Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-02-22
LETTER FROM MADISON.
The School Book MonOpoiy-Biennial ses-
sions--soft on the Lake scenery-Democratic
scowls and Republican Grins.
MADISON, Wis, Feb. 10, 1877

MADISON, Wis, Feb. 10, 1877.
Special Correspondence of the Grant Co. HERALD.
This annual gathering of lawmakers
at our Capitol is nuisance and a
humbug of which the people are tired
and are DESTROYS of moro economic
al plan and to that effect a resolution
for a change in the Constitution favor
ing biennial sessions of the Legisla-
ture has been introduced this winter
in the Senate where Ike resolution
was defeated last year. The resolu-
ton sleeps in the hands of some Sem
ate committee for the last three weeks
but I hope that the measure may
meet with better success than it did
last year. The Assembly seem to
favor the Constitutional change and if
once submitted to the people, | have
no doubt nine tenths of the electors
will ratify the misunderstanding there
by at least 100000 to the tax payers
of this State every other year. Were
it not for Legislatures meeting annual
ly at the Capitol this place would be
duller than dull. Madison's harvest
is in winter when everybody who hap
pens to be called here is systematical-
" fieeced. Hotels and boarding
houses seem ignorant Of the fact that
greenbacks are nearly at par with
gold; from their charges one would
suppose that gold was $50 and up
wards.
Senate bill 2l5, creates quite stir
and meets generally with the indigna-
ton of the members. From the face
of it, it seems fat job for David At
wood & Co. Pump Carpenter tavors
the bill very muchly. which goes to
show that should the bill pass, the
Madison printing fraternity secure a
Bonanza. By said bill we are told
what good its promoters have in
store for the benefit of the people,
that they would reduce the price of
school books SO per cent; by their
programme they will wholesale at one
half the present retail price, while
book sellers will wholesale at 40 per
cent off their retail price, and they do
not ask the State to make any advances
nor do they ask for laws to punish
with fine of fifty dollars for first of
Tense and one hundred dollars for Sec
ond offense any one.who sells any book
other then such as are published by
said contractors. The commission so
created gives also fat clerkships for q
few dead-beats, all to be paid by the
State. The schools are to sell the
books furnished without pay ana be
responsible for them. The cost OF
the books is to be collected by the
Treasurer who gets his five per cent.
and so this tremendous reduction in
price is reduced to five per cent; also
the State for the funds it advances to
the company carrying on the work for
the reduction of the price of school
books has to pay from s to 10 per
cent. In some instances they pro-
pose and ask higher price than is
now asked by any book seller. The
Superintendent of Public Instruction
is not friend of the bill; as conjec-
ture il would take away some percent
aces in the recommendation and in
PRODUCTION of new school books, etc
What a blessing fer the people of this
State to possess such philaDthrops in
their midst as the advocates of this
lannon's bill seem to be--why not set
tie a handsome State pension upon
them in recognition of their past and
nrasant services rendered to the good
people of this State? In philanthrop-