Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-03-19
especial Correspondence Of the HrRAtp.l
OUR MADISON LETTER.
si1'y Day sesslon-The Work Doue-~ hat
reform Failed 30 accom- ii.h-A Giaucs
81 the Principal Measures of tbe season.

ein t]rRisiatuFe Il SEQ It's business on
Thursday last, although the body
did not adjourn in form until to-day
Saturday at IL o'el ,ck noon. There
was no Necessity of remaining in ses-
sion til Saturday, but some OF the
| aders wanted to be lib, raj with the
employees hy giving them the benefit
OF full sixty days pay. But the
msjority of hat branch Of the legit-
lature as well as of the members on
Wednesday and Thursday drew their
pay up to Saturday, and departed iol
their homes So that on Thur-day
merning there was not quorum OF
members 10 either house.
On Thursday morning only abou
thirty members were found in the
Assembly Chamber. Nothing wa
done but to receive messages from
the Senate. Mr.. Speaker Bouck liz
formed the Assent ~ that he coulo
not remain at the capitol any longer
than that day, as private and profe :
siontl business ell lied him home. h.
therefore desired that the Assem- |
elect Speaker pro tem; who COZ
ri urn the body on Saturday. NJ.
Polio Dunning, of Madison, wsr
elected.
The members of the Assembly
made presentation to Nj. Speak !
Bouck. consisting of Grot,', Il story
# Greece, fine English edI'ion, IL
en- volumes, hound in f. II i. Thu
presentation speech was made by Mr.
B ngham. The occasion ra her d :
cted The sturdy nature of NJ
B)uck who responded with tears IN
MS eyes.
TIE WORK D3NE.
More important legislation was Z
JecIed from this session { the Leglt.
azure than from any previous sc
SION. | met under pc, uliar circun
anCes The people clam red for r.
form in the management of railwa; e
81 d in the expenditure of the puhlIc
funds. Both parties were pledged Q
toese reforms. a mo 'rity OF Il e
Il form leaders were opposed to any
radical change in railway manage :
ment. There was manifest disp0s
ton among the leaders of that party
md also among the members, to
brow off the re-pOnsib Ivy of ineul :
nrating that reform upon the mex
Legislature. This 10 evident from
the action in the Assembly under the
fuenoe of the oint Select Commit.
{ . on R,ilroad-. A very large ma
ority of the Reform members prefer r.
d the CON mission bill reported ~
That Committee, because they were
driven to it by the leaders. Had il
not been for the Repni lcan mel 1rlty
in the Senate, the people would have
noon I~G.--A~A 49, =" - i-S;sl. tor
they demanded. The hrmness o.
that body in opposing the sham bi
Of the Reformers & ve the people thu
present railway law of the state
which reduces freights on grain, live
ock and merchandise about @5 pei
cent. The PEG / may thank The
Republican Senate for this importa'
stp toward practical reform The
u.l also decreases the passenger rate
on the Milwaukee 4 81. Paul, the
Chicago / Northwestern and The
Western Union ab jut three quarters
0 cent per mile.
Another important measure which
carried into ff:ct will be ,seiDg
% the people in the way of prevent
% the curse OF ''over gislation," il
he Joint resolution providing iol
, ennial sessions of the Legislature
md making provisions for submit
i'm of the question to vote of The
.-ople next general election. The
,eople have been convinced for many
years that they have had too much
eokless legislation, and if they under
land their duty and will do it, they
VII strike at the root If this mon
rous evil by voting for the amend
aent of the cons tuition making the
sson of the Legislature biennial
and thus putting 40 end 70 the farce
The Reformers WI bear the r.
ponsib ty of securing some legisl
ion on "personsl liberty" The 't'
pal of the Graham law and the pae
-sge of the present temperance law
purely Reform measure. Their
mission may be said to be ended
when this bi PASSED. Next fa viii
Grove this. They have taken away
he responsib / ty of saloor -xeepert
which the Graham law imposed, re.
inced the bonds of the state from
| 80 900 TO $500, and now they are sa''
fled. but are convinced that their
race is run and mission ended
EXIT REFORM.
1t is generally conceded, even by
some of those who came here at the
beginning of th session flushed with
the spirit of reform, that this is the
last of the Reform Assembly. The
next session will either be Democrat
10 or Republican, aud ten chances TO
one il vii be the latter. The people
- -