Insurance Comp snie'
Adjournment - tounty Academies - The
President Pro tenn, s.

writing, no day has been fixed for final
adjournment, but as The business of
the session is nearly finished, it is
hardly possible that the time for an
adjournment will be extended beyond
Thursday, or Friday, at the farthest
The bill increasing the license fee
on the gross receipts of railways to 5
per cent. is still in the Senate whittier
it went from the Assembly. AS q
considerable reduction has been made
in the tariff rates, 1t is probable that
the bill will be amended by making
the fee per cent. Should the bill
pass with the amendment, these two
measures will make a saving to the
people of this State, of several hum
dred thousand dollars annually. The
Importance of the tariff bill may be
understood by the farmer, when it is
stated that the advantage of the tariff
bill over the license fee event at five
per cent. will be as 10 to /; or, where
the farmer would gain Is dollars by
the passage of the tariff bill, he would
only gain one dollar by the passage of
the license bill.
Some time ago Mr.. Speaker Bouck
introduced bill taxing life insurance
companies two per cent. on the gross
receipts and one half per cent. on
their bonds and mortgage and real
estate. The bill became very popular
in the Assembly inasmuch as it was
what is called "blow at monopolies !"
In theory, the bill was doubtless right,
but in practice there may be question
as to it soundness. 1t was Mr. Bouck's
pet scheme, and he labor hard to i'm
press on the Assembly the importance
of such a law. He carried his point,
and the bill passed by good majority.
1t came up in the Senate last evening.
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insur-
anoe Company of this State had q
powerful lobby in the Capitol during
the tendency of the bill. In the
Senate almost every member was labor
ed with and urged to vote against the
bill. Last@vening it came up, and a
motion was made, to indefinitely post
pone it, which carried by majority
of six or seven. A motion was then
made to reconsider the vote and to lay
the motion on the table. This was
too much for Senator Schmidt, who
wanted the bill to pass. lie then rose
and addressed the Senate with a good
deal of spirit, and finally stunned the
Senate as he made the open declara-
ton that the insurance company had
attempted to bride the Senators, and
that one ofthe agents came to him that
day. and told him if he would vote
against the bill he could go to GER
tain room at the Park Hotel and get
one hundred dollars. This threw the
Senate in the widest state of excite
ment. There was clamor for a full
yindication of the honor and dignity
of the Senate. Schmidt demanded
an investigation. The Senate cheered
him in the demand. Speeohea were
made, Senator's talked louder than
ever before, and the unanimous cry
was ''give US an investigation" 4
resolution was then offered TO appoint
committee and go to work and search
into the characters of the Senators.
The committee is now at work, but
what will be the result is impossible
to tell.
Preparations were made to adjourn
on Thursday; but the investigation
may possibly delay the adjournment a
day or two. There is scarcely any
business now before either house.
During the session Senator Hol-
loway. President pro tenn, pre-
sided good share Of the time. His
course while in the chair has been
such as to merit the respect and con
fidenoe of all the Senators aud it is
hardly necessary to add that he has
gained that respect and confidence.
In parliamentary law % has scarcely
a superior in the Senate He is per-
fectly at home in the chair, and pre-
sides with case, dignity and fairness
These qualifications have given SEN
ator Holloway position of honor
among his brother Senators.
The Leavenworth Times urges
49, .ko ,eIoon Lxaanars 30 RI nrou