Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-01-20
The Question of ADDOrtionment.


1t has seemed to me to be my duty tQ@e1g
gest for your earnest consideration Wnuth-
err the constitution should not be amended
| so as to more clearly define the rules which
! shall govern the Legislature in apportioning
| and redistricting the state into Senate and
| Assembly districts. | have no reason what
| ever to doubt that the present law is
! constitutional one. but the manner in which
! this important duty has been performed by
| the Legislature has given rise. during the
! last few years. to litigation, to threats of
| litigation anG to charges and counter
! charges for which there should be no posi-
! bic justification.
The Supreme court in decisions overturn-
! ing two legislative appointments as uncon-
! stitutional, has laid down the general rules
! governing the performance of such duty,
but under the constitution, even as so con-
strued, much is of necessity left to legis-
| lative discretion.
There is no power conferred by the con-
| stitution upon any one of the branches OF
| the government of greater or more far
reaching Importance than the legislative
| power of apportioning and redistricting the
| state. However carefully such a measure
! may be prepared, it is so far as experience
| has shown, too much to expect that ma
| jOrity or more of 1873 persons, whatever DO
| litical party they may belong to, will be
able to consider it and enact it uninfiu-
| enced by partisan bias, local interest or sell
The new constitution of New York, care
| fully CONSIDERS and adopted by a conyen-
| ton composed of many men Of great eX-
! perlence and ability, contains some in
| structive provisions upon the subject and
the system adopted in Ohio may be con-
suited with advantage. 1t certainly is pos
minimize the difficulties which now beset
the work of apportionment. This is inn
! portant, both to conserve great popular
right and to prevent growing popular dis
| trust in the conStitutionality and integrity
! of legislative action upon the subject
caused by these constantly recurring con-
Certainly no political party should be per-
mitted to take to itself any advantage or
! power at the expense of the great principle
| OF proportionate representation in the Leg
islature which underlies our system Of gov
! eminent.
A Law Commission.
| [ know something of the large amount Of
! work which devolves upon this body and
the manner in which, especially toward the
! close of the session, its various commit
| tees are burdened. 1t is this condition Of
! frequently made that under the severe
| pressure of work laws are enacted which
may not only be out of harmony, but many
! times III actual conflict with statutes al
ready in existence and of a character to in
| crease litigation at public and private ex-
| pense, and to foster a sense Of instability
/ III the law. suggest therefore, that you
/ consider the question of appointing a COM
! mission Of trained men whose duty it shall
be, when measures have passed to that
! stage before your body where their final
/ enactment Is virtually assured, to- pass upon
! the validity of the measure and make rec
! concentrations, when necessary, to bring
|
| uteS.
Public Lands.
/ / am advised by the commissioners of
/ public lands that the work of completing
! the swamp land record and the other work
in connection with the public lands has so
/ far progressed that the force Of this Of
flee can be largely decreased.
In my opinion q wise economy would
! seem to dictate that the uncompleted work
of the land office might properly be commit
ted to one of the other departments of the
/ n pyIonr i.;.N Sc
! remaining in the hands of the three COM
missioners provided for by the constitution
! of the state, and if no legal obstruction
| interp0seS, | recommend that the Legs
lature take action looking to this end
| The State Service,
7 Ii this connection I recommend that an
! effort be made to regulate and bring under
! some system the state service in the diff
ferent departments in the capitol building.
J 1t is the general impression that this serv-
! ice can be improved and large saving eff
fected by some kind of classified ion of
| the employees of the various departments.
No state officer or head of any department
| should have unlimited authority to employ
clerks and other subordinates classiti-
cation of the employees, fixing the salaries
and limiting the number to the actual need
or each department would, / have no doubt,
increase the efficiency Of the service and
result in material saving to the tax
payers
There will undoubtedly come before this
session OF your honorable body measures
looking 10 the extension OF the civil-Seryice
system i'll different cities in the state There
is throughout the country, and especially
noticeable in our own state. desire for
an Improvement Of the present system. ANY
measure looking to that end. while its
scope cannot be clearly defined in this COM
munication, should not be extended beyond
a point where it will receive the hearty
support Of the public. ] have no doubt that
you i'll your wisdom will be able to mark
the proper limits OF such measures.
Revised Statutes.
By law passed in 1895. Messrs A L.
Sanborn and ]. r. Bergman were appoint
ed committee to, prepare and report to
this Legislature bills for the correction of
such errors. and to harmonic such discrep-
ancies IN the statutes as might be deemed
advisable. together with such additional
sections proper to carry out the
general design and spirit of the statutes.
These gentlemen have completed their work
and have prepared a bill which will be sub
m1tted to you. The revision, correction and
simplifcatlon of the statutes is a highly
important work and this bill will no doubt
receive the cordial attention which it de-
serves.
Public Highways.
There is a very general interest in the
subject of road improvement throughout
Wisconsin, and it is not unlikely that meas
ures looking toward the improvement of
country roads may come before you. This
| is subject in which the agricultural ele-
ment of our potllation is especially inter
ested, and should measures be presented to
You will have no doubt receive the care
full attention they deserve.
State Board of Arbitration.
The Legislature of 1895 passed a law Gre
| ating state board of arbitration and con-
citation, whose duty was defined to be
the reconciliation OF differences between
employers and employees, and the prevention
of strikes and other labor troubles.
The report Of this board will be laid be-
! fore you and from it you Will learn that
the board has accomplished a great deal
during its short existence. The experience
of two years has shown that the law should
be amended in some particulars SO as to in
crease the efficiency of the board. This re-
port will be printed, and as it contains
much that would be of service to both en-
ployer and einploye. provision may well
be made for some adequate distribution of
it. 1t is subject of the highest impor-
lance, and deserves as [ know it Will re-
ceive, your earnest consideration
Insurance Code.
At the last session Of the Legislature a
law was passed creating a commission to
prepare an insurance code for the state
! The commission appointed consists of w. A.
| Fricke. insurance commissioner of the state
Emil Baensch, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, and NJ C.
| of boc