Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-03-26
Madison Matters.

In connection with school topics, it
may be added that woman suffrage
bill has passed the senate, and will likely
pass the house. Itprovides that women
having the usual qualifications of age,
residence, ETC., may vote at any election
pertaining to school matters" Before
becoming law, however, this PROPOSE
ton must be submitted to the people at
the general election Of Sc, to be decid-
ed by majority of the votes cast for or
against it at that time. Should this
succeed, the first great step toward the
exercise of their full political rights by
the women of Wisconsin would be taken
and the world would move forward cor
respondingly.
/ But important as educational quesa
tons have been here this winter, the
topic of greatest interest, perplexity and
political Significance is the liquor traffic
and license. OF the many bills intro-
duced on this subject the most promi-
| btbe h9fV bDCn tACIOOoAVlC LILO ClCC
$500 uniformity license, the Friend
graded bilh which fixes the license at
from Sl0e to 500 according to location,
aud the Holman bill, which fixes the
license at 5000 for saloons employing
two persons and then adds $50 for each
additional employee The last named
embodies principle of equity by pro-
portioning the license, approximately
at least, to the business of the saloon.
! However, it was found that none of
the bills could carry. Last week the
Republican members held caucus to
agree upon course of action. Find
| ing that no two seemed to think alike,
the caucus finally agreed to submit the
matter to committee. Accordingly a
committee of five was appointed, con-
sisting of Senators Kidd and Minor and
Assemblymen Fairchild, Lowry and
Schultze, who have since reported what
is known as the compromise bill.
This differs from all others in its option
features. In all towns, villages and
cities, incorporated or unincorporated.
with population over 500, it makes
the license 5000; iu all places less in
population than 500 at $780, The option
clause provides that the $500 license
may be raised to $3.50 or $500, and the
500 license to either 5000 or $500. The
higher license rates are to be imposed
By popular vote at a special election to
be held in September, and not to be re-
peated for at least three years. The
voters may cast their ballots for the
lowest. intermediate. or highest license,
and if the votes east for high license fail
of majority, they are to be counted as
though cast for the next lowest. An
important feature. of the bill as it now
reads is that the petition of candidate
for saloon-keeper must be signed by ten
or more freeholders of uRincant6ered
| property worth at least $500
This part of the bill will probably be
amended, the number of freeholders
required lessened, and instead of re-
quiring the property to be mount ered,
it will probably be changed to proper
ty worth S500in excess of incumbrances.
The Democrats in the Assembly op-
posed the bill with two exceptions, Nc
Coy of Grant and Ryan of Milwaukee.
The expenditures for the session will
probably not greatly exceed those of
former years Quite q number of the
appropriations are for unusual demands
as those for rebuilding Science Hall,
creating a schoolfor dependent children,
&c. A bill which will probably become
a law has passed the senate voting
j 100000 for the purchase of an execu-
tive mansion. Another raises the salary
of circuit judges from $4,000 to $4,000.
The revenue of the state is likely to be
increased by the levy of o two per cent.
tax upon the gross receipts of the ex-
press corporations in their Wisconsin
offices
At present they pay almost nothing
in the way of taxes. The levy spoken
of would prove rich source of income
and added 10 the sS00,00O per annum
now pouring into The treasury as rail-
road license money would almost abol-
isn state taxation.
Grant county has as usual an excel
lent representation in the Legislature.
The sixteenth senatorial district earned
a high reputation under Geo. w. Ryland
and his predecessors which is duly sus-
tanned by Mr.. Kidd. He is one of the
foremost men in the senate, an untiring
worker and concise and pointed
speaker As chairman Of the important
committee of claims he has probably
done more steady earnest work for hon
est and economical Legislation than any
other member of the senate. One bill
of his introduction Lancaster will APP
preciate.
1t limits personal damages caused by
defectious highways or sidewalks to
| $4,000. The limit of the measure of
damages in these eases when death en-
sues is $4,000 and it is preposterous that
mere bodily injury has been heretofore
permitted to exceed this.
Mi. Day is conscientious, attentive and
II
very popular member. His bill forcing
into sight for purposes of taxation, all
bonds, mortgages, &c, by providing
that unless they are stamped In a speci-
fled way, interest shall not be legally
collectable on them, is as ingenious as
it Is practical. Mr. HOLMAN is a faithful
and studious worker and man whom
no lobbyist for a measure of doubtful
honesty ever approaches. MIR. Mccoy
also attends faithfully to business and
is a man of Independent and practical
Judgment.
The legislators and state officers have
been invited to take trip er-o6fcio to
the New Orleans exposition. If they
accept they will probably 60 early in
April Such a body of visiting states
men viii undoubtedly be received with