Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-24
CAPITAL D0lNGS.

Is something peculiar 70 look IT tnat
one legislative body invariably re
peals what the preceding one
enacted. When a law is passed the
people do not have time to try it
before it is repealed. Of all the
bills already introduced fully one
half provides for the repeal Of some
existing statute. The other half if
passed, will probably be repealed
by the next legislature For this
kind of work the taxpayers of this
State pay annually over 100000
1t was therefore, in order for some
square-headed legislator to propose
a remedy, and the same has been
done by two resolutions--one i'll the
Assembly and one in the Senate
being introduced. They provide
for the setting before the people an
amendment to the constitution,
making biennial sessions Of the leg
islature compulsory. The highest
estimate Of one Of these sessions IS
$130,000, which would save more
than s40,0 cooper year, Then again,
there would be an advantage i'll BIZ
ennial sessions by which we could
test law, and there would not be
so much business transacted III re-
pealing. There Is, however very
little chance of the bills passage
Senator Campbell has introduced
two bills authorizing the city and
town of Mineral Point to borrow
$4,000 and $4,000 respectively
from the State funds. The bills
have been fayorably reported back
by the committee, and there are
good reasons to believe that they
will pass.
Mr., Mills has introduced in the
Assembly bill regulating the rate
of interest on borrowed money 1t
provides that 8 and s per cent shall
| be the maximum rates. | am of
opinion that it will not pass as there
are good many men who lend
money once in awhile who hold
seats in the legislature.
| A bill relating TO tramps, intro
duced i'll the Assembly, has created
q buzz in some circles. 1t provides
that any person over l6 years OF
age who shall be found wandering
from place TO place without visible
means ofsupport shall be deemed a
tramp, and the penalty for being
such shall he six months at hard
labor in the county Jail, and if such
person refuse to work he shall re-
ceive at the hands of the sheriff
not less than twenty lashcs from a
cat-o-nine-tails. The general feeling
on the subject seems to favor the
bill, and in my opinion it is just
about the right thing.
| A bill has been introduced by
Senator Campbell fixing the salaries
of the State officers at one thousand
dollars lower respectively, than they
now are. There is little danger
of its passing although it is good
bill. The State officers usually
have too much influence for such a
bill to pass.
II is said that bill is to be intro
duced in the Senate which will ef-
feet great saving to the State. i
is to provide for an outfit Of ncces.
sary stationery including postage to
be given to each member of the
legislature. This would cost about
$40, and would save the State
$4,50O. 1t would also cut off the
800 in newspapers, saving o.
$4,000 more. The saving IN the
passage Of such bill would be
about $1,000 per year, and would
moreover wipe out what is actually
a disgrace to the State. The SUI
perintendent of Public Property has
placed show case on his counters
in which he displays his wares
which are drawn a. stationery
1t contains gold pens Of every size
from the smallest and most elegant
for lady's use "Papeterie' Of the
rarest designs in the most beautiful