Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-04-15
Legislative Extravagance.

That Legislature was more than
two thirds Republican. Our party
had undisturbed control. The pre-.
pondersnce of Republicans was co.,
sidersbly greater than in the Leris-
lature OF 1879 But the Legislature
OF 1879 was by far the moro eco
nomlcal body. II did much better
work tor the people. it had more
respect for its master. 1t reduced
our State taxes 10 not much above
half what they had been before. But
the last Legislature doubled up the
levy go that our taxes will be about
the same as formerly. How did il
come Z 1t was not because the Leg.
islsture was Republican. The Re.
publican power in the Legislature
OF 1879 was supreme That body
cut Off number of super fuous sal.
aries, reduced many others and re.
duced our taxes. That was genuine
kepublicanism. But that Legisla.
ture was chosen at a time whom the
success of the Republican ticket was
IN some doubt. The brszen fellows
and sneaks held aloof somewhat an d
allowed the strong men, the crea.
tors of the party, the men who are
in it for the sake of principle, to get
a good share of the nomins tons and
elections. Last year it was different.
The success of the Republican ticket
was certain. The fellows who are
Republicans when there ia q sure
ohancs for share in the spoils put
themselves forward and the diff
dent people allowed them to get
nearly all the nominations. The re-,
suit was two bodies of men at Mad
ison incapable of approaching the
hereafter of their party or caring
for theintereats Of the people. There
was no one there like Judge Mills to
check them in their extravaganza
or expose the mischiefs bid in many
of their legislative acts. The winter
was spent in compiling, at a noun
tain of expense. a great book OF
trash which the people have to call
laws. The leaders were men like
Kelly who count on leading their
constituents blind fold. They put
on fair face with the voters, pray
with them, or swear with them or
drink with them, and slyIy get mon
ey out of their pockets to pay large
sums of money to lobbyists for
another kind of support. And what
with the support of cunning rascaIs
aud deceived constituents, such
leaders are puffsd and bowed over
the State as able and popular men.
But when we began this we in
tended only to make quotation from
the Mineral Point Tribune. The
followingis by the editor, Bennett,
who is at Madison:
The Iribune'S criticism of the extravaganza
OF the Legislature exctes some comment
here, and individuals are said to squrm pain
fully. The late Chief Clerk of the Senate
feels especially aggrieved, understand, and
attempts TO explain the reckless extraya-
gance Of his department by charging the
Senators with having pressed applicants for
place upon him with such vigor that he was
unable to resist Without doubt the SeHa.
tors were importunate, as they always are in
urging for places, but that they were more
than twice as much so this year as last, with
the same Chief Clerk, is not to be supposed
nor is il presumable that this year. for the
first time, the Senators stipulated the number
of folos their several proteges should have
certified to -aggregating double that
usually paid. A fair presumption is. that
when Senators pressed applicants for place
upon the Chief Clerk, they only sought aud
expected share of the legitimate, or at most
tho usual spoils at the Chief Clerks disposal.
We should be sorry to believe that the Sena-
tors asked or expected the Chief Clerk to
falsely certify that clerks had written six or
eight times the amount actually accomplished
II such demands were made, Chief Clerk
who complied Herewith cannot be exonerated
thereby, on any other ground thar tha. he
was unfit for his situation.
An official published statement shows the
number of folios certified by the Chief Clerk
of the Senate as enrolled under his direction
to have been about 1900 and the number
certified by the Chief Clerk of the Assembly
to have been about 9,40o; total, in round
Numbers, 81 geo folios for which the state
paid 20 cents per folio. II is admitted that
the matters legitimately enrolled this year do
not exceed materially, if at all, the same for
last year. the actual amount of which, ap-
proximately determined by the sums paid
the State printer for the publication thereof
is found to be less than 5000 foIios, or over
eighteen thousand less than tie Chief Clerks Ger,
tired TO-
This little exhibit is not fattering TO the
Legislature Of course, and will probably not
be valuable to the Chief Clerks in furthering
their advancement to highest places at which
they aim; or even aid in returning them to
their old positions; but if it should open the
eyes of the legislators to the danger of too
strenuously pressing applicants for place up
on future Chief Clerks, it will not have been
in vain.
Rumor says that the character of some of
the parties who drew most literally for SUPP
posed service, was such as TO have an in
huence in swelling the amount OF course
now nothing about that, but Statistical
cuss" who has figured up the cos, of shis in
huence, says i would be cheaper for .he state
to establish a legislative hsrem IL the "South
Attic" than to repeat this winters expert
ment. WIN
Part of the aboee is q drive at the
gang of girls employed about the
capitol. On referring to the list we
fud the goodlooking Chas. E.
Bfoss, distributed his smiles smeng
twenty.thres good-Iookipg ladies.
J. E. Eldred had engagements with
eleven of hem. The Ssrgsants.at-
Arms he'd mono, yet we don't see
why syoung lady couldn't keep q
door as well as"enroll"or "engross.
This woman business in mems pls.
ces is one of the ways that help to
the success of designing aud cor.
Aw.A A. -