The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-01-17
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rs the e9Aa.lSary to provide for temporarily
bnid nete ,,eet the current expenses for
h order. ~ month Of the year: Although
tbe closlils Ro authority for doing SO, ! re-
there W. J the state treasurer 70 transfer from
ruested ~ f,nds for d period OF thirty days
he trust d,ortit was necessary to pay the
whatever :iis FOR december, and we were
current P Iiod ID meet immediate demands
thus emu foes from railroads are due in
me m,ry and the general taxes Degln 10
come IL = n transfer from the trust funds
hecessai! "a nj about thirty days. Advances
for a PJbLalye been secured from the rail
nignI nn5n0nies or the state officers might
have nnoors0naI credit: but to do either
their Pa,,o hoen unwise, not to say absurd
would Ia La treasurer had in his hands moro
Fhlie eo50 coo belonging to the trust funds
tlait La was unable to loan at per cent,
which ijr511in tate authorized by statute.
The III NJ han have the state fail to meet it's
Rather Hills I requested the state treas
GrIeno, s before stated, to transfer to the
brer yund ii sufficient amount to meet
eheI"adI,irpmpnts Within thirty days Suf-
the ~ ~ money will be received In payment
fclello IN reimburse the trust fluids.
Of sat A'ii lad NOT been for these extraordinary
II li nT the general fund would have
Hptennjnpd an ample sum to meet all ex-
eonses and leave a good working balance
pe9lSseT which to begin the new biennial pc
rod Governors Contingent Fund
a. norember 81, 1898, there was d bali
.a U In the governors contingent. fund in
~. hands Of the state treasurer of $347. IA:
The Pass Question.
~, +ro leading political parties in convention
Iu g adopted resolutions condemnatory of
%+ is known the pass system and de-
handed the enactment OF teglsiatlon 10 put an
en nou,moilsly adopted. They are to be taken; al
hnnnb differing somewhat in form and scope; as
sIDrsssiye Of the popular sentiment upon the
epoI subject. and / earnestly recommend that
CESSATION be enacted giving full effect to the
s1ugr will as thus expressed.
TTbo theory Of the resolutions is that the ac-
.ontance by members Of the Legislature or other
TfbIic servants, executive or judicial, of such
s uDn from corporations is calculated to in
arence them in their ACTION by placing them
5nr a sense Of personal obligation, and there
gTe is pfeiudcial to the public interest. In this
yew neither declaration in my judgment is suf-
scontIy broad to reach and eradicate the evil
# is well known that it has been the custom
sr MANY years for the railway companies of the
tate TO send to all members of the Legislature
and pIhlc officials generally; annual passes for
themselves. This, to some extent, has been
true as to express, telegraph and sleeptng-car
rompsDies The universally of the custom, and
tbp fact that in the distribution of annual passes
10 the members of the Legislature no diserimina-
tioh has been shown, has tended, 1t is believed
m minimize any possible sense of fav0ritiSm or
nersonal obligation the part of the recipients
The real field for favor and therefore Of per-
sonat obligation has been in the granting of
TRANSFORMATION upon the request of public officials
TO constituents, faVors not granted as matter
~ course and therefore possible of being con-
strnpd as having been distributed with Interior
purposes either to influence the recipients in
future action or to reward them for past action.
II has seemed to me that the popular will upon
the subject can only be expressed by legislation
which will destroy the system root and branch,
and eliminate from it, at least so far as state
officials are concerned, as far as it can be done
By legislation, the possibility of any faVors d.
rpctly or indirectly in the matter. therefore, l
believe that the legislation should not be restrict
ed to the giving of passes by the corporations in
dcated. their acceptance by public official
for his own use, but that the prohibition should
extend to any person upon the request of public
officials In this view the law should prohibit
the granting Of passes, or the acceptance of
passes or franks, to or by public officials, and
also the granting of transportation or franks, or
iaeilltleS OF any kihu, 10 any person. ulreGuy or
Indirectly, upon the request of any public of
fetal. One Of the platform declarations is suf-
fclenty broad TO extend the prohibition to the
granting to, or acceptance by, mayors. aldermen
and other public officials of municipalities.
All that have said upon the subject in its re-
latiOn to state officials certainly applies to all
form, legislative or otherwise, with reference to
local franchises.
recommend that an adequate constitutional
amendment be submitted to the people in order
that if adopted the prohibition shall be part
Of the permanent law of the state, beyond reach
Of legislative modification or repeal; and that
the same ground to be in force until it shall
have been superseded by constitutional amend
ment.
Railroad Investigation.
The last Legislature provided for the APP
pOintment of a committee to make investi-
CATION of the books of the railroad COM
P01leS doing business within the state.
This committee. | understand, has per-
formed its work, and it's report is now IN
the hands of the printer and will be sub
mtted to you early in this present session.
It will, have no doubt, receive your care
III attention.
The Railroads.
We may congratulate ourselves upon the
present relations which exist between the
people of the state and the great transp0r-
tatlon corporations doing business WITHIN
our borders. 1t is coming to be more
clearly understood each year that there is
a close relation between the development
and prosperity of our agricultural, CONNER
qa, manufacturing and other interests ana
mat Of the transportation companies;
loOk. therefore for a continuance OF these
present relations between the twenty or
more railroad companies of Wisconsin and
me people of the state, Notwithstanding the
euortS sometimes made to prove that these
interests are inimical to each other.
The State Fair Grounds.
:, Several years ago there was loaned to
He State Agricultural society. to enable
mem to purchase state fair grounds, the
sum OF $90,666 from the school funds and
n.LlS2.03 from the general fund. Part
u this loan was made through the pur-
.naSe of membranes held against the
grounds, but they constituted as a whole
loan to the amount of $16S, 44S.03.
NO interest was ever paid upon this land,
ma there was no likelihood of the state
,.eF being able to reimburse itself, so pro-
,eedlngs were BEGUN to foreclose the mort,
sages upon the grounds in June, 1897, and
iuu@ment of foreclosure and sale was en-
erred The total amount due, with the
, SSGG,nmulated interest, at that time was
-oiiI6.66. Pending the foreclosure pro
.eeedtngS two receivers were appointed by
ne circuit court for Milwaukee county. to
'he charge of the property. On December
= lISt the necessary time having eXplfeu'
! sue Of the property was made under the
IeCree Of this court and the attorney-gen-