Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-21

|
: home commerce. - ,.... .-.s
In the enforcement of the policy indicated
III the propositions above stated, many obyi
Gus difficulties are attendant upon direct
exercise of state authority, by the application
or unyIedlng rules OF law. In many of the
states, efforts have been made to avoid statu-
tory complications by the appointment OF
commissioners. vested with more or less au-
thol1tv, to hear and determine complaints.
and to RESTRAIN Or abolish abuses. I am con-
strained to say, that this experiment has not
thus far realized all the beneficial results an
tlclpated. In many cases. however, commits
slons of this kind have largely contributed
to better understanding between the Deople
and the railways, and have made public fund
OF information, without which comprehen-
sve and efficient legislation Is com
paratively impossible. Such commits
sion in our state, if Intelligent
ly constituted, would undoubtedly
contribute much towards the ultimate soln-
ton OF all the questions at issue. No recon-
mendation for the postponement or eyasions
OF direct and immediate legislation, as far as
practicable. should be implied from this sug-
gestion, This commission should be designed
DIS the supplement, and not as the substitute,
OF legl latlve authority, and it's powers should
comprehend no power which can be efficiently
exercised by the Legislature itself. In brief,
no responsibility as to the main question in
| vOlvea can be Justly or safely avoided and in
submitting the foregoing propositions and
suggestions, most earnestly assure the Leg
| lslatCre OF the hearty cooperation of the ex-
ecutive department., within the sphere of it's
| constitutional duty, IN every measure for the
more complete protec ton of the public from
the evils complained Of. ~#
| In this place, permit me to say that the i'm
portance OF this topic OF transportation is not
| exaggerated by those who have forced it upon
public attention., Wisconsin is essentially an
agricultural state. OF the total assessed
1 x,ol11 a ~ fhar otoa - %l,cr-1,
one-half consists of land exclusive Of city and
village lots But a small fraction of this vast
landed empire is yet under cultivation and
| the portion which has been improved Is sus-
| ceptlbe OF an almost incalculable increase in
production and value. While thousands of
men and women in the larger cities of the
country are clamoring for employment and
| for bread, millions of broad and fertile acres
within our territory still await the
! protecting power of impartial laws
and the investment of enlightened la
Dor. would not deprecate the value of a
| prosperous commerce, of our growing manu-
! features, or OF our extensive mineral wealth
still hidden IN the earth and impatlently await
| ing development, under the magic influences
OF Industry and capital. No state in the union
| can boast OF resources more rich and varied.
No chemist ever compounded with nicer adj
| justment than Providence has apportioned
within our state the ingredients of soil, eli
mate, Timber, minerals, water powers all the
opportunities for mechanical and m anufac-
turing Industry. But all these sources of
wealth are directly or remotely related to or
dependent upon the development and pros
perity OF agriculture. From the soil we in
habit is priin arily derived all that constitutes
our Independence and progress, and the hap
piness OF our people. Without these natural
products of the earth we should have little to
boast OF in any branch ofindustry. The art Of
agriculture is the parent of all arts, nd it's pro-
ducts the foundation Of all wealth, but it is
through due proportion Of acres 10 work
shops of bra1nW to sineW-of labor to
science, that the resources of our state Can be
most fully developed, and the material pros
perlty of her people most surely secured. If
agriculture, then, be the bedrock upon
which all other Industries rest, the farmers of
Wisconsin feel that they have rights which
Legislators are bound to respect. State, coun-
ty, and local societies are doing much to en-
courage this branch of industry, and recon-
mend that the same legislative aid at least
which has heretofore been granted to the
state aud county organizations be still con-
timed. e.. -, ., .as ,a .-.....s -.z.
Not alone because of it's intrinsic Importance
does this interest demand your special pro-
lection and defense. The farming population
OF our state are far removed from the centres
Of political power. Their occupation, thus
far, has been wholly individualized. Unlike
great mon1ed interests which are organized
and cohesive, they are never found in the lob
bies of our legislature. They employ no at
torneys to lnfest your presence and to corrupt
the fountains oflaw. They seek no private
avenues to the public treasury. They ask no
special enactments for the benefit OF the few at
the expense of the many. They enter into no
combinations for the subversion OF the princi-
between man and man.. Submissive
to the stern decree which compeIs
them to lives of hard but cheerful toll, they
trust alone to the fidelity of their sworn rep
resentatlves. To violate this confidence and
permit the workingmen of our state to become
the prey OF the professional sharper and
spokesman of the lobbies, would be not merely
a technical violation OF our oath Of Office, but
a surrender of every honorable attribute of
our manhood. HH srEl t9 f#5a 5
COMPLAINTS OF PUBLIC CORRUPTION.
It must b5 admitted that the popular COM
plants Of public corruption manifest in the
country at the present time are not without
substantial foundation. Thsee complaints do
not originate altogether in specific assaults
upon the public treasury, or special and def
mite violations Of the popular rights by the
legislative power. They relate to the whole
social and political structure. The period of
our civil war was succeeded by public debt,
and public debt has been accompanied by in
ordinate expenditures for the support Of the
government. A secondary result is the effort
to place the interess tot partisan organizations
above the claims of good government, and to
protect favored classes at the common ex-
pense.
Private life never fails to profit by public
example. Greed for Office, social extravaganza,
immortality, contempt for honest labor, corr
porate extortion, and the efforts Of the specu-
lative classes to amass and enjoy wealth not
honestly earned, are evils which have, ensued
in their logical order. '''
1 am not unconscious of the difficulties at
tendant upon the endeavor to resist estab-
lished currents of thought and reverse rules
of action invested with the sanctity Of long
practice and precedent. We shall net be like
" to forget, however, that the responsibility
Of our State in respect to the issues now
absorbing public attention is much enhanced
by the fact that our people were among the
first to realize the magnitude of those issues,
and to demand a formal recognition OF them
by their representatives in power. The inf1u
ences of your action and example, therefore,
are not wholly limited to your immediate con-
stituency, but in an important degree pos
sesses national aspect. It is for us 10 de-
termine whether the purposes of government
are superior to the purposes of party whether
honesty and intelligence or personal avarice
and Importantly constitute qualifications for
office whether legislatures shall intelligent
lr1 q 4k4 y L. 49, 4