Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-01-27
OUR MADISON LETTER.
Doings OF the Leglsiators-Po llticai r ell igious
ETC., etc.
MADISON, Wis, Jan. "a

MADISON, WIS, Jan. "a.
The wheels of the legislative ma
chine have begun to move, and ere
long will be turned out large grists OF
statutes some of which will be good,
others bad. needless and Indifferent
The fact is generally acknowledged
that there is too much legislation.
Laws are enacted, and before their
merits are tested, are amended or re-
pealed. And yet, strange as 1t may
seem, there are less than half dozen
members of both houses of the pres
ent Legislature, who are not hard at
work getting up bill, which they
hope to see enacted into a law. The
ambition Of the average legislator
seems to be to arise and say, "Mr.
Speaker" or "Mr President" and
send to.the clerks desk bill to
amend the game law, or to prohibit
fishing in some mill pond. The re-
suit of this foolish ambition is not con-
fined 10 a large pecuniary expense,
but we have needless laws, conflicting
laws. and unconstitutional laws. One
fifth OF the laws enacted last year will
probably be amended or repealed
this, and considerable number of
those of longer standing will share
similar fate.
In view of all the unwise and need
less legislation with which the peo-
pie are burdened, and the enormous
expense attending the annual meet
ings of the Legislature, tits no wonder
that the sentiment in favor of biennial
sessions is increasing outside of Madi
son, | mean of course. The session
OF last year cost the State more than
$50, 900 and this is little lower than
the average.
TIE number of bills introduced up
to date is little, if any, less than 100,
| besides resolutions, memorials, etc.
Some of these are of general interest,
and most Of such | will name:
BY Sentaor Bryant to appropriate
$4,000 to the State Agricultural So
ciety. BY Senator FAIR to repeal
section s, of chapter 34l, laws of
1874. This is the section of the rail-
road law which prohibited members
of the Legislature, State office and
Judges from accepting passes from
railroad companies, or purchasing
tickets at less than the established
rates. 1t is hardly possible that this
section will be repealed, unless the
whole law is wiped out. The men,
bers, no doubt, would gladly avail
themselves of the privilege Of riding
over the State on "dead-head" passes:
but they will hardly have the courage
to so announce by their votes. A
call of the ayes and nays would be
the death of this measure.
Bills have been introduced by SEN
ator Reed to appropriate the follow.
ing sums to the various institutions of
the State to the Northern Insane
Hospital, $Il7,7OO: to the Industrial
School for Boys, $3l, 900: to the Mad
ison Insane Hospital, $70,500: to the
Deaf and Dumb Institute, $4,000
to the Blind institute, $4,000 to the
State Prison, $27, $40 for the pay
ment of the balance due on pensions
to soldiers orphans $4,000.
The following bills appropriating
money have been introduced: by Sen
ator Eastman, to appropriate $372.60,
and interest from 1862, to Conrad
Krez, for pay as Colonel before he
was mustered into the I 5. Service,
and while in the service of the State.
Senator Baker : to appropriate to
VIM. r. Stowe 1927, and interest
from 1868, Gin full payment for SER
vices as chaplain of the 9th regi.
ment." Senator Bryant to appro.
pirate to the State Board of Centen-
NAL Managers, $4,000. "to be ex-
pended under their directions, for the
purpose Of arranging for, and making
a proper exhibit, of the products, re.
sources and advantages of the State
at the Centennial exposition. Sen
ator Mitchell to appropriate to the
Fish Commissioners $4,000 for the
purpose of raising "blooded fish,"
erecting a hatch house, etc. Senator
Campbell: to appropriate $1,000 to
the Southwestern Agricultural and
Industrial Association. Senator
Rounds to appropriate similar sum
to the Northern Wisconsin Agricul
tural and Mechanical Association.
Tax payers will doubtless read the
above and shudder. have not foot
ed up the amount any one who does
SO will find the sum to be consid-
cradle. The question will occur to
most minds are all these appropria-
tons needed Your correspondent
can not undertake to give answer. 1t
occurs to him, however, that with sew
eral thousand dollars in its treasury
the State Agricultural Society might
snake both ends meet" without re.
ceiving 81, 900 annually from the State.
He also thinks that the practice of
appropriating 500 annually to the
several county agricultural societies
of the State, might be discontinued,
without seriously Gripping the agri-
cultural interest The sum drawn
from the treasury by these societies
is increasing annually : because the
number of organizations are increas-
ing. Besides the county societies,
there are a number of district socie-
ties, and the amount of 800 per year
does not satisfy these. To one or two
of them 81 900 was appropriated last
year. The number that ask this
amount will be larger this than last
year, and if the practice is continued
will doubtless be increased every
year. Where will the end be If
this practice is adhered to the time is
not far distant when it will draw i'm
mense sums from the treasury. AS a