Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-03-10
MAKE SLOW PROGRESS
Poor Prospect of an Early Ad-
iournment.
Tie Legislative Mill Working Hard, but
Without Results.


past week. The members of both houses
are working just as hard, but they are
making no progress because they are de-
laying important matters and doubling
their work They do not seem willing
to act upon things upon which there is
likely to be a fight Every measure OF
Importance has been re-referred or laid
over until some future time. The medi-
cal bill the university bill and Il number
Of other bills have been made special or
derS for next week. The Assembly came
very near to killing the Putnam resolu-
ton providing for a constitutional amend
ment to make Il pardOnlng board possible.
1t had passed the Senate and the AS
sembly refused to concur III 1t. The
friends of the resolution got the vote re-
considered at the eleventh hour and it will
come up for consideration next week.
The legislative halls are veritable news
bureaus every Monday night. Nearly all
the members go home at the end OF the
week and when they return they are full
of the things that have happened in their
respective sections of the state. Nothing
may have happened worthy Of publica-
ton i'll Il newspaper, but there IS sure
to have been something which will in
tcrest the other members, and Il general
exchange Of news takes place. Last week
Gid" Clark came back from Rhine
lander deeply interested in the big lum-
Der cut in his part of the state. He
says that the cut will be unusually large,
Notwithstanding that the manufacturers
have Il great amount of lumber iii the
yards ar the present time. They eX-
pect a revival in trade before next fall
and are taking advantage of low prices
to get in 4 big stock AsSemblyman
Thomas found while he was home that
Col. Jones, the engineering expert who
was called in at the time of the great
a fhp
Chippewa Falls people by sending IN q
big bill for his services. As he is Il Unit
ed States army officer the Chippewa peo-
pie supposed that his services would not
cost anything, and they are now look
ing for somebody to pay the bill if it
must he paid.
SO far few of the members have at
tempted to make fun for the house while
speaking on the floor. There have been
intended to be funny. Thursday Mr..
True had a little sport with Mr.. Fogo's
name by declaring in i speech against
the bill under discussion that somebody
had been around stirring up "A FogO
III the air The sally raised laugh,
but d funnier thing, got off uncOnsciOusly
the day before, passed unnoticed by the
members. A gentleman much given to
circumlOcution and the use of big words,
declared in all seriousness that there
seemed to be 4 sediment in the air"
in favor Of his bill. In the light of re-
cent charges. the use of the phrase in
connection with another bill would have
been a bit.
During the debate on Mr. Fogo's bill
the fact came out that some Of the re-
gents do not like to have the president
of the university sit with them as 4 mem
Der of the board, Notwithstanding that
they passed a resolution asking for the
defeat of the bill. Mr.. Tucker read Il
letter stating that President Adams was
present when the resolution was passed
and intimating that it was passed out
Of Difference to him. The impression pre-
walls that there is spite work behind the
bill, not on the part of its author but
Of certain Madison people, and that i'm
preston IS partly responsible for the
strong opposition to the bill which de-
yeioped or the floor.
Mr.. Merriman attempted to speak on
the bill while not in his seat and the
speaker refused to recognize him until he
took his seat, which is rule of the As
not the rule, i'll the lower house of Con
Sress. There members speak wherever
they may be on the floor. Some of them
are almost never in their seats and if
they remained in them they would never
he recognized. "Uncle Joe" Cannon of
Illinois wanders around the House like
Il lost sheep and a favorite trick of his
IS to speak from the Democratic side of
the house, which makes his references
to the gentlemen of the other side" very
confusing sometimes.
In a very summary way the Assem-
bly, killed two bills designed to
wipe out the struck jury law, and
there was scarcely word in opposition
IN spite OF the fact that the matter is one
which has recently been engaging the at
tentiOn of the lawyers of this and other
states. Grave doubts have been ex-
pressed about the cOnstituti0nality Of the
struck-jury law III spite of its age, and
many lawyers are Of the opinion that
it should be repealed. 1t is claimed that
it is a rich mans law, because a Door
man cannot avail himself of it's pro-
visions on account of the expense at
1ached. Corporations make use of it
more than anybody else.
During the absence of Gov Scofeld.
Iieut-G0y. Baensch acted as governor
and filled the office in a highly satisafac-
tory manner. He installed himself in the
executive chamber where he received
visitors with as much dignity and urbani-
y as the governor himself. Some of the
hoys suggested that it might be a good
thlng to get him to make appointments
WhlIe the governor was away, but no
IlOdy approached MN on the subject.
While he acted as governor President
Thayer presided in the Senate
The discussion also brought to mind
another difference between the Assembly
and the House of Representatives which
is to the credit Of the Assembly, viz:
That in Congress the members talk to
their constituents, while in the Assem-
bly, they talk to the house. When a
congressman makes speech nobody lis
tens, unless it is upon matter of UNI
usual interest. because it is understood
that he is talking to his constituents
with 40 intent of convincing the house
\ member of the Assembly, on the con-
trary, has no means as a rule of reach
Ing the ears of his constituents with his
speech, and he talks only when he de-
sires 20 influence his fellow members
consequently he is listened TO. Because
Of that difference a speech in the Assem-
bly, has Il good deal more influence in its
way than 4 speech in the House.
The interest taken by the public in
the anti-pooling bill is shown by the
UUnlhpV of letters rppnivad nv Ohio