The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-03-14
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
Railroads Send Brilliant Lawyers
TO Talk Taxation.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TIE sNAG
They Want That Taxed Before Rail-
road Increase Is Figured Out
Compromise the Talk on
primary Election.

Tr1onQS OF the primary ELECTION k-4I
have at last perfected an organization
to reflect the sentiment of their friends
throughout the state ON the legislature.
Every day sees many petitions and it
is estimated that 5000 names have
been laid before the legislature thus
far and the avalanche is just started.
| Every one understands that petit
ton does not count for much. The as
sembly clerk, for instance, reads: MIR.
Frost introduces a petition signed by
Robert Roe and 161 others of Portage
county favoring 9SA (primary election
| law" The 161 other names are new
err read and the bulky document goes
to Mr.. Steiger's committee which has
charge of 98A and that is an end of
the matter. Now this is not much
ten personal letters from Portage coun-.
ty urging it's assemblymen to vote
this way or that would have more eff
| feet; nevertheless, even such petitions,
| if there are enough of them, remind
the lawmakers that at least somebody
is interested and watching them.
There have been some circumstances
against the bill and from now on no
doubt both parties will work hard at
| the game.
Handwriting Has Influence.
1t should be said that the handwrit-
| ing of signatures is studied to some
extent; for instance, the petition that
Isaac Stephenson sent down from
Marinette headed by his own name,
was commented upon as a list of
| names of evidently intelligent people.
A grist of bad handwriting, on the
other hand, would have less effect.
1t is interesting to note that sixty
members of the assembly have intro
duced no bills, while Mr. Stevens of
the Madison district, at the capital
and regarded as Governor LaFol-
lette's lieutenant, naturally leads with
thirtytwO introduced Judge Norton
put in twenty-five and Xeene of Mill
waukee came third. In all over $40
bills are introduced in the assembly.
Some new ones came i'll Friday from
a committee, embodying some of the
labor commissioners ideas
No child under fourteen may work
in a bowling alley, barroom or beer
garden under 621A). Another bill
provides that doors of public buildings
shall swing outward; lit is an interest
ing fact that the main doors of the
capitol do not; 619A is a bill that com
pels fre-escapes on hotels, tenements,
office buildings. ETC., and will make
lots of work if it becomes law; while
GOA compels factory arrangements,
builders, ETC., to report accidents in
writing to the labor commissioner.
Wnusau's Contribution to Senate.
A senator who promises to have an
| influential hand i'll the compromising
of the issue about primary elections is
A. l.. Kreutzer of Wausau, the head
of the judiciary committee and one of
the most promising younger men of
the state Mr.. I<reutzer combines a
number of strong qualities He is
| clever and popular, and incidentally
the Apollo OF the upper body; but
with this goes an earnestness and
frmness when under stress which
| make him attractive to citizens. His
position at the head of the judiciary
committee Notwithstanding the
crush of able lawyers in the senate,
bespeaks his ability He is good
talker, has all the freshness and dash
Of youth, tempered, however, with the
perception and judgment of maturity.
He is regarded as a type-man Of the
new empire lowering about and be-
| yOnd Wausau and it is altogether
likely he will figure in future political
combinations in the state Indeed,
there was a little ripple his way the
last time a governor was chosen
AS to primary elections Senator
KreutzerS looks to see a compromise
and occupying position between fac
tions, he Is already being consulted by
| all concerned
! Pet Bills That May Bring Fame.
The cigarette bill is apparently
stalled in the senate Mr. Overlook
did wonders to get it through the as
esmbly. 1t is his hobby this year, as
mortgage taxation is Frost's hobby and
railroads Halls, and franchises Len
roots. Not few members have some
one bill they work for not devoid per-
| haps of the laudable ambition to be
known in history as having achieved
something.
The temperance reform bills are be.
| ing kept in the back ground thus far
"A bill to permit pool selling is about
dead. I see that Minnesota is crap.
| ping with dispensary proposition.
making it optional with counties. Ours
| is a good legislature to work with on
reform lines There are, a good many.
| honest ruralists here who are open to
things of that sort, while the suspi-
cious characters-and there are al
ways few-seen to lack the ability
and influence of some of their prede-
cessors. One of the cries raised
against the cigarette bill was that it
might prove second Bennett law and
lead to revolution This bogy man
| is always worked as a last resort, and
there are other measures of which il
| is said this winter
Reform Judicial Issue.
| While we are speaking, of reforms.
an amazing story comes from the
| Green Bay section that Circuit Judge
| Hastings, who is a candidate for a
third term, noble man and perhaps
the ablest of the circuit judges Of the
state Che declined a supreme court
judgeship under Upham) is being wor-
| ried in his campaign because he is
| son of the famous Prohibitionist, now
in his advanced old age. 1t would
make stir if such an outrageous plot
| should succeed. It is characteristic of
| Senator HOgemeiSter the ig-hparted