Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-02-08
MADISON.
Legislative Proceedings at the Capitol For the
Past Week.

After struggling for three weeks witt
the question as to whether the Assem-
bly, should transgress the constitutions.
provision prohibiting members from
receiving State stationery and decid
ing in the affirmative, that body has
at length experienced qualms of con.
science and this morning decided Il
pay for what has been illegally OBJ
tanned, a visit to their constituent.
having probably convinced them thai
that course would be the better one tc
pursue. The resolution authorizing
the Superintendent of Public Property
to sell each member S. worth of sta.
tionery for cash, at cost to the State
was introduced by an Independent
Democrat, Mr.. Naber. The amend
ment that the amount already furnished
by Chief Clerk Carr be included in tina,
sum, emanated from another Indcpen,
dent, Mr.. Kunz. Mr.. Naber supple
mented the introduction of the amend.
ment by a vigorous denunciation of the
majority gag-law which had been used
several times to muzzle the minority
when the Democrats had enlarged on
their virtues and prevented a reply
from the opposition by having recourse
to the previous question, which they
were enabled to enforce by their mum
bers.
The weight Of the stationery question
is felt to rest heavily on the present
Legislature, as being the first one to
meet under the biennial amendment,
and whose precedents will therefore
govern to some extent the action of the
next Legislature. In the Assembly the
stationery provided was returned by
the Republicans, and they were, there
fore, consistent in voting for the resolu-
ton. Those who insisted that the Chief
Clerk had acted constitutionally, and
then voted for the resolution as amend
ed, acknowledged their error by their
vote. A number of Democrats were
actively engaged this afternoon in show
ing the inconsistent ones their error.
and an attempts to be made tomorrow
to reconsider the question.
The discussion in the saleo of state lands
shows that at the beginning of the fis-
cal year the State owned 1,17S, 423, 20
acres. Within the past four months
about 5000 acres have been sold leav-
ing still in the market 1,098, 423 acres.
Besides this the state has received pat
ents from the national government for
167,210,OS acres also by warrants scrip,
ETC.. previous to March 8, 1887, for
q ,36S,6 2 acres and yet claims Ill, 1885,
80 acres. 1t is therefore urged by friends
of the measure that raising the price of
the lands is by no means locking the
doors aftar tho horua 10 ctolap
Two important measures now before
the legislature and at present pending
in the hands of the assembly committee
on state affairs are bills to tax the ex-
press companies two per cent. of their
gross earnings and a bill licensing the
palace car companies doing business in
the state Arguments were heard on
the first bill. Z. w. Keyes and F. Gill
appearing for the American Express
Company. The palace car bill is held
waiting the appearance of the legal
representatives of the companies.
The WATERFOWL b~ondholders are en-
deavoring to get a bill passed by which
the value of their bonds. The interest
III iCtAutibS iuiClCob W t18UJ per cent
ordered to a third reading in the as
sembly. Bill introduced taxing rail-
roads and requiring them to take out a
license.
In the Senate the assembly joint reso-
luton relating to stationery came up
and was Indefinitely postponed by the
following vote:
Ayes-Ackley, Adams, Chase, Cot
trill, Erwin, Hudd, Kingston, Lord, Nc
Donald, Miffert, Palmetier, Pingel,
Randall, Renge, Ryland, Smith, Wiley.
Noes-Bennett, Blake, Carey, Cole
man, Comstock, Flint, Hill, Jonas,
Minor, Parry. Reed, Sherman, Stanley,
Warner, Webb.
The adoption of Strong's history as a
text book for the schools of the state
would involve an outlay of about $780,
900. The senate committee while COM
mending the excellence of the work do
not think it is adapted for use as a text
book.
The farmer members of the legisla-
ture held preliminary meetings for pur-
pose of organizing to push legislation
in their interest. Curley, of Crawford,
chosen chairman.
The bill taxing express companies il
is thought will pass the lower branch OF
the legislature. The American Express
Company has sent out circulars to
agents asking them to lay the alleged
injustice of the bill before the member
from their district if acquainted with
him, and ask him as a personal favor
to vote against it. If they are not ac-
quainted with the member they are
directed to get some friend to in
tercede.
The Committee on Elections present
a majority and minority reportj in the
Door county contested election case.
The majority report being in favor of
Spear, the contestant, on the ground
that nine ballots claimed by Spear and
thrown out by the canvassers rightful-
ly belonged to him. The minority re-
port holds that Spear only CLAIMED five
of the disputed in his notice of contest
and that they were cast by voters for
NJ. A. Spear, the brother of the contes-
tant, who was electioneering for him,
and who was thought by many to be the
candidate.
The bill for the exemption of laborers
attracts much attention. There is a
disposition to raise the exemption from
thirty dollars per month of earnings to
sixty dollars,
At q Democratic Caucus of members
of the Assembly it was decided to allow
each one to vote as he pleased on the
contested election case and a committee
was appointed to draft a new license
bill.
A bin has been introduced requiring
railroads to examine employees for
color blindness and reject those whose
sight is affected, n new examination
being demanded every two years. The
resolution increasing the number OF
employees in the assembly was adopted.
The bill for granting life-certificates to
teachers holding county certificates OF
the first and second grade, or limited
state certificates, and who have taught
for t%wenty-one years, was amended SO
as to include county SCI DOL superin-
tendents under like circumstances.
Senate met and transacted a small
amount of business and then adjourned
to Monday. Motion made to suspend
the rules and pass the express tax bill.
Motion defeated. Assembly then took
a rest until Monday evening.
A bill has been introduced in the sen,
ate requiring each city, village, anC
town to appoint a hoard of health In