Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-01-18

really g indirectly ip the matter Therefore. /
ed 70 the giying 81 PASSES By the corpora ioue IN
CREATED a or their acceptaree by public onfcial
70, bis own use. but that the prohibition shcald
extend TO any person upon the request of public
oifcials In this viess the Law should prchisit
n 1ae granting Of passes. or the acesptanee
also the granting OF transportation or franks, az
,aeiiites Of any kind to any person. directly d
acial One Of the platform decIarstions is siif;
ncientiy broad to extend the prohibition 10 the
and other public officials OF municipalities.
Al that have said upon the subject IN lite re.
70 STATE oicials certainly applies to all
huoiclpai authorftfeN who have duties to per-
form form legislative or otherwise, with reference to
amendment be submitted to the people In. order
dsa,. II adopted, the prohibition shall be part
OF the permanent law Of the state beyond reach
OF legislative modification or repeal; AID that
mere , De promptly enacted legislation covering
ment.
The Legislative Body.
Both the leading political parties In eonven-
tion also declared for the enactment Of legisa-
tion adequate TO destroy what is called the leg
isiative lobby and to protect the members Of each
body from malign influences.
It is not supposed that it was or cor,d be I'm
TENDED to preclude, IL IL possible 80 TO do
by legislative enactment. the people from COM
municating to their representatives, either at
the capitol or otherwise, their wishes wants
as to legislation. Every citizen has the right,
which cannot be taken away from him or her, to
In q proper manner the reasons for his or her
contention: The platform declarations are evi-
IDENTITY not intended to isolate the Legislature from
its constituency. To do so would be 10 destroy
IN a considerable measure Its representative ca
paeity. Members Of the Legislature, like the ex-
ecutive, are but agents Of the people, charged
With the duty Of carrying out. within the limits
Of the constitution. the win Of the people prop
| is to remove from the Legislature the supposed
danger OF undue influence resulting either In the
defeat OF needed legislation or the enactment Of
Just what form efficient legislation for the pur-
pose Indicted can take without doing harm as
| to see The Legislature can pass no law which
VIII prevent persons from coming TO or residing
IN the capital city during the session Of the
Legislature.
The Legislature OF this state many years ag.
| legislation against not only corrupt Influences,
| but against influences not strictly corrupt, but
| sinister because secret
Section 44S2 of the revised statutes reads:
Amy person who SHALL directly or indirectly
| give or agree. or offer to give, any money or
| therefor to any person for the service of such
person, or OF any other person, In procuring the
Pass Ss,st oa osieat Oh ay measure before tne
mittee thereof, upon the contingency or condi-
| ton of the passage or defeat Of such measures,
| agree to receive any such money, property,
thing of value or security therefor, for such
l SERVICE upon any Bucn contingency or CONDITION,
| or who. having a pecuniary or other interest. 81
| acting the agent attorney of any person, In
| procuring or attempting to procure. the passage
or defeat of any measure before the Legislature
| or before either house or any committee thereof
| shall attempt In any manner to influence any
| member of such Legislature, for against ans
| such measure. without first making known tc
| such member the real and true interest he has Ia
such measure, either personally or as such agent
| or attorney, shall be punished by Imprisonment!
| In the county jail not more than one year, or by
| fine not exceeding $500"
| Of aad ott.tao L. Rof
| lows:
Each house may punish as for a contempt, by
| Imprisonment, breach of its privileges or the
| privileges of its members. but only for one OF
more of the following offenses, to-wit.
| 4. That of giving or Offering a bride to mem
| Der. or of attempting by menace, or other cor
| rupt device directly or indirectly, te
| control influence member In giving his vote
| or to prevent his giving the same; but the term
| of Imprisonment which such house may impose
/ for any contempt specified In this section shall
| not extend beyond the same session of the Legis
| lature."
