Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-02

It's departments. Anything look
ing to taking power away from
any of the petty bosses in the
interest OF the people, even for the
schools, must be defeated, though
the last authority, that Of the
governor himself, has to be invok-
ed. Thanks to Gov. Upham, for
two years more these aldermen
Willedefy the demand of the people
for a pure and independent ad-
ministration of the schools on an
economical and business basis.
Montello Express: The readers
of the newspapers and every one
else are much surprised and
indignant at the action of the
present legislature on the so-called
relief of ex-treasurers. Every
body we have talked with is
thoroughly disguised with the
legislature. They did not believe
such a bill could ever be passed.
Of course, the passage of the bill
is an entering wedge and opens
the door for the other treasurers
to walk in and take back the
money belonging to the people
which they unlawfully put in their
pockets, but were compelled by a
Democratic legislature and a
Democratic attorney general to
disgorge and pay back to the
state-in all, nearly a half million
dollars. The express has always
maintained, since the decision Of
the supreme court in the treasury
cases, that should the old corrupt
leaders Of the Republican party
again get complete control of the
state, the ex-state treasurers would
be reimbursed for every dollar
they paid back to the state. And
that time has already come. 1t is
a little sooner than any one ex-
pected.-Superior Inland Ocean.
The Republican party of this
state has been placed in very
awkward position by the passage
of tbs bill for the relief of ex-
Treasures Baetz and Kuehn. The
Republican platform, speakers and
newspapers distinctly declared last
fall that bill Of this character
could not be passed in Republi-
can legislature and be signed by a
Republican governor. And it has
A promise broken into bits. Sup
pose now it is a matter of pure
justice that these ex-treasurers
should be relieved from the judg-
ments pending against them. Did
the matter stand any differently
last fall Or two years ago? If it is
a matter of justice why did not
the Republican platform makers
say SO, and stand squarely upon a
plank Of Justice to the ex-treas-
urers." Either the platform
makers we're playing peanut"
politics else the administration is
open to the severest censure. In
either case the Republican party
will suffer.
But the Republican administra-
ton will not mete out exact justice
till the money is returned from the
state to the ex-treasurers who have
already paid the judgments which
stood against them. If the adj
ministration does not do that it
will break impartial justice as it
has already broken a solemn
promise.
F. A. Flower, in the editorial
correspondence of the Superior
Leader from Madison, says: "The
state has gained several hundred
thousand dollars by the treasury
suits, and the bills just passed, of
course, take no cash out Of the
treasury that has been already
paid in. Their practical effect is
to relieve McFetridge from further
payments and to dismiss the suits
Of Baetz and Kuehn. The Guen-
Their and Harshaw judgments have
been paid in full and are not dis
turbed by the bills just passed. |
must admit however, that Mr..
Sawyer told me that he would not
be inclined to keep quiet if some,
and not all the judgments against
the ex-treasurers should be re-
bated. His words were: we
would not be inclined to stand
that Therefore the question is
not ended"
If the next Legislature of Wis
consin is republican bills will be
introduced to relieve Sawyer.
: Guenther and Harshaw with a
good prospect of the bill passing.
The ex-state treasurers and their
| hackers still believe that the state
of Wisconsin had no right to
make them produce. If the
people want the money paid back
by all means elect another repub-
lican INSTRUMENTATION Times.