Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-02-27

MADISON, Feb 13.-The principal bus
mess of the session consisted In the IN
PRODUCTION of new bills. Mr.. Mead in
troduced bill submitting to the people
an amendment to the constitution re-
latiDg to the justices of the supreme
court as provided for in q resolution in
troduced earlier in the session, which
fixed their number at five and the chief
justice an appointment by virtue of Sc
niority. The bill was passed under a
suspension of tie rules.
MADISON, Feb. 19.-The bill allowing
A. L. Gray $854.77 for expenses incurred
in contesting his seat with Andrew A.
Elmore was passed in the Assembly I'M
der a suspension of the rules, while the
DILL relating to license of attorneys and
that to appropriate to VIM. Schilling
lau $400 for threshing machine
destroyed by fire at the Wisconsin
Safe Hospital for the insane were both
killed Mr.. Oliver introduced "hu-
morous" bill 'to facilitate railroad
travel by removing railway conductors
and to erect contribution boxes in rail-
road trains to enable people to travel at
a cost dictated by their own conven-
ience." The reading the bill caused
no little merriment. The committee ap-
pointed by the State Press Association
to draft new libel law has completed
it's work, and the bill was introduced
this morning by Mr.. Osborn. It reads
as follows: Section /. In actions for
libel there shall be no presumption of
malice, either actual or legal, from the
"sec. 2. In actions for libel, where
the plaintiff shall fail to prove
express malice of the defend.
ant in the publication, no ex-
emplary or punitory damages shall be
allowed, but only such actual damages
as shall be proven to have been sus-
tanned by the plaintiff from the publica-
ton of the libel by the defendants.
Sec. 3. No action for libel shall be
brought or maintained, unless the
plaintiff, before bringing such action
shall have requested the de-
PENDANT to publish retrac-
ton or correction of the publication
complained of and allowed a reason
able time for the publication of such
retraction or correction, and evidence
of the publication of a retraetion or cor
rection of the publication complained
of may be received in mitigation of
damages whether the same be
It shall not be lawful for any attorney
at law or other person, not the
plaintiff, to bring or conduct any action
for libel, for fee of compensation
which, or any part of which, shall be
contingent upon the result of the action,
and it shall be the duty of the court in
which any action is pending to dismiss
the same, with costs to the defendant,
whenever it shall appear that it is
brought or conducted for fee or COM
pensation 50 contingent upon the re-
suit"
MADISON, Feb. 20.-This being the last
day for the introduction of bills the day
was given up to the reading of the titles
and reference to committees. The total
number OF measures introduced during
the session has reached 902. Under q
suspension of the rules the bills amend
ing the charters of the city of Mondovi
and Merrill were passed, as also the bill
relative to the charter of the city of
Ashland and amended by Mr.. Leonard.
MADISON, Feb. 21.-Mr. Mead asked
for suspension of the rules and the bill
regulating the terms of court in the
Eleventh Judicial Circuit was put on
it's final passage and unanimously car
ried. The change is from the first
Tuesday in April to the first Wednes-
day after the first Tuesday. The fol-
lowing bills were killed in the commit
tee of the whole: To appropriate $500
to all agricultural societies In the
state not having received q special APP
preparation; to compel peddlers to pay
state license fees; to prohibit the admis-
sion and care of any pauper or insane
person in any institution in the state OF