Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-03-24
No. FL
The Late Legislature.

deavors to make point against it t.
its extravaganza. The fact is the sc,
sion was five days shorter than that
the previous "reform" legislature, an
the state tax levied was some $50 ,0Gl
less than the year before, and woul'
have been much less still had it n,
been for the large appropr riation ths
became necessary to rebuild the blins
institution, which was destroyed by fire
The only other point it makes againsi
the legislature is that it blundered Oh
the railroad bill. We explained las5
week all about the alleged blunder
We repeat our explanation once more
so that all can see how much of blum
der was perpetrated, if any at all, ant
who is responsible for it.
A bill was introduced early in the
session by Senator Quimby, amending
the Potter act 1t referred to the sey-
eral classes of railroads, A, B & G, and
provided for some increase in their
tariff rates. After the bill had been
ordered to third reading in the Sen
ate, bill introduced at a later
day, in the assembly, by DR.. Mitchell,
of Marquette, came up for considera
ton. The railroad committee reported
some amendments to it, dividing ali
the roads into two classes instead OF
three, as the Potter law and the Quinn
by amendment provided. Both bills
were passed and were in perfect har-
mony, considered in the order in which
they were introduced, but as the Mitch
ell bill, which divides the roads into
two classes, got through the house first,
and was published first, and then the
Quimby bill followed, which retained
the three classes made the year be fore,
1t is claimed that the last named act
virtually repealed the Mitchell act, SO
far as a classification Of roads was con-
cerned. If the authorities had pub
lished the Mitchell act last. as it should
have been, being the latest act intrs-
duced, there would have been no con-
fict whatever, for it would have mod
fed the Quimby act to correspond By
providing for two classes of roads.
If anybody is to blame in the mat
ter at all, it is the governor, who,
with both acts before him and under
standing perfectly the intent of the
Legislature, should have been quick to
discover the seeming conflict into the
two acts, and called the attention df
the legislature to it, while that body
was in session, and enabled it to have
corrected the error But he made no
such discovery. While the assembly,
In the language of the Neaos,
" looked like gathering of the pa
tlents in '' an asylum for the feeble
minded" and one of the members
"(who hadn't intellect enough to carry
hin through a dreamy had a painful
look on his face when trying to de-
eide which side to vote on some ques-
ton not settled in the grange caucus
Half Of them could not address a let
ter home, or write their names, with
out running their tongues out of their
mouth.-Forty.. members of :the two
houses could be selected who had not
brains enough altogether to "set an
auctloneer up in business" hadn't sense
enough to detect the blunderirg of these
lunatics, is statesman of the highest,
order and of the keenest perceptions
in the sight of the argus-ayed editor
Of the News, who can see nothing
wrong In the acts of his political
friends, and nothing right in those
who are of a different way of think
lng-Portage Register.
THE GRAssHoPPER VICTIMS OF
kANsAs.-ToPEKA, Kan, March II.
Reports submitted in the regular
meeting of the State Central Commit,
zee to-day show that the committee has
received $4,000 in cash, of which
5ll,OoO remains unexpended. The
committee has also received and dis
ributed 3O5 carloads and $500 small
of provisions and cloth
ng. The estimated value of these
supplies is s250,0O0 of money and
goods contributed to the Kansas suffer
ers by the people of the other States.
The committee will invest the balance
of the money in secd-grain, of which
here is general want, and will prob
ably also issue an appeal to the country
or help In their behalf. A dispatch
ust received says San Francisco, Cal,
will furnish $4,000 worth of wheat
and barley and ship free as far as Den
yer The act Of the late Legislature
authorizing counties and townships to
vote bonds for the purchase of seed
grain is believed to be unconstitutional,
and moneyed men refuse to buy the
bonds. The people are, therefore,
practically helpless, and cannot plant
crops unless seed can be procured by
donation. The action Of the Legisla
ture in adjourning without making an