Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-02-09


when finally ne stopped and appeared r.
notice for the first time a lot Of news.
paper reporters writing at tables at his
1eet. And then he pitched into them
For twenty minutes he abused and viii
nned them in most frightful fashion.
Finally he drew a long breath and
SAID to the audience in an apologize
tone;
But you must excuse me, people, for
this slight diversion. You know when
man goes cunning for big game he
will occasionally stop to shoot a skunk
that may cross his path"
There is at least one speaker who
commands even bigger prices than Sam
Jones and that is ex-President Har-
rison. But he, like some of the other
really great men, does not seem to care
for money. The Chautauquas in the
west lately got together and made him
an offer. He was to have $500 for a
speech at each one. There were ten In
the circuit and the proposal was Sc, 900
for the ten speeches, which he could
make on successive days and wind the
whole thing up in two weeks. And he
really declined
Perhaps he reasons that he can sum
up law case before a supreme court
and get $4,000 for ia king an hour and
a half. And yet now and then he goes
to New York and talks to a BANQUET
company for nothing and pays his own
expenses! Truly some men get so big
that money does not seem to enter into
their calculations. 1t is refreshing.
Reform In Wisconsin Caucusas
There has been good deal said about
the new caucus law, but suspect there
are good many intelligent people who
don't know what it's all about. The
fact Is, Wisconsin is brought by it to the
open door of caucus reform. It is a
blind, half-baked law in it's wording.
and may provoke so much uncertainty
and confusion as to lead to its repeal
next winter; but the chances are that It
will prove an opening wedge and that
the days of the packed caucus are over
1t applies to all city, town and village
elections next fall, 1t introduces a "pre-
liminary meeting" before the caucus
At this meeting nothing is done but
make nomination. For instance, an al
derman is to be chosen. Fifty people
dermen, if they wish, and at the eau
Gus four days later these fifty names
appear on a secret ballot to be voted
for in booth. Now here the beauty of
the new law appears Under the pres
ent system the caucus is held at a GER
tain time. There is a rush and con-
fusion; the chairman often runs things
to suit himself, and the poor good citi-
zen," if he is not kept at home by the
dread of tobacco smoke or a fight, finds
he doesn't understand what it is all
about and is outclassed by the profess
SIGNALS. But under the new law he
votes as he does at an election--in q
booth by himself, marking the ballot
with cross. He has a number of can
didates to choose from Gas many as
were nominated four nights before at
the preliminary meeting) and he has a
number of hours in which to attend to
this caucus duty. In cities of Madison's
class, for instance, the caucus contin-
ues from p. m. to p. m. The can
didates that receive the most votes at
the caucus become the party nominees,
and their names go on the official ballot
OF course the candidate that gets most
of his friends out to the caucus gets
most votes; and the professionals" ex-
eel in this sort of business. But the
fact remains that attendance on caucus
Is made more agreeable and the good
citizens" by agreeing to mass their votes
on certain candidate can nominate
him-if they have votes enough.
There were three of those caucus re-
form bills before the last legislature
This one is based on the act of 1895,
which applied only to Milwaukee. The
one that Mr. La Toilette endorses so
highly was introduced by Mr. Lewis,
the Racine carriage man. It is even a
more sweeping measure than this.
Insurance Too High in Wisconsin.
A gentleman who is interested in one
Of the local mutual insurance companies
says that Wisconsin people pay double
and treble the rates for insurance that
obtain in the eastern states. A circular
recently put out notes these astounding
In the east dwellings,
1ats and tenements are rated at cents
for one year; 10 cents for three years;
l6 cents for five years; whereas in Wis
consin the tariff rates excepting Mil
y,
gated by the Union" are 80 cents,
year; 60 cents. years; 80 cents for
8 years. OF course the local mutu-
ais" claim the competition their form
of insurance affords in the east ex-
plains the difference. In Wisconsin the
''mutuals" are not yet strong enough
to force the old line companies to time.
JeIlies with No Fruit Juice In Them.
The dairy and food commission is en-
the new pure food law which is de-
signed to drive authorizations out of the
market. Grocers admit to me that pep
per is old that is made nine-tenths of
something else A lady in looking over
a stock OF groceries told the grocer to
send up a pail of jelly which stood on
the floor 1t looked attractive and was
very cheap,
Excuse me, madam, said the grocer,
in an embarrassed way, you don't
want that. 1t is not very good"
But who buys it?"
ooh, landladies OF boarding houses
and bakers who make jelly rolls"
There are some jellies on the market
which hag not a drop of fruit juice in
them. Whether this pail was FLIED
with that interesting and clever inita-
ton or not, don't know. Then, as to
canned fruits. The new law eompels
each can to bear the mark either of the
packer or the retail dealer. Commits
sioner Adams tells me that one big Cal
ifornia packing concern puts out five
brands. The three high grade brands
bear their mark on every can. The two
cheap ones bear no mark. No one
stands sponst for them and often they
are not fit to be eaten.
Whers " Goes To.
do you know where much Of that
sort of stun finally drifts tor asked
Governor Scofield. who was listening to
the conversation.
''Where?" OF course was the question
ITO the woods of Wisconsin and the
numbering camps"
The new law proposes to stop the sale
of adglterated groceries, though it is
not easy to define what an adulteration
is. Some might call alum in a bak-
ing powder an adulteration. and yet II
is alleged that il is not especially harm
full. At all events, such baking powders
may be sold, though they must bear g
I'll -. t.nN. AL ru