The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-05-24
NOT ANXIOUS FOR WAR
Both LaFoIIette and Spooner Men
Adverse to Widening the
g. fractional Split.
WILL COURT UPSET ICE BILL
Each Exported Ton Must Pay 10
Cents, if the New Law Stands
Ills Now Gates County,

set in following the legislative session.
Governor LaFOllette speedily acted
upon all bills left in his hands. He
approved two bills whose fate was
questioned, one erecting the northern
half of big Chippewa county into the
new county of Gates, and another tax
ing ice exported from the state 10
cents a ton That there were cues
tons of serious character involved
with both measures was shown by
lis attaching a statement with each
bill discussing the issues. Governor
LaFOllette is himself good cOnsti-
tutiOnal lawyer, and it is not unlikely
he reinforced his own opinion with
the opinions Of the attorney generals
office.
This last, by the way, is a very
busy place i'll a quiet way during the
session. Members have an idea what
they want to crystalline into law, and
not perhaps being able themselves to
write legal phraSeOlOgy. they natural
ly call on the states legal bureau to
help them out. Mr.. Hicks, the Osh-
llOsh attorney ut the head of this Of
fee, is a genial, able man-and active
Methodist, by the Way-Who sprung
into state note by a speech at the Mil
Waukee meeting called to outline the
semi-centennial for 1898. He is an
impassioned talller. Mr.. Buell., the
first assistant, is a Madison lawyer Of
high repute-a big, friendly man
whom the most untutOred legislator
does not hesitate to call on for cOun
sell Among the others in this office
are Mr.. Hamilton and Mr.. Ernest n.
Warner, the latter Of Madison, and
both we'll educated and clear headed.
Ice That Leaves the State,
Speaking Of the ice bill, Governor
LaFOllette takes the position that the
eXactiOn is a sale. rather than a tax
that the state is entitled to revenue
from ice cut from meandering lakes
which is not private but public prop
erty. This argument was advanced
by Mr.. LenrOOt on the floor of the as
sembly, though he and others who
voted for Mr.. Overbeck's bill were
gracious enough to smile at it's orOvi-
SiOnS in private. OF course, it is a
temptation to recruit the states reve-
nue. by $150,O00-the estimate given
in debate-especially as it is to be
squeezed from the ''ice trust'' It is
a question, however, whether the Chi
their ice in Michigan, where there is
no 10-cent levy; it depends on wheth-
er the eNactiOn is big enough to worry
the companies.
1t is well, however, to have the
question settled by the legislature and
later by the courts, as no doubt it will
be. The bill was pushed at the pre-
viOuS session and would be again. Let
the supreme court decide whether, as
some have suggested, the proposition
is as sensible as would be the taxing
of song birds flying over the Illinois
border or an assessment on breezes
over the Mississippi.
Will War Rage in the Party?
We are all curious to know if the
opponents Of Governor LaFOlIette will
press their fight against him; or.
whether, after deliberatiOn on the
consequences, it will seem best for
the party to accept the administration
as an established fact and for even
those who chafe under it, to make the
best Of it. The best thought at Madi-
son looks to a cessation Of warfare
The rank and file of citizens through
the state are not satisfied with the
work of the legislature, but I do not
understand that they hold Governor
LaFOllette responsible for it's short
cOmings. Some of the senators and
here and there a local leader would
have a personal satisfaction in seeing
the governor turned down; but it is
not a widespread feeling: indeed,
take it, citizens over the state know
that Governor LaFOllette is back of
the tax commission, and have senti-
ment that their interests lie there The
accession of Nils Haugen, the Norwe-
gian lawyer of River Falls, and long
q political cO-wOrker with the govern
or, has quickened his interest in the
work of this commission and the state
will see the governor lay more and
more stress on the necessity of carry
ing out the policy outlined by this
body. This of course. puts the gov
ernOr on strong ground with the peo-
pie who know that the commission
proposes greatly increased corporation
taxes
The Re Election of Spooner.
III addition to this, the active friends
Of Senator SpoOner are understood to
be adverse to these early attempts to
irritate the LaFollette men, for the
obvious reason that they want a nor
NAL legislature peaceably elected the
outcome Of which, of course will be
the unanimous return of Senator
Spooner to begin lis third term
While the opposition to primary cleo
tiOns has been justly laid to federal
OftiCeholders largely, ard it is posi-
bic that Senator Spooner shared the
notion that somehow legislators chos-
en- on such Il plan might be ''picked''
to support some one else. yet to those
who know Senator Spooner it is alb
surd as imagining that busy man sit
ting up nights to defeat the Stevens
bill. The act is, Senator Spooner
docs not get into these scrambles, for
they do not interest him. His friend.
Judge Reyes. is credited with saying
that Senator Spooner is ''the poorest
politician il Wisconsin," and it is
Spooner's glory. He is a statesman,
not only in dealing with the largest
questions, but in a neglect. if not con
tempt, for the setting -up-pins bust
ness. 1t annoys the man to be
thought as interested in the details
.,ef getting to Washington" and it is
no exaggeration to say that if after
~, 4Io ocI