, 1874-01-16
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GOV. TAYLpn'B MESSAGE.

fayorably will, any State paper Of that kind TINT
has boon p,bltahod for many years. Though
olootod under circumstances that might have
warranted sharp criticisms On adverBo policies,
tho message Ia an ablo and digninod presentation
Of subjects Of material interest, aud ia froc from
tho least talut OF partsanBhip. In rofo1ring to
tic recent financial rovorsoB, aud tho accompany
ing domand from the people for puror public
morallty, moro equitable apportlonmont Of tho
burdens and blessings Of government, and
moro rigid economy In tho administration OF
goyornmont, ho reminds tho Legislature that
thoy havo to doal only With faots as thoy exlst,
and to apply auch constitutional remedies as
experience may suggost. Flo advises that oil
State officers should recoiyo fixed salaries, and |
that nl, foes bo paid into tho Treasury; and
montious aB public scandal TINT, While the On |
tiro sum to pay tho per diem and mileage Of tho
mombors Of tho General Assembly Is 900 per |
annum, tho incidental expenses Of tho LegiHla- |
turo amount to an equal sum. !
10 atrongly urgos reform in tie Election
law and a repeal or smp1lhcation Of tho registry
nyetom in towns and cities. Ho especially ad-
yisos change OF tho law which provides for
opening tho polla at o'clock aud closing them
ut shutdown, aud which thereby doprivoa oTory
man employed at work for'wagoH Of tito privl-
logo of voting, aavo by the charity Of hfs en-
ployor or loss of bis wages. Tho prohibition,
by inv, Of passes to all public offlcers is advised,
and the lopo ia Expressed that such n measure
will contribute to tho shortening Of Legislative
aossions.
In discussing tho Temperance Law, passed by
tho laat Logislatnro, he Justly rornarhs that
government was instituted for tho protection OF
society, and is not an appropriate tnstrumen-
tality for the definition and enforcement OF prl-
yato morally. Whilo the, precise line betwocn
tho freedom of tho individual and the rights Of
society may DO difficult to dene, the general re-
striotionB upon the oxoroiao Of Legislative power
In TINT direction arc mono tho less positive Tic
natural inclination ia to invoke tho power Of tho
Government as romody for all OWLS, md thcro
ia danger in too liberal concessions to these do
1panda. Ho thinks thore is no aggregation Of
popular evils moro to bo npprohonded than a
Government loaded with aupcrabundance OF
arbitrary powers, and burdenod with tho solf-
imposod responsibility Of righting ah tho
wrongs of which society complains. Some Of
! tho provisions at tho Temperance law conflict
with these views, and aro at tho samo time In.
efficient to accomplish the laulab1o purpose con-
| tomplntod. Il majority Of tho people OF tho
| State arc opposed to what is known as the
Grn.,asn law, aud ho edviaoa ita amendment aud
| tho ropoal of tho obnoxious provisions. Upon
tho subject Of transportation, the Governor
doupta the propriety Of appeals to tho Federal
Government for relief from tho abuses in tho
management Of railroads, independent Of tho
important question Of power, 1t must he COP
fesse1l that experience las not given occasion
for unlimited confidence in tho ability, purity, or
inpartiality Of Oongrosa in tue management Of
ontorprlsos Of this kind. Ho thinks there can
bo no doubt Of tho plonary power Of tho State
over corporationB Of its own crsation. The duty
Of tho Legislature to exercise this power to
| prevent or to abolish tho evils Of eztorsion and
monopoly Is in his Judgment cloar. Recogniz'
ing railroads as Of great importance, the state
should make no war upon them, but ut the 6amo
time should permit no abuse Of chartered
priyiloge, He submits this mattor to tho serious
consideration OF tho Legislature. He inclinos
to tho opinion that Railroad Commission maj
DO valuable aa contributing to better under
standing between the people and tho railways
hv obtaining information essential to compro
hopslye and efficient legislation. Otherwise ht
does not think tue experiment OF Board oi
Railroad Commissioners na made elsewhere ha'
! realized what was expected Of it.
After discussing tho Importance of agrloul
i ture in Wisconsin, ho thus forcibly romindH th'
Legislature Of its duty to tho farming interost
} Tho farming population Of our State aro far re
moved from tho centres OF political power Their oc
| cuuatlon thus fur las been wholly iullviaualfzed
Uukn great moneyed intcrcats, which arc organizo
and cohesive, they mover found in tho 1obbes
our Legislatures. They employ attorneys to fnca
your presence and to corrupt the fountains Of ID"
They sen private ayonuoa to the Public Treasury
They ask no specill enacnana for tue hencat OF th
few at tho expense Of tho many. They enter into
combinations for tho aubyorslou Of tho principles
mutual Justice and equality botwcen man and nnaE
Submissive to the stern locrco which compels them
ycs Of hard but cheerful toll they trua alone to til
ddclity Of thetr sworn representatives,. To v1olat
this confidence and permit tho worllngmeu Of OF
State to bocoe tho prey Of tho professional sharpe
: aud Bpoiamau OF tho 1obbies, would DO not merely
technical violation Of oath OF oliice, but
1endor Of every honorabte attribute os our manhood
Taken rs whole, the mossago OF Gov. Tayic
:. ia straightforward, manly, ard really able &c
: dress upon yital questions, and cannot fail
ASSURE the people OF Wisconsin TINT they mad
: no mistako when they oloctea him.
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THEY STAND By THEIR GUNS.
q Taat eumuor wheu tl,o fnruuera nf thu Nortt