| Again, section 4475 declares that:
| ANY person who shall corruptly give, offer OF
| promise to any executive, judicial, legislative
administrative other officer Of the state Of
| any county, town, city, village, school district
| or of other municipal corporation or subdivision
/ therein. after his election appointment, and
| either before or after he shall have been duly
| qualified. or shall have taken his seat, any gift
| or gratuity, or any money, goods, thing IN &C
| ton, personal or real property, or anything OF
| value any pecuDiary other personal ad
| vantage. present or prospective. with intent tc
| influence his vote, opinion, Judgment actor
upon any question. matter. cause or proceeding
| which may then be pending or which may bJ
law come or be brought before him in his oiieia
| capacity, and any such officer who shall corrupt
| ly accept OF receive any such gift gratuity
| money, goods, thing In action, personal or rea
| property, or anything of value, or any such pc
cuniary or other personal advantage, present oil
| prospective. under any agreement or understand
| ing that his vote, opinion, judgment or actor
| should be thereby influenced shall be pun
ished by imprisonment in the state prison moi
| more than five years nor less than one year, Oh
| by fine not exceeding $1,000 nor less than $500
| These statutes are brought together to show
| the existing status of legislation upon the sub
1t is quite clear that the penalty provided b,
| section 4475 is inadequate. No greater onenst
| against system of government unless IL bt
| treason. well be conceived than the DELHI
| crate corruption of public servants. Such an of
| Tense. when proven, is not adequately punished
| by fine. One convicted of II should te made Il
! bear the degradation of Imprisonment. See.ior
II Of the statutes excludes from the right of SUI
| frage every person convicted of bribery.
The enforcement of a portion of these statutes
| very greatly upon the cooperation of members Of
| the Legislature. Ordinarily the onense Of
bribery or improper influence is secret Those
| il. Those who unduy OF improperly in
| fuepced. If they are conscious of It,, are moi
| likely TO give publicity to the fact. The best
deterrent, so far ak 1t relates to public officials
| is the certainty OF prompt exposure and punish
| ment. Each house has the matter mainly in It'll
own hands Every member of the Legislature
| improperly approached should unhesitatingl,
make it known as not only an insult to himself
/
| the dignity and honor of the body of which b
| is member. Every member of body charged
with the duties of legislation, who knows Of the
exercise of undue influence. or has good reason Il
| believe II. owes a solemn duty to himself to the
| people, and to the house of which he lie a mem
| Der. to make known the feet. and to set In mo
| ton the investigating powers OF the body. The
| eoncealment by member of such body of the
| fact or well -grounded suspicion, OF corruption
| or attempted corruption, is not a much lesi
heinous offense against popular government thar
| the offense of being corruptly influenced.
| Section of article of the constitution pro
| vfdes that:
own proceedings. punish for contempt and dis
1 orderly Behavior, and with the concurrence O.
| wo-thrds of all the members elected. expel ,
The Supreme court has declared in a well
| known case that:
| tigate into the alleged bribery of any Of IT.
| members or the members of a previous Legis
II the the Of 'n and n
| punishment upon them for contempt: There II
no appellate or supervisory Jurisdiction owe
| 1t is entirely within the province Of each hous
| to determine who shall be admitted to the foo
| and who shall he excluded. The exercise OF tina
| power by each house is evidenced by the stand
| ing rules of each body. 1t Is within the powe
weaken these rules at will, and manifestly til,
| power to enforce them and the extent of thei
enforcement rests with each house
| After all aside from the fearless exercise o.
| the powers given to each house to protect III
honor and dignity. and legislation against undu
/
| he found In an enlightened public opinion amont
| the people and the election OF men to pubii
trust beyond question Of undouptcd integI.t ~ ant
| Of ability TO enable them to detect the approach
| of insdOus influence and to slurn 1T.
| | am aware that this is delicate subject 10
| consideration in message addressed by the ex
| ecutive to the Legislature. Under our eonsti
tuition our government is divided into three de
partments: Legislative, judicial and executive
| sphere Neither may dictate to the other, au'
| primarily the protection of the dignity and homo
| of each rpsis with each. find justification TO
| The sneeestions herein made only in the platform
| declarations referred to, and disclaim purpos
| TO thereby in any wise invade the Legislative
| Jurisdiction / am not aware of any ground 70
| Impeachment Of legislative integrity. necss
| sarily leave the whole matter TO your nonofaoI
| Ody to dc wise such further measures IL any ar
| deemed necessary as to You may seem best will
| the assurance of my earnest cooperation withii
the limits of my constitutional authority In th'
| premises.
Conclusion.
| cannot hope in this review to have touches
| unon all the vital subjects which will claim you
| attention during this session. but have tried z
| Law emphasis upon those which seem to me q
| be of paramount Importance.
| / believe that in a time of general prosperit,
like this there is more need for close serutin!
| Of appropriations and watctfulness Of publ
| expenditures than when q general hn9ncia
| stringency makes the necessity for economy d
| each an individual matter.
| wise economy may be practtced without de
| priving any state interest of its necessary sup
! port j feel confident that every subject which
shall come before you VIII receive snss s ~
| the best manner possible. BE assured that IN al
| Jour work you will have my hearty and sfncer'
| remuneration Respectfully submitted,
| EDWARD SCoFIELD. Governs.
| BEWA7: tt: T lin BANANA.
| Information that Every Lover of This
| Fruit Should Have.
| L.