Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-04-25


the ambitions Of one man with
pul on the machine?
Sir; this gun that the Democrats
have loaded may kill Republican
senator off, but the recoil will be
like that af Paddy's gun; SO serious
and severe, that our Democratic
marksmen will wish that they had
been at the othar end Of IT. Look
at Lancaster, eighteen miles north
of PA tteville, put into the southern
district; Platteyille, eighteen miles
sonth Of Lancaster, in the northern
district. The senator then quoted
the constitution to show now the
same had been violated by the Dem
ocrats IN the population Of districts,
etc
Mention has been made of the
gratifying friendly relations that
have existed during this session. In
some respects it has been a pleasant
session. 1t has not always been SO.
There has been this winter a sent-
meut amoung the majority which
has amounted TO hosti lity and pre-
vented social relations between
members. There never has been 4
time before when party lines have
been drawn on minor matters as
they have this winter. The Repub-
lcans have been uncourtiously and
shamefuIIy treated. Heretofore visi-
tors might enter this chamber and fail
TO tell who were Republicans ana
who were Democrats. Now, guild
ed and controlled by the great boss
Of the Democratic party, these Dem
ocrats are told 10 take seals by them
selves, apart from the others, to
avoid them and oppose them in
everything, lest some advantage be
taken by the minority.
Sir, | have been a member of this
body when only SIX Democrats were
members here. Some of those gen
tlemen are still on this floor. | APP
peal to them if they ever met with
anything but courteous treatment at
the hands of the majority. Did
they ever know that an abnormal
Committee on Retreuchment and Re
form was created to pass upon, an
null or amend the WORK of the Claims
committee? Have they ever seen
party lines drawn on the necessity of
prisons? Have Jney ever seen Re
publicans forced To vote against
their own judgement at the crack Of
the party whip? Have they ever
seen party hostility carried to such
an extent as to prevent social rela-
/ lions?
is there a single Democratic mem
Der on this floor who can recall u
single instance where any measure,
notion OF vote of his did not receive
As much attention as if he had been
a Republican? Do you recall, sir,
the last pportioument, unanimous
/ ly reported by the committee? Do
/ YOU remember that the meetings Of
/ the committee were just as public
as the sessions of the legislature;
/ that any member and citizen could
20 before the committee and have
his views considered? This cham
Der was hung with maps and people
from all over the state were kept
Informed Of every move from the
beginning. The Republicans, being
in the majority, finally had their
way, but they were not so dlscour-
tlous as to work secretly and no
Democrat was ignored.
Contrast this with the present APP
portionment, star chamber, mid
night proceeding. | can imagine
the arch couspirators in some dark
room in this building, with doubly
locked doors, dark lantern throwing
its sinister light on the map, bend
ing over the table, no member of
the committee allowed to be present,
tracing with lurid pencil the Jagged
outlines Of senatorial and assembly
dis tricts that should defeat the very
purpose of an apportIonment
! Curslng not loud but deep the con-
stitutional provisions that compelled
them to observe township lines, dis
regarding with impunity that pro-
won equally binding that requires
/ the apportIonment to be made ac-
cording to population, convenience
and compact. Laughing with fend-
ISL glee at the thought Of the COM
PLEASANT, selt-sacrifcIug Democrats
who hold over, allowing the Repub-
Iican majorities to be piled up
againstthem, to enable some aspiring
Democrats to get here.
This apportionment VAS not made
| by any committee, but by one man
brought here and paid to DO it. The
members of the committee say that
there have been but two meetings..
/ One was when the secretary
was elected and the other when the
members were called together and
the chairman of the Democratic
State Central committee walked in