Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-04-04
At The Capital.
Especial Correspondenee.)
Madison, March 80.

SlOnaIly comes up 4 measure vi such
common interest as to be of great inn
portance. Without doubt the most
important legislation which it has been
possible TO accomplish is that made \
law so far as legislative action is con-
cerned, at the Saturday session. The
measure to which allusion is made is
Senator Cooper's election reform bill.
/. coAtemplates very radical changes in
the mater of public elections. and its
rigid enforcement, it is safe to say, will
accomplish a true reform. Its title,
which so aptly indicates the purpose
Of the bill is ''to prevent espionage at
public elections, to secure more fully
| the independence of voters, to enforce
the secrecy of the ballot and to provide
for printing and distributing ballots at
public expense" The bin is modelled
largely after the Australian system Of
voting but the good features of the
similar laws of other states are incor-
porated. The bill gives in detail the
proceedings in the matter of making
nominations and their eertiiication 10
the Secretary of State that tickets may
by that official be procured printed;
prescribes the size and kind of paper on
which tickets shall be made and speci-
ties the method of voting, the secrecy
that shall be preserved and the way in
which inspectors shall perform their
duties. Seven penalties for infractions
of the law arc provided, their severity
being proportionate to the enormity of
the violation. The law is made to apply
only to cities and in which registration
is required. That it will prove efiica.
tious can scarcely be doubted. A
measure very similar is the popular
keogh law, now in force in Milwaukee
That law soon brought order out of
chaos there and that the same results
will be attained under the Cooper act it
is but proper 10 inter. The bill still
awaits the governors signature but
when the governor in his message so
emphatically expressed himself in favor
of reform legislation in this direction
there is no reason for believing that it
will be withheld.
Another important measure passed
in the assembly this week was the rail
road co-employe bill. Ever since the
repeal of the co.employe law of some
years since, the railroad employees have
persstently fought for new law.
Gradually sentiment has developed in
favor of the law asked and what seems
more than probable now is that railroad
employees will hereafter be able TO re-
cover damages for injuries sustained in
consequence of the negligence OF a
fellow workman when the injury caused
is in no way contributory negligence.
Such enactment, however will not he
accomplished without opposition.
While the employees have been active
the railroads have been equally so. In
committee they stubbornly fought the
bill and likewise when it reached the
assembly. In its terms it is much less
general than some of the co.employe
bills introduced and is something large
ly in the nature of compromise.
Damages are recoverable only when
caused BY the negligence of a train
dispatcher, telegraph operator, super
intendent, yardmaster, conductor,
engineer or any person who has charge
of stationary signal or switch.
Two other important measures con-
sidered was Mr.. Rings antitrust bill
and the libel bill of the State Press
Association. Both came up on their
third reading in the assembly and the
former after some vigorous opposition
was passed while the latter was prompt
" killed. The debates on both were
very interesting Mr.. Ring made an
able and lengthy speech in favor of his
bill and was opposed strongly by Mr..
Anderson,a Manitowoc lawyer. while the
most energetic antagonist to the libel
bill was Mr.. Osborne, of Darlington.
The bill provided in one of its sections
that malice should not be presumed be-
cause of the fact of the publication of
the libel and it was this feature OF it
that resulted in the defeat of the whole.
Mr.. Osborn took the position that that
provision was the same thing as to say
that the falsity of the matter charged
should not be presumed The sudden
death of the bill was great surprise
10 its newspaper friends.
The medical bill has not yet been re-
ported but it also is corpse. The
fight between the different schools has
killed IT, No matter what the recon-
mendation of the committee with such
an absence of harmony relative to the
character of the board rs prevails, it is
utterly impossible 10 secure its passage.
II is safe also TO predict that until such
time rs physicians themselves can
agree no medical law will ever be en-
acted.
The Supreme Court retirement bill is
meeting with an unexpected opposition
in the assembly. 1t passed the Senate
but what its fate in the assembly re-
mains vet 10 be determined The Pc
culiarity of the matter thus far is that
the opposition comes almost exclusive
" from lawyers. The bill provides
that the justices of the supreme court
may retire at the sge of 20 on three
fifths judicial pay. At present there
are three members of the bench who
might avail themselves of the law should
it become such, but that any of them
would Immediately is not probable.
Judge orion, of the bench is now "a
years of age, but apparently enjoys his
judicial labors as man of forty might.
He still has nearly ten years to serve.
Judge Taylor is next in age being IS.
but isapparently the most vigorous men,
Der of the court Chief Justice Cole has
just passed the allotted three score and