Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-02-10
THE WEEK AT MADISON
Pure Beer Bill the Leading
Measure Introduced.
Assemblyman Hall Forcing the Railroad
Pass Question.

Madison, Wis, Feb. 6.-Perhaps the
most interesting bill introduced last week
IN the Wisconsin Legislature was one to
compel brewers TO use only barley-malt
and hops in the manufacture of the high
est grade of beer which must be known
as STANDARD" beer, and to force them to
mark beer made out of other materials
as inferior" beer. The farmers, as well
as the brewers will be interested in the
bill. because if it passes it will raise the
price of barley materially. The big
brewers will fight it. Assemblyman Hall
forced the fighting on the pass question
by Introducing a sweeping resolution to
amend the constitution so as to forbid
the use of passes by state officials. As
semblyman McGrath put in bill to es-
tablish q state reformatOry for young
criminals, and another bill was intro
duced 70 compel convicts to work on
highways instead Of laboring in prisons.
There were a large number of bills intro
duced during the week.
Assemblyman Klabunde Of Milwaukee
is fast becoming terror to corpora
tons. He began early in the session
by introducing a bill to deprive the Mil
elusive franchise and followed That up
with bill to compel express and tele-
graph companies to deliver prepaid pack
ages and messages without extra charge.
Now he has introduced Il still more I'M
portant bin to provide for the adequate
taxation of parlor car companies, ana
nobody knows how many more such
bills he may have coming. He will
have to fight the whole lobby end If
he succeeds IN getting any of his bills
through he will be in great luck.
This is Mr.. Klabundes second term
as member Of the Assembly and he
now knows the ropes so that his bills
will have a better show than they would
have had two years ago. He has spent
the greater part of his life in MilWau-
kee, but he is a native of Germany. He
was born on March IA, 1858, and went
to Milwaukee to live in 1867. His edu-
cation was received in the milwaukee,
public schools, and he is now a liquor
dealer. He was elected two years ago
in the old Sixth district of Milwaukee
county and was reelected IN the last
election. At the last session he intro
duced some important bills, but none
of the Importance of those he is father
ing at this session.
a bill is soon to be introduced IN the
Senate increasing the contingent Tund of
the attorney-general's office $4,000 a
year for the next two years, and II the
bill goes through the money is to be used
for the fighting of trusts. At present
the attorney general has no money that
lie can use to investigate trusts, and if
he takes journeys for that purpose he
must do it at his own expense. The
amount named in the bill will give Mr..
Mylrea money enough for that purpose
for the next two years and enable MIN
TO continue the good work that ne has
started. It is not likely that there viii
be any opposition to it in the Legislature.
1t seems that there is no ground for
the report that the Royal Arcanum
would pitch into Commissioner kricke
for having put q provision in his insur-
ance code which would shut it out from
the state. Elihu COlman Of Fond du
Lac appeared before the insurance com
mittee yesterday as the representative
of the order, but did not have an oppor-
tunity to be heard. In private CONVEX
sation he said that the differences be-
tween the order and the commissioner
would no doubt be adjusted without any
trouble. Under the law "a it is drafted,
Mr. Colman says, there is Il nice qUes-
ton as to how q court would rule on the
question Of the orders right TO do bust
ness in the state and al that it wants is
TO have that provision made more spe-
ciic, SO that there can be no misunder-
standing as to its intent.
The fags Of the various Wisconsin regi-
ments are arranged in glass cases around
the walls Of the rotunda of the capitol,
and they make an Interesting display.
Where their history is known it is re-
corded briefly OF placards pinned to the
flags Old Abe, the famous war eagle,
stuffed and mounted On shield. perches
in a glass case IN the center Of the re-
tunda. where he is admired by the yisi-
tors to the capitol Assembiyman Hurd
introduced a bill i'll the Assembly yester-
day TO have the history of the bird and
the flags printed by the Acknowledgement
for distribution. He says it viii cost less
than $1,000 and would be q thing that the
veterans of the state would appreciate.
There bids fair to be something Of q
contest over the matter of placing il
statuary hall AZ Washington the one
other statue which the state is entitled to
place in that interesting chamber. Two
bills have been introduced for the purpose
one to place statue of Gen. Eairchild
there, the other for q statue of Gen
Rusk, and the author of each will natur-
ally do all that he can to secure the pas,
sage Of his bill. It is not likely that the
contest Will be bitter or undignified but
it is quite likely that it Will result in the
killing of both bills. SO far nothing has
to secure the removal of the famous Pere
Marquette statue from the hall, and it is
not probable now that such Il foolish
move viii be undertaken.
Il is understood that new Kelley bill
Is soon to be introduced. The new bill
it is said. will prevent the abuses which
have made the old law so obnoxious and
will be SO worded as to accomplish the
aims missed by the present law. Care
viii be taken, too to eliminate the de-
fects found in the present bill by the Su-
preme court, 50 that if it is tried in the
courts it Will stand the test The bill
will not be backed by those who fathered
the present law. One of the chief sup
porters of the measure of two years ago
said the other day that the law had been
so abused that he was entirely disguised
with it and regretted the part he had
taken to secure its passage. He would
have nothing to 40, he said. with another
blll or the amending Of this law.
The members of the Assembly are more
than satisfied with their choice of a
sergeant-at-arms. Mr.. Hambright has
proven very efficient and has become pop
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