Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-01-12
LAWMAKERS CONVENE
Burnett" Tells Of the Legislature
and the Senatorship.
AT CANDIDATES. HEADQUARTERS.

Madison, Wis, Jan. 1o.--The senator
ial fight is waxing very warm. Stroll
ling up into the Park hotel the other
day, an open door led into the Babcock
headquarters. That enterprising can
didate early captured desirable suite
OF rooms and put to work a force OF
lieutenants, quite outdoing the others
in point OF numbers and activity. SEN
ator, MCGilliVray was in charge of
things, and courteously called attention
to a box Of cigars on the table. They
were choice cigars-not "Brakemen 5
Pride" or the Torch of Freedom" but
long, aristocratic, all-wool cigars, only
twenty-five in Il box.
Senator Mills Of Superior another
Babcock lieutenant, sat on a chair
transmitting one of these captivating
objects into wreaths Of blue smoke,
while Henry Casson's boy, another
Bahcock lieuteant, whiled away the
time in less harmful pursuits.
From the reception room stretched
row OF two or three smaller rooms, in
the most distant of which could be seen
the candidate in close conversation
| with a member of the legislature.
The other candidates have their head
quarters in the same hotel. though none
so completes in equipment as MIR. Bah
cocks.
In u few days ii will all be over--some
| one will be selected to succeed John
Lcndrum Mitchell of Milwaukee and as
| an associate of John G. Spoouer. a
| great honor, surely, for in the fifty
| years Of statehood but eleven men have
enjoyed senatorial honors. Here is the
| list;
Isaac Il, Walker. 1S4S-lS55; Henry Z.
Dodge, 1S4S-1S57; Charles Durkee, 1855
| 1861; James Il. Doohttle. 1857 1869; Tim
| othy Howe, 1S6l-for three terms; Mat
thew II. Carpenter, 1869 1875, 1879 1851 !;
Angus Cameron, 1S15-lSSl; Philetus
| Sawyer. 1SSl-lS9S: John c. Spooner,
| 1SS5-lS9l, 1885,; w. +. Villas, 1891 1897
| John l.. Mitchell 1S93-1S99.
Opening of the Legislature.
| Tomorrow is the day the legislature
| opens, a three months whirl usually, at
which the laws of IA great state are en-
acted and the cost of which pow-wow is
in the neghborhood of $4,000 day. The
| governors message will attract atten-
| ton: but not as much as 1t will deserve,
on its heels will hide all else.
| Governor Scofeld is deliciously frank,
as everybody knows. l dropped in on
him the other day and he had Il fright
| full cold-could hardly speak. He had
| just been wrestling with the message
for number of hours and was feeling
| played out.
why don't you revive the good old
| a l,a
| legslature?" ] suggested.
| What a scene of dignity! How i'm
pressive a picture OF the machinery of
| popular government"
What do we have clerks for? If l
should read the message 1t would look
like a bit of affectation, now that the
practice is set. 1t Is long one--Im
sorry But 1t seems to be the fashion.
Besides" he added, turning to get his
hat. its my first literary attempt on
Populistic lines!"
| AS he said this he smiled. 1t makes
| the governor weary to have the plat
| form called MIR. LaFollette's."
| The senate numbers thirty three men
and as usual, as individuals. they tow
| er way above the assemblymen In point
| of ability. The senate is certainly a
| very able body Of men. One can name
offhand a dozen, any one of whom
would be an influential figure wherever
| dropped-men like Long" Jones Of
| Waukesha, Stout, the Menomonie phil
| anthropist; bennett, the Sheboygan
| man who conducts the biggest chair
| factory I'm the world; Levi Withee, the
Lacrosse lumber millionaire; White
head. the Jonesvlle attorney and Y. NJ.
G. a. worker; Baxter of Lancaster,
| Roeiir of Milwaukee Munson, the Viro-
| qua editor; McGillivray of Black River
Falls, one Of the few who enjoys a
| third election in secession. and some Of
| the new men--as a rule, attorneys Of
note.
| Brains In the Assembly.
| In the assembly are just 100 members,
| OF whom but nineteen are Democrats.
showing the tremendous Republican su-
| prcmacy in this state. OF the thirty
three senator's, but two are Democrats.
| The Republicans will have hard work
| to redeem their platform pledges by
| means Of well-digcsted efficient lcgisla-
| ton, owing to the lack Of trained, dis
| interested leaders in the assembly. The
| defeat Of Buckstaff Of Oshkosh and
| Flett of Merrill now appears In the
| light of genuine calamities. However,
there are some able men among those
with experience, and they may Ne able
| to handle the assembly in the path Of
! constructive legislation. Albert r.
Hall and his youthful friend from
| Oconto, who sits near Hall, may be
counted upon to do as near the right as
! they know how. Burlington Of Eau
Claire, the wealthy banker. is back
from n foreign trip and his independ-
ence is the sort that is not afraid to
stand alone
CIassmate of Roosevelt.
Francis Keens Of Milwaukee is the
SCHOLAR In politics" a Harvard man,
| claasmate II TEDDY" Roosevelt keene
| is & genial young man of polish and
| literary tastes. who came into a hand
some fortune by marriage. in addition
to what his own family had. Thus he
occupies a position u leisure which he
| devotcs to public affairs Municipal re-
| form Is one Of his hobbies. but he is no
! silly. kidRioye, but hearty. practical
| fellow, and always gentleman. The
| last tire Roosevelt WAS IN Milwaukee
| he Rtupped at Keenc's beautiful home