Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-03-24
D0INGS AT MADISON.
The Medical Bill was the Cen
ter of Interest.
A Charge of Bribery Leads to an In
vestigation.

BILL The hottest debate of the session
occurred, and after several hours of
wrangling a substitute bill, somewhat
milder than the original, was ordered
engrossed by vote so large that its pas
sage was assured. On Wednesday even
ing the committee appointed to nvesh-
gate charges of bribery in connection
with the bill had a meeting to hear tes-
timony. Two Milwaukee physicians
made a charge against Assemblyman
Frink of Milwaukee, but Mr.. Frink and
other witnesses denied the story and the
general opinion is that no case has been
made out against the accused member.
The Assembly passed the Wyhe anti
pool selling bill and killed the Mcdonald
bill for the taxation of church property.
Every member of the Legislature has
received from the National Tract bureau,
IAN organization given to the considera-
ton of nonpartiSan electoral problems
relative to the maintenance of American
institutions" pamphlet setting forth
the reasons why, il the opinion Of the
be recalled. 1t. has an illustrated cover
showing pictures of the statue and on
one page an explanation" of the illustra-
tons is given From the argument on
It's pages one would suppose that upon
the recalling of the statue hung the fu-
IufG u ILLS great
A couple Of old-time legislators sat in
the Park hotel the other evening re-
counting their experiences and telling
how some things that are new matters Of
history came to pass, and their stories
were interesting to those of the present
generation. of lawmakers who heard
them. Gentlemen who now stand high
III the political or social world would not
like to read some OF the stories they told
about railroad ard other kinds OF legis
iation, but the philosopher would find
food for thought in them. They showed
that the good old times were no bet
ter than the present, if they were not
any investigating committees to look into
charges of bribery III connection with
medical bills, but from some Of their
stories the inference might be drawn
that similar committees might have found
a great deal to investigate in connection
with some other matters.
Fer the first time in years there ap-
pears to be some show of amending the
present libel law so as to do justice to
the newspapers. A much fairer bill
than the present law was favorably re-
ported by the Assembly judiciary COM
not f0olishly insisted upon a slight
amendment it would have passed the AS
sembly and been in the Senate by this
time. As it was the bill had to go back
to the committee and it's passage was
delayed. but it will probably come back
with another favorable report. While it
protects the rights of the individual as
fully as the present law. the bill gives
the editor who innOcently blunders q
chance to show that fact and protects
him from the impositions to which he
is now subject.
An attempt will be made to secure an
adjournment by April TO- and if it sue
ceeds this will be the shortest biennial
session on record. The session opened
SO late that it could run to April % with
out exceeding the To-day limit which
has become 2 sort of unwritten law that
every Legisia ture tries to respect. Should
the session run to the 10Th of April it
would be only ninety days long, which
would make it the shortest in many
years. A large number of the members
are of the opinion that the work can be
finished by April 10 and there is very lit
tie danger of the session dragging past
the 18th or 18th.
The shortening of the sessions is mat
ter which engages the attention of a good
many of the members, particularly the
business men. Various schemes are sug,
gested. one Of which is the passage of
a law requiring all bills to be filed some
weeks in advance of the opening of the
Legislature. to be passed upon by q COM
mittee appointed from both houses which
shall consolidate and eliminate as far as
possible and reduce the bulk to the low
est possible point. Another suggestion
is for joint hearings on all bills. As it
is now the ground must be gone over
on matters which go to
joint committees, and it is held that the
could hear the arguments in
Jeint session and then act upon them at
sittings. Still another thing
which would avoid delay would be Il
sort Of clearing house for the committees
ings by a programme, which would do
away with the present clashing Of the
People who are deeply interested in the
fish and game laws are greatly concerned
over a bill introduced in the Senate by
Senator Youmans, which has passed the
upper house and may go through the
Assembly. The measure gives farmers
owning land abutting On inland waters
the exclusive right to maintain or permit
others to maintain blinds" within the
line of rushes for the purpose of shoot
ing ducks. 1t is said that the effect Of
be to give city clubs a monopoly on duck
shooting. In some quarters it is main
tanned that the law could not be sus-
tanned in the courts, but it is admitted
that if it should be it would have the eff
feet of multiplying the provisions in the
fish and game laws intended to protect
tucks The passage of thu bill caused
lively debate in the Senate.
Quite a fight has developed on the bill
10 extend the work of the free library
commission. 1t comes from the fact that
the office of the state superintendent de-
sires to have the work incorporated
with it's work, which does not meet with
the approval Of the friends of the Ii
brary commission, who believe that the
commission is doing work that the
department could not do. 1nasmuch as
Senator Stout is back of the library
commission it is safe to say that the
commission will win in the fight. The
state superintendent's 5ffice has also
1rodden on the toes of the Historical
society by attempting to have the SUI
perintendent made a commissioner for
the collection of historical material such
as the society has been gathering for
years.
Assemblyman Jensen says that his
bill declaring the Waupaca lakes to be
of in4r