The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-09-01
WHAT IS AN OPINION
Attorney Generals Office a Very
Busy Place.
A VERY RIGID ANTI-PASS LAW.

Drunkards--Medal for Professor Bah
cock-The "Whaleback" Cost 5000, 1000
Eleven Bids on a Masonry Job-W. A.
Field for Governor.
Madison, Wis, Aug. 29.-The attor-
ney generals Office is taking the anti
pass law seriously and interpreting it
rigidly. On the start the critics
seemed to think Mr.. Hicks and his
associates were making a skinner OF
the act, especially by the opinion that
all bona fide employees of railroad COM
panies, including legal counsel, could
enjoy free transportation. But latter
ly there is grumbling because the law
is construed strictly. The Beloit Free
Press voices this pleasantly by calling
the attention Of the Office to the riding
free on meTry-gO-rOund by notary
public.
What an Opinion Is Good For.
People, however, who do not like the
opinions of this legal headquarters
may go elsewhere, and perhaps get as
good, even better advice. There is no
magic, no binding force in an opinion
from the attorney generals office. 1t
is a Well-eQuipped, wellmanned legal
bureau, maintained by the state for
many uses, one of them being for con-
sultatiOn for state officials On legal
points as the conflict of laws. The
practice has sprung up of asking it all
sorts of questions as to the working
of laws, actual and contemplated, and
in this inquiry citizens have more and
more joined. The amusing delusiOn
has even possessed some minds that
any citizen is free to poke his head in
the door and PROFOUND legal conun-
drums which the officials are required
to answer off-hand.
The statutes define the limitations
on this omniscient function, though the
obliging attorney general and his as
sistants, Messrs. Buell., Hamilton and
Warner, have graciously transcribed
them in many instances. The activity
of the department is shown by the
actual increase in volume OF business,
more than one-half over any previous
administration, as shown by the rec
ords
But it seems necessary to remind the
public that the departments ''Opin
ions" are not "fnal,' or authoritative.
The courts may find" contrary to
them An able lawyer in Madison or a
leading Milwaukee firm may be con-
suited in place of the states legal de-
partment. The value of the opinion lies
in it's conformity to precedent and it's
basis in legal principles.
Royal Claims of Native Bloods.
United States Commissioner William
A. Jones makes the interesting state
ment that "a full-blooded Indian luna
tic never lived" After inspecting the
site recently purchased by the govern
ment for an Indian insane asylum in
the Indian territory, he says, 'The oc
cupants of the hospital which will soon
be opened will all be mixed breeds.
Probably there never was case of in
sanity in any tribe until the malady
was introduced by mixing with the
whites.''
Along with this remarkable propo-
sition goes the strange fact that ne
groes almost never become habitual
drunkards. They get drunk and do
violences but unlike the white man,
they get over it. The habit does not
seem to fasten on the blacks.
Honor for the Great Babcock.
The committee authorized by the leg
islature to secure and present to Pro-
fessOr Stephen MOultOn BabcOck
medal commemorative his invention of
the milk test" is going to work in the
right way. Though it has but $500 to
spend, the committee (Messrs. Ogden
H. Fethers, John W. Whelan and John
M. True) have issued q circular invit-
ing designs. 1t is suggested that the
medals carry some representation Of
Cd The state Of Wisconsin,; (2) The
University Of Wisconsin; (3) Agricul-
ture and dairy industry. The medal is
not to be less than five inches in diam
eter, executed in bronze and within
laurel wreath will be this inscription:
Recognizing the great value to the
people. Of this state and to the whole
world of the inventions and discoveries
of Professor Stephen Moulton Bah
cock Of the University of Wisconsin,
and his unselfsh dedication of these
inventions to the public service, the
state of Wisconsin presents to Profess
sor Babcock this medal"
Professor Bacbcock refused all pat
ent right profits on his discovery,
throwing it open to the world. He
HAS D00u Will luG SIdlC university SIuC6
1SS7-a modest, quiet man, so near
sighted that he does not recognize his
best friends on the street. Medals are
we'll enough in their way to be hand
ed down to ones children professor
Babcock has no children), but an in
crease to salary Of $4,000 which he
has received since 1892 would seem to
be pretty good way to express the
gratitude Of the commonwealth. When
he came to Madison in 1887 his salary
was $500; it was increased in 1888 to
$1,000.
Milwaukee to Chicago by Boat.
& The "Whaleback" steamer which
makes the trip from Milwaukee to
Chicago cost $600,000 1t was built
especially for Worlds fair business
and cleared $4,000 in six months, SO
| am informed. 1t costs $500 to make
a round trip and though the boat is
authorized to carry 1000 people and
has been known to carry 5000, she
averages probably 1000 passengers
day. But the season" is short, three