Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-02-25
Wisconsin Legislature.

Wisconsin Legislature.
Madison, Feb 15.--Brief and unim-
portant sessions were held in both
branches of the legislature Scores OF
petitions praying for the passage of the
bicycle bill were received. Also the
anti-drug monopoly bill Senator Nc
Gillivray presented a petition one fav-
oring the cigarette prohibitory bill and
Senator Welton presented several in
favor Of the Fairchild statue bill from
the Grand Army posts of Hazel Green,
| Neillsville, Elroy, Beloit, Elkhorn,
Pepin, Dodgeville and Rchland Center
! In the assembly Mr.. Reinnold sub
mitted a remonstrance from the ST.
Michael Catholic congregation of Mil
waukee protesting against the Sweeting
memorial to congress for the recall of
the Pere Marquette statue in the fed
eral capitol Petitions urging the pass
age of the bills providing for the
/ placing of a statue OF General Fairchild
| in the national capitol were received
| from G. A. r. posts at Stevens Point,
Chiffon, Milwaukee, Kenosha and River
Falls. A dozen petitions urging the
passage OF the bicycle baggage bill
and one remonstance against it were
introduced. the last being submitted by
Mr.. Peterson. No. 10 a.. forbidding
the manufacture or sale of cigarettes.
and No. as a.. permitting road over
Z 6 IN ta1y OH al
loam to repair highways from unim-
proved lands adjacent thereto,
indefinitely postponed.
four bills by Senator Mills, relat-
ing to Imprisonment of judgment
debtors, were indefinitely postponed.
Senator Mills made brief argument
for his bills. He said they proposed
to repeal the law which makes it pos
sible to lock man up because of his
debts. When the special order Of the
day, joint resolution No. ~ S, came
up, a debate followed The resolu-
ton proposes an amendment to the
constitution giving the legislature
power to create board of pardons.
Senator Austin believed any change
in the constitution unnecessary and
unwarranted. There was no clamor
for it, no reason for it. If the last
two governors had been too lenient
that fault could be remedied by elect
ing such governors as he believed the
present one to be, men not to be car
ried away by sympathy. but who
would establish rules governing their
actions and who would maintain
them. With a commission, he said, |
responsibility could be shifted par
dons would be applied for more num-
erously and granted more frequently |
because responsibility could be d. I
vided. 1t seemed to him it simply |
created another court. a court of |
paldons. He predicted II would cost |
from $4,000 TO $4,000 a year within /
five years. Senator Whitehead said |
it was an interesting fact. that in |
New England, whence many of the /
best things in our laws come, nave |
vested this power in more than one |
vania had very similar provisions He
believed the governor should be re-
lieved from the great pressure brought |
TO bear upon him in pardon matters.
Senator LamoreuX said there was a
feeling that the pardoning power
should be left to the governor. and he
believed the people should be given
the opportunity to have a pardoning
board if they want it. The resolution
was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes: Senator Baster. Conger, Deyos.
Fisher Lamoreux. Mailer. McGilliv-
ray, Mills. Munson. Putnam. Roehr,
Stebbins Thayer, Welton. Whitehead.
Whitman, Withee, Woodwork You
mans; noes: Senators Austin. bennett,
Green, Mayer, Pierce. Phillips, Rior-
dan, Solliday. Timme, Whslan.
In the lower house assembly bill
No. 49 came back from the committee
on state affairs in the form Of a SUBJ
stitute. The original bill required
that the county judge should give ad-
vice free in the administration Of es-
tates OF less than $4,000 where there
is no contest, thus doing away with
the necessity of employing legal coun-
sci. The committee put in $1,000 for
the $4,000. The present law covers
estates of $1,000. Senator McGillv-
rays joint resolution for a special
to revise the banking code
was, on motion Of Mr.. Ray, referred
to the committee on finance, banks
and insurance. Pro-bicycle- baggage
petitions came from Messrs. Reynolds.
Wolfinger, ScheIlenberg. LANCE, Agen.
Mss, Bechtel, Connors, Rennold and
Woller; petitions for an anti-cigarette
law from Messrs. Rutherford and
for q ferry acrnce tho Ntir |