The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-01-20

1ect. Nevertheless, the United statas hos
aince permitted entries and selections tn bo
hlaoe OF large tracts of these lands. and # Is
low 10" neid by the general land off3.e that
.iiere IS no authority III law 10 pa over To
this State the purchase mo, eT - ,s;veS
! 'iisfeior, or to permit the location of an
,,quai number of acres from the land he
lIohglng to the general government. This
uecision ls IN obvious contrayention of the
| in.ent OF the original grant and the State is
lnois SUITABLY entitled to all If these lands or
| 1nelf equivalent I recommend that Won
:uupt memorial to Congress on this sab
lect, as 1t is not possible thatthe man;fesfy
just claim of TIVE State to indemnity can he
| facts. r'''ioi VI 'ne
CITY CHARTERS.
an abuse of serious proportions has
GROWN up III the matter of passing speeial
Jaws 70 incorporate cities During the past
I'VE years the Legislature has passed twenty
Guy charters at an expense to the State of
nearly $4,000. In one case CITY was in
eofporated in 1875, the act occupying fifty
Ga pages OF the laws. In 1875, for the pur-
pose OF making a few amendments. the
charter was re-enacted and re-published at
length, occupying sixty pages, involving an
expense Of 81 500 for the two wears. In an
otner case charter was passed in 1875. sub
united to vote of the people and rejected.
A second charter was passed in 1876, and
thls sgaln was submitted to vote OF the
people and rejected. Perhaps the most
Migrant instance is that of a city that was
originally Incorporated in 1864 and has
since had its charter re enacted with a few
amendments no less than five times at cost
to the State of $4,000 A partial remedy
would be afforded by law recurring that
charters shall be submitted to vote of the
people before they are presented to the
Legislature. But the only adequate meas
ure or reform will be general law for the
incorporation of cities Until some pro-
Visions OF this character shall have been
maze, IN cases where charters are re enacted
atlength when it is only desired to amend one
or more sections, l will exercise my prerog
awe TO protect the people against the impo-
sition.
VILLAGE CHARTERS.
After the adoption of the amendment to
the constitution in 1871, Sec 81. art ", il
seems to have been understood by he leg
lslature that the ninth clause prohibited the
enactment of any special or private laws
2 an ending existing town and village char
I tiers. Since the decision of the supreme
court IN what are known as the railway in
junction suits, 35 Wis, 425, contrary be-
lief has prevailed, and been acted upon.
I based on the general expression employ ed
9 IN that decision, that 1.-The amendment is
2 prospective only, not retrospective" From
+ the fact that only the seventh clause of this
amendment was before the court, and the
ninth clause contains additional words of
Prohibition not used in the seventh, there is
r reasonable ground for doubt as to the cor
RICHNESS Of the later action by the legisla
r ture; and as an unwarranted extension OF
g the language of the opinion may lead to
3 very grave complications in the affairs OF
the n unicipal corporations, would recon-
e mend that the question of the interpreta-
e ton of the ninth clause of the amendment
be carefully investigated by you before fur
ther legislation is had Hereunder.
EXECUTIVE RECORDS.
Many important records and valuable
{ papers are now and have been since the or
+ ganizaton of the Territory and State, de-
g pcsited in the Executive Office, where pub
5 lie convenience require their detention
These records or copies thereof are not un-
frequently needed as evidence in our courts
g and IS there is some uncertainty under the
law what officer shall certify to the facts
which appear therein, l would recommend
the passage of law making the certificate
of the Private Secretary with reference tC
the records prin,n fdcie evidence of the facts
certified by him. | would further recon-
, mend that a privy seal be authorized fol-
the Executive Office, and that of official Ger
t6cates of the Private Secretary be authen.
, ticated thereby.
SUPREME COURT.
Your attention is called to joint resolu-
ton, No 10 adopted by the joint Lsgiala-
ture of 1876, opposing to amend secnon
of article VII of the Constitution OF the
} S ate Of Wisconsin, providing for the add
ton of two Justices to the Supreme Court
! he ,oI hos f<.c limit &c
question to the people, the proposed amend
ment will require your assent at the present
session.
PUBLICATION OF SESSION LAWS.
A change seems desirable in the provision
of the act relating to the printing of the
/, session laws, which declares that no vol
ume shall exceed one thousand pages
, The laws of 1876 exceeded by few pages
the number to which volume is limited,
r and in consequence it became necessary 10
! publish them in two Volumes at an adj
ditional expense to the State OF $500. 1t
! would seem that some discretion might
safely be left with the Secretary OF State,
or some other officer.
PEDDLERs' LICENSES.
CHATTER 395 of the Laws OF 1876, relating to
hawkers and pedders, ought, in my Judgment,
to be amended 80 as to allow all persons TO
buy and sell the products OF farmers without
being subject to q license. LII cannot pe sup
posed that the Legislature intended to raise
a revenue from that source. 1t has come to
my knowledge that farmers who were on their
way to market with the product OF their farms,
and who have boueh from tier nelghpors TO
fill up their wagons, have been arrested ana
fined for peddling without license. inns is
grossly unjust and the law should be 80
amended as to afford no pretext for such q
proceeding.
NoTARIES PUBLIC
1t often occurs that notaries public continue
to transact business in that capacity after the
expiration of thu term for which they were
appointed. At every session OF the Leglsla-
ture there are number OF bills introduced to
legalize acts done under these circumstances
Very serious consequences are likely to result
from the loose practice that now prevail s.
recommend that law be passed requiring the
Secretary Of State to give notaries not less
than two weeks notice of the time at which
their commissions will expire.
STATIONERY AND SUPPLIES
So much of chapter Oil of tie laws OF 1914,
respecting the advertising for proposals TO
furnish stationery and other supplies, as re-
ouires publication in New York papers, ought
to be repealed. The cost is considerable ana
no corresponding benefit is realized. The pub
Icstion i'm this state and in two Chicago papers