The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-02-26
THE TRAMPS.

lature is source of pleasure and graft
fication of local pride. The princely
hospitality of Senator Rankin will leave
no want unprovided and hardly wish
unqualified, while the estimation in which
he IS held by Legislators and all the
different grades of political artillery from
the local popgun to the "big guns" who
arrange national campaigns, naturally
makes those who call themselves his
constituents" feel as if they were ''big
Injuns. A man from this county no
matter how insignificant his stature feels
his breast expand to dimensions suiting
the size of Walkers upper vestments,
when he realizes the rank taken by our
representatives in the legislature. Ran
kin and Carey are unquestionably the
ablest members of RETROSPECTIVE houses,
and their influence is correspondent.
; The State Senate is an unusually able
body this year but the ''bad timGer" in
the assembly will maintain the Legislative
acreage of intelligence at the old stand
ard. Fifty per cent of the State Senate
are candidates for congress. The ''odd
man" who is divided by this calculation
is equally divided in sentiment, putting
up no guards if lightning should choose
to strike. The senate is about as prolific
of candidates as Dodge county is of
politicians. No one ever met Dodge
county man who was not a politician.
Never was there political pow-wow q;
which the voice of Dodge was silent.
Never was Dodge county without q
delegation, and hardly ever without q
candidate.
The influences which secure the pass.
age of Il bill are never understood by the
people at large. In the assembly elo.
quence may gain friends for bill. In
the senate a speech never makes a con.
vert. A senator who makes a speech
does it for its effect upon his constit.
uents or for the purpose of cultivating
oratory. So far as producing conviction
in the minds of his fellow members he
might as well recite extracts from Moth
er Goose's Melodies. An instance of
this: Some time ago a local measure
affecting Milwaukee WAS supported by
one of the Senators from that county and
opposed by the other. The advocate OF
the bill made very exhaustive speech.
He was followed by his opponent who
said: Boys, l believe you would all like
to see me back here next year. 1 can't
come if you pass that bill" That bill
was killed in minute. What in Wash.
ington is called the courtesy of the SEN
ate" prevails to as great an extent in
Madison, though not described by q
name. If the name of popular man is
given in response to the query "Whose
bill is it 2" the bill is sure to pass unless
forbidden 10y considerations of public
policy. Still bills frequently pass on
their merits though opposed by the most
influential, aud bills for whose passage
their is great popular demand become
laws though frequently much against the
inclination of the senator's. This is the
case with the biennial session resolution.
This will pass the senate thougha majority
of those supporting it do SO under men
tai protest.
Carey is on two very important COM
mittees which keep him pretty steadily
occupied. Hemschemeyer and Pfunder
are steady, industrious members. The
house is much the more interesting
body, though the perpetual speechifying
of the members of the Judiciary commit
tee becomes little monotonous. Many
are the amusing stories of the incapacity
of Speaker Arnold, but they are matched
in number by indignant ones at his par
tisian rulings. One member whose early
home "was across the sea" and whose
face bore ample testimony to the fact
that he was not a German, q Russian or
an italian, seriously agitated the propri-
ETY. of retiring the speaker on a pen
sion and electing the clerk to the vacancy
thus created.
As illustrative of the accidents which
frequently secure the passage of bills the
following will pass: A member from
Shawano made speech on every avail
able occasion for the passage of an act
changing the name of the county of New
to Langlade. So annoyed were the mem
bers at his pertinacity that they resolved
unanimously to kill the bill. In this di-
lemma he solicited Carey's aid, who
agreed to help him but advised him to
make no more speeches. The next day,
forgetful of his promise, he was again
demonstrating the many advantages
which would result in the proposed
change of names. Carey sent him slip
of paper on which were written the
words "Stop, or you'll kill the bill. y
The orator read the words aloud and sal
down with the sententious comment, 81
guess he's right" The assembly rassed
the bill with whoop. On later occa
sion Ed. Keogh bribed an Indian tramp
to ask nickel of the Shawano man while
wasting his eloquence. The Indian ap
preached very innocently and while the
member had both arms extended to give
force to some expression, asked him fol
charity in tone which was audible
throughout the room. Shawano was
squelched by the Red Man.
The Manitowoc delegation PASSED fol
a lobby while in Madison, but they en-
ioyed the reputation of working secretly
Rankin thinks they have fully earned the
reputation of being first class judges Of
champagne.
LECTURE.