The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-03-08
IS BRILLIANT SOCIALLY
The Administration of the New
Governor Of Wis
consin.
LAFOLLETTEs WIFE IS TACTFUL
Controversy About the State School, at
Sparta-The Primary Election
BiII-RefOrm Measures.

Toilette administration is brilliant So
ciaIly. Mrs. LaFollette is giving many
receptions and has regular calling days
for legislators, their wives, and all VS.
itors. She is u great help to the gov
ernor in that way, being tactful ana
pleasing.
The editors were guests at the eXecu-
tive mansion the other night. The gov
ernOr wore a dress suit and few OF
the guests, but most of the gentlemen
did not, while the ladies wed in brill
lance of costume When state gov
eminent gets social, all political lines
are forgotten and Democrats and the
warmest critics of the administration
shook the hands of the LaFOllettes,
after passing Private Secretary Muir
phys welcoming eye. Mr.. Ellis Ush-
or, the keen pen OF the Milwaukee
Journal was much pointed out TO the
less gifted Of the graft.
But politics were not forgotten. Ed
tor Mason, who lately bought out the
Cumberland Advocate and thus forced
q critic Of the administration over
into Dunn county, paused moment
to chat with the governor. Mason IS
an ardent LaFOllette man. ByStand-
erS heard the witty comment Of the
genial executive as he said to his
friend:
Il wish you would buy him out
again"
In the west parlor is q large photo
graph of Isaac Stephenson Of Marin
cite who entertained Governor LaF'Oi-
lette on his yacht last summer The
lumberman is supposed to be the
Wealthiest man in the state. His name
appeared first on the Marinette petit
ton in favor of the primary election
law, and withal the alliance promises
some future developments. Stephen
sons attitude is that if the new sys
tenn does not work well, it can be re-
pealed.
Question Of Babies I: { Sparta.
a warm controversy is raging about
the state school at Sparta. 1t was
founded sixteen years ago. The num-
Der of children kept there ran up to
450, but Of ate years the idea that a
home, and not an institution is the
place for children has made great
progress. 1t is said institution chill
dren become machines; do not know
how to depend upon themselves; rare
ly cry and never smile. The result
has been that all over the country or
phan asylumS and other once we'll
thought of institutions have lost
ground. The new idea is to put the
homeless child into new home as
quickly as possible. Consequently
the Sparta school has run down to 40.
Bright and attractive children sent
there are quickly sent into homes
which have lost children or never had
any. The balance left at the school
is what is known as the melancholy
reSidUum.'
Some advocate that the Sparta
school should wholly give over the
work of placing children from aban-
doned and wrecked homes, making the
plant an annex to the feeble minded
institution. The Children's home soci-
ETY. ard others supported by private
gifts are doing excellent work and say
they could place twice the number Of
children that are offered to them. But
the Sparta school does not want to be
closed up. \ bill is before the legis-
lature to admit infants under three
years Of age. At present it takes chill
dren between Il and g. There is the
Warmest opposition to the bill on the
ground that ii is 4 step backward and
on the @round Of expense to the state
These private societies have 10 build
ings, but transfer infants to their
homes often within q few hours. One
can frequently meet an agent with his
hOmol@-s babe Cn the trains in Wis
COnSin. Tho Sparta school promises
to Ea NEE "ciGarin@ house." receiv-
inG and placing children ut once, but
the tpnJ ncv would he Of course for
infants I" larry there Babies thrive
badly WE@I herdeG. Even an ignor-
ant m0ther, w watching 4 child's ev-
cry motion. IT, feeding. etc. by some
GC(i~G;VrN iIali,t|t can 10 well with it
but when they ara handled in numbers,
tTouhie heGtnS The Sparta school is
eEc2l.enti% MANAGED at present, but
there is always the poSs. oility of poll
ties being emphasized there. At all
events many physicians and parents
are uD IN arms over the proposal to in
trOduce babies al -parta
Ail-Enlpnriant Primary Elections,
The primary election bill has been
under heavy fire but there is now
some sign Of reaction, taking the form
of many proposals Of amendment The
bill is still in the hands of committee
and q number Of asSemblymen have
filed proposed amendments. some hay
ing to do with the platform making.
others limiting the operation to city
and county, etc. There has been q
great campaign of education going on
and it is said that the author Of the
bill. Mr.. Stevens, thinks now he him.
self can improve it. 1t is proba bly
true enough that on secret ballot
the Support of the legislators would
be less hearty than on an open vote.
but this proves little. The anti-pass
bill was even more unpopular with
legislators, yet it passed practically
unanimously and nearly all but the
fellows who lost their passes think
well of it. Meanwhile. each day there
is flood of petitions pouring in for
the primary elections bill and when
the measure gets before the assembly
and senate, there will be lots Of talk
ing.
What si0ral Reformcrs Urge.
There are gist of reform bills
AS the circular of the Wisconsin Anti
Saloon league begins: THE ozone of
reform iny.g0rates the atmosphere.
Cities and country are ablaZe. The