Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-17


wisdom Of making the board to con
sist Of either five or seven members,
that there may be a majority decision |
on all questions. If reorganization |
of the board should be deemed by you |,
advisable, l commend to your atten- |
ton the wisdom of providing either for
Il woman member of the board, or for
woman visitor to work in connection
with the board In all the charitable !
with the board. In all the charitable,
reformatory and penal institutions
there are women whose needs could
much better be learned by one of
their own sex.
AppOrtionment Commission.
The present legislative apportion-
ment is very unsatisfactory in many
respects. What the people demand is
an apportionment based fairly upon
population and territory. regardless
of partisan demands. l recommend.
therefore, that the legislature provide
for the appointment of non-partisan
commission to prepare a bill to sub
nit to the legisla ture at the earliest
possible day.
Judicial Re-Apportionment.
There is a growing demand among
the judges and others who are inter-
ested in the administrat ton of law for
a encouragement of the judicial cir
cults of the state. Such a re-adjust-
ment should take into consideration
population and territory, which are
little regarded in the present adjust
ment. The change should be effected,
if at ALL without increasing the num-
Der Of circuits.
Forestry.
| Measures may come before you hav-
| ing in view the preservation of the
forests Of our state. The danger which
threatens not only our own state but
the entire country through the denuda-
ton of our forest lands is claiming
the attention of people everywhere.
There has been organized in Wisconsin
a Forestry association to work in con-
junction with the American Forestry
association, in arousing a more active
public interest in the subject. The
claims of these associations are. deSery-
ing of attention, and 1 doubt not that
the measures to come before you will
receive the considera ton to which
they are entitled.
Road Improvement.
The subject Of the Improvement of
country roads is one which should in
terest every citizen of the state. 1t is
of special Importance, however, to
farmers and to those living in rural
communities. A very active interest
is being taken, and measures looking
to a systematic effort to improve the
public highways will probably come
before you. The matter is of so gen
eral an interest that l am assured il
will be carefully considered by you.
Legislation Commission.
At the last session of the Legislature
the governor was authorized to ap
point commission for the promotion
of uniformity of legislation in The
United States. The commission wa:
appointed, performed its labor, and it!
report will be submitted to you. l be
speak fer the report your candid con
sideratiOn. The question of uniform
legislation is one which is claiming
the attention of the bar and the lega
fraternity throughout the country.
Labor and Capital
= Notwithstanding the widespread dis
: tress which has resulted from indus
I trial stagnation, our state has beer
3 singularly free from those manifesto
: lions of lawlessness which hav
! brought discredit upon several states
2 This fact bears witness to the law
o abiding character Of our citizens. /
o emphasizes also, the obligation Whicl
rests upon the law-making body of th
:. state to watch carefully and impair
O TALLY the interests of all classes o
p citizens, and to enact laws, as the,
: may become necessary, to meet tn
changing industrial conditions; law
which shall ensure to labor the jus
and fair recOmpense of toll, and at tn
:, same time encourage capital in til
= development of our enormous re
. sources.
1t has been charged that there ha
come to be among corporations employ
= ing large numbers of men, a system
= OF blacklisting, so called, under whicl
. an employer having grievanc
! against a former employee advises o
= warns other employers lot to give EN-
ployment to the person against whom
the grievance exists. While there ma,
. be cases in which incapacity or
, reckless disregard of duty by an EN-
,, ploye, leading to his discharge ON tina
r ground, might justify an employer il
warning other employers from takin;
such person into their service; or
where an employee has betrayed in /;
dishonest manner a trust, forme
employer might be justified in protect
> ing others by proper notification
nevertheless, it would seem to be true
that where an employe, entirely faith
full and competent, quits service in {
manner not to endanger public safety
because of a grievance real or sup
posed; or, because compelled to do 81
by the action of an association II
which he belongs, simply exercises bis
right to quit and neither commits mol
incites violence, it is without justiica
ton.
1t is for the public interest that sc
far as may be, every industrious, sober
and competent man should be EN-.
plOyed. 1 cannot but regard an ar.
rangement among large number OF