River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-03-28
THE LEGISLATURE AND IT'S WORK.

| SemDly Helu lOI years. Jul ohO quOo-
ton of purely partisan nature of any
/ Importance came before either the
Senate or Assembly and that was the
organization of the respective houses
the organization of the Senate be-
ing effected by the Republicans and
that of the Assembly by the opposf-
ton. Under these circumstances no
extreme party measures could have
been passed by either house in the
hope or expectation of its becoming a
law, hence a conspicuous absence OF
all bills or legislation affecting one
party to the detriment of the other.
L. w. Barden, President pro tenn OF the
Senate. presided over that body dur
| inc the entire session after the first
day or two on account of the sickness
OF Lieutenant Governor Bingham at
his home in Chippewa Falls, and PROV
ed very acceptable officer, while A.
R. Barrows, Speaker of the Assembly,
agreeably surprised his best friends
by proving far better presiding Off
Ger than they dared hope, and turned
| out to be one of the most popular
Speakers ever in the chair of the As
sembly Chamber.
In the Senate were introduced 2l5
bills, % joint resolutions, 80 resolu-
tions and memorials to Congress; in
the Assembly, $40 bills, So Joint reso-
buttons, so resolutions and IL memori-
ais to Congress; besides these both
houses were flooded with petitions
aud remonsrances for and against the
passage of certain measures, the most
important being Prices prohibition
resolution and that of taxing InSu-
rance Companies. Of the 342 bills
which passed and became laws 1l3
originated in the Senate and 900 in the
Assembly; from this it will be seen
that considerable over one-half the
bills introduced were not permitted to
see the Statute books. The most i'm
portant measure which passed was
hot finally acted upon until next to
the last day of the session, bill in re-
lation to the collection and re-assess-
ment of taxes. upon which was but a
| light vote in either house, many of the
members having gone home.
The amount of the special appropri
alton bills passed by this session foots
up in round numbers the snug sum of
$34l, 836.94, portion of which can
safely be set down as being of ques
tionable nature. The bill passed au-
thorizing the State tax levy calls for
$405, 900, a portion of which will go to
make up a deficiency of we believe
| $4,000. The bill providing for a
change in the system of publishing the
Supreme Court Reports, land choking off
the monopoly which has heretofore
governed their publication, became a
| law and thus one combination less ex-
lists whose object it is to plumber the
people. The School Book question
was disposed of for the present by the
appointment of q commission to in
vestigate this whole question in all
its bearings with instructions to re-
port at the next regular session.
While the people of this section OF
the State are Interested in common
with others in all acts of the Legisla-
ture. those in which the people of
Pierce county are especially interest
ed are as follows:
Changing the time for holding Cir
cult Courts herein from the fourth
Monday in May and November to the
second Monday OF june and Deem
| Der, of each year.
Legalizing the action of the Board
of Supervisors in releasing County
Treasurer Paine and his bondsmen
from all liability Tor moneys due the
County by Miller 6 Westfall.
Prohibiting the catching of trout in
the waters of Pierce county for a term
of three years.
Authorizing the Red Wing and Tren-
ton Transit Company to erect bridge
across the east channel or slough of
| the Mississippi river, and also author
izing said Company to transact bust
ness in this State.
Providing for laying out and estab-
| fishing State Road from Stock
holm. in Pepin county, through the
counties of Pierce and st. Croix to
Clear Lake, in Polk county.
There seemed to be no particular
| leader in either house distinguished as
such, though Senator Price, of Jack
son, by his persistent advocacy of ex-
IRENE temperance measures became
| the most conspicuous in the Senate, on
the Republican side, Senator Hudd, OF
Green Bay, being recognized as the
| most conspicuous of the Democrats,
unless we except 10. Rankin, of Mani
| towoc. In the Assembly, the most
prominent among the Republicans
| were Kelly. of Brown, Pierce of
Adams, Pope, of Jackson, Bryant, of
Dane, and Carter. of Grant, and among
the Democrats. Warner Of 0utagamie,
Keogh of Milwaukee, and Condit of
Monroe. Henry Smith, of Milwaukee,
Socialist, was party all by himself
and made trouble for pious people by
his efforts to do away with religious
teachings in institutions supported by
public money.
The Senate was furnished with free
| prayers by the Madison clergy. II the
Assembly the members did not wish