Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-17

now ne1u by the general land office tina
there is no authority in law to pa- over t.
this state the purchase money receive,
therefor or to permit the location of al
equal number of acres from the land be
longing to the general government. Thi
declslon Is III obvious contrAvention of tn
intent OF the orr giual grant, and the State j
lnd1sputably entitled to all Of these lands 0
their equivalent. l recommend that yo1
adopt memorial to Congress on this sub
ject as it is not possible that the manifesto,
just claim of the State to indemnity can b.
rel used upon proper presentation of tn
facts.
CITY CHARTERS.
An abuse of serious proportions ha
grown up in the matter of passing specia
Jaws to incorporate cities. During the pas
five years the Legislature has passed twenty
city charters at an expense to the State Of
nearly $40 1000. In one case city was in
corporated in 1875, the act occupying fifty
six pages of the laws. In 1876, for the pllr
pose OF making a few amendments, the
charter was re-enacted and re-published al
length, occupying sixty pages, involving ar
expense OF 81, 500 for the two years. In an
other case charter was passed in 1875, sub.
| mltted to vote of the people and rejected
A second charter was passed in 1876, and
this again was submitted to q vote of the
people and rejected. Perhaps the most
hagrant instance is that of city that was
originally incorporated in 1869, and has
since had its charter re. enacted with few
| amendments no less than five times at 8 cost
to the State of $4,000. A partial remedy
would be afforded by law requiring that
charters shall be submitted to vote of the
people before they are presented to the
Legislature. But the only adequate meas
ure OF reform will be general law for the
mo oF 80
visions of this character shall have been
made in cases where charters are re-enacted
at length when it is only desired to amend one
or more sections, [ will exercise my prerOg-
alive to protect the people against the impo-
sition.
VILLAGE CHARTERS.
After the adoption of the amendment to
the constitution in 1871 sec. 81, art w., it
seems to have been understood by the leg
islature that the ninth clause prohibited the
enactment Of any special or private laws
amending existing town and village char
tiers. Since the decision of the supreme
court In what are known as the railway in
junction suits, 35 Wis, 425, a contrary be-
lief has prevailed, and been acted upon,
based on the general expression employed
in that decision, that "the amendment is
prospective only, not retrospective" From
the TACT that only the seventh clause of this
amendment was before the court, and the
ninth clause contains additions words of
prohibition not used in the seventh, there is
reasonable ground for doubt as to the cor,
RICHNESS Of the later action by the legisla-
ture; and as an unWarranted extension of
the language of the opinion may lead to
very grave complications in the affairs of
the n unlclpal corporations, would recon-
mend that the question of the interpreta-
ton of the ninth clause of the amendm ent
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
ganization of the Territory and State, de-
posted in the Executive Office, where pub
lie convenience require their detention.
These records or copies thereof are not un-
frequently needed as evidence in our courts,
and as there is some uncertainty under the
law what officer shall certify to the facts
which appear therein, would recommend
the passage of a law making the certificate
of the Private Secretary with reference to
the records prin,a .facie evidence of the facts
certified by him. [ would further recon-
mend that privy seal be authorized for
the Executive Office, and that of official GER
tihcates of the Private Secretary be anthem
ticated thereby.
SUPREME COURT.
Your attention is called to Joint resolu-
ton, No. TO- adopted by the joint Legiala-
ture of 1876 proposing to amend section
of article VII of the Constitution of the
State of Wisconsin, providing for the add.
ton of two Justices to the Supreme Court.
Should it be deemed best to submit this
question to the people, the proposed amend
ment will require your assent at the present
ession.
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,
and in consequence it became necessary to
publish them in two volumes, at an ad-
ditional expense to the State of $780, It
would seem that some discretion might
safely be left with the Secretary of State,
or some other officer.
PEDDLERs' LICENSES.
Chapter 395 of the Laws of 1876 relating to
hawkers and peddlers, 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 a license. 1t cannot be sup
posed that the Legislature intended to raise
revenue from that source. It has come to
my knowledge that farmers who were on their
way to market with the product of their farms,
and who have bought from their neighbors to
ill up their wagons, have been arrested and
lined for peddling without a license. This is
grossly unjust, and the law should be so
amended as to afford no pretext for such a
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 Legisla
ture there are a number of bills introduced to
legalize acts done under these circumstances.
Very serious consequences are likely to result
from the loose practice that now prevails. I
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 211 of the laws of 1874,
respecting the advertising for proposals TO
furnish stationery and other supplies, as re-
quires publication in New York papers, ought
to be repealed. The cost is considerable and
no corresponding benefit is realized. The pub
LEGATION in this state and in two Chicago papers
answers every necessary purpose.
It would afford statistics OF considerable
Valuo If q lazy were nassa6 cnmna11inp naraOns