Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-01-16
MADISON LAWMAKERS.
Burnett" Tells of Report on
Taxation and LaFolIette's
Address.
MORE MONEY FROM RAILWAYS.
That Alleged Rebel Senate When
A. Il. Hall Confronted ignat-
ius Donnelly,

Madison, WIS, jan l0.-I0e leglS-
lature begins work tonight in earnest,
following an adjournment from
Thursday afternoon last This inter
val has given an opportunity 20 Speak
Ell Ray of the assembly 20 make up
his committees. he hes the appoint
ing power and it - considