Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-18
Historical Room 5
REVISION OF THE STATUTES.

In pursuance or chapter 20S,
Laws of 1875, to collect and revise
the general laws of the State, are now
engaged upon the prosecution of that
work. 1t will not fail to occur to you
that their labors should not be embar-
raised by the passage of amendments
and new laws, except as demanded
| by urgent considerations.
CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
| The International Exhibition in
comnemoration of the centennial ami.
versary of American independence
was held in the city of Philadelphia
during the past year. 1t was suc-
cess that should crafty every citizen
of the United States. The products
of our own country were brought into
| comparison with those of other and
| older nations, and the result was fat.
tering to our people. Nearly all of
the civilized nations participated in
this Exhibition, and the combined eff
forts produced the most extensive and
most complete showing of the
products of the world, that have ever
been brought together in any one
country.
The part taken by Wisconsin in
this Exhibition was highly cFeditable
TO the State. The Board of Centen-
NAL Managers have been jealous in
their efforts TO have the natural re-
sources and products of the State
duly represented, and their efforts
were eminentiy successful. They will
give a detailed report of their work at
an early day, and / feel assured that
it will show judicious expenditure
of the money placed at the disposal of
this Board and that the State will
realize, in the future, large advan-
tages from it. Some two thousand
dollars of the sums appropriated tor
the use of the Board will remain in
the treasury after all expenses have
been paid. The attendance from this
State, was about $4,000 persons.
The active part taken in this enter
prise by the women of Wisconsin is
worthy of high praise. Their exhib,
its occupied prominent position in
the Women's Pavilion and in ele.
gance of design, superiority of execu.
ton, aud in the skill and taste of their
arrangement, were excelled by few, if
any, in that department. Our ladies'
have worked with much industry,
and have been crowned with crafty.
ing success.
An examination of the awards given
by the United States Centennial Com
mission to our State, and to individu-
al exhibitors from it, will show that
the articles presented were very su-
perior in quality. The wool growing,
the fruit growing and the dairy inter-
ests of the State were fully represent
ed /; and the exhibits received marked
attention from all visitors, and numer-
Gus awards. All in all, our people
have abundant cause for being salts.
fed with the position Wisconsin CO.
cupied at this Grand International Elk
hibition.
RAILROADS.
The report of the Railroad Com
missioner will put you in possession of
the necessary information concerning
the condition and operations Of the
several railway companies having
lines in this State. From this it will
appear that the whole number of
miles of railroad in this State is
9, 647 .06, an increase of 1920 miles
during the year 1876. The law passed
by the last Legislature, entitled an
act to amend chapter 273 of the Laws
of 1874, relating to railroads, has
proved, so far as the knowledge of
your Executive extends, a satisfactory
system of interposing the authority of
the State between railroad corpora.
tons and their patrons for the pro-
lection of the latter against the abuses
that caused the Legislature to invoke
the power reserved to it by the Con-
stitution. While the existing law
provides that all complaints against
the railroads for extortion, or dis
elimination, shall be investigated by
the. propersauthorities, and if ascer-
tanned to be we'll founded, shall be
we'll prosecuted at the expense OF the
the State, no such complaints have
been made, and the State has not been
subject to any expense on that ac-
conut during the past year. You have
come from all parts of the State, and
are fully acquainted with the wishes
and needs OF the people. If it is the
result of your observation that there
is demand based on sufficient rea-
sons for further provisions TO secure
the objects OF the law, OF rUI aun~..a
ments Of any character, you should
not fail to enact them.
THE ST CRoIX LAND GRANT.
The expense of protecting the lands
included in what is known as the st.
Croix land grant for the calendar year
1876, was 1851, $1,000 of which
was expended in exploring the hay
making the actual expense
for protecting the timber, S6,53l,
against 500 2d7 for the fifteen months
ending January l, 1876. Of this
$l2,77l was charged to the
grant between the 80 OF September,
1875, aud the time when the act OF
the last Legislature went into effect
Reports from the agents convey as
surances that the law hes been rigidly
enforced, aud that no trespasses of Sc
rious extent have been committed
during the last year,
LEGISLATIVE EXPENSES.
II seems reasonable to expect at
your hands very considerable re.
duction OF the expenses OF the session
as compared with previous years.
Economy should be consulted in the
number of employees and every re-
trenchment should be carefully inn
proved. The allowance to members,
in addition to the compensation pro-
vided by the Constitution, reach An
aggregate of about $4,000, and it is
suggested as proper subject for
your consideration whether they
should not be curtailed. But the
most jmnortapt saying will he raa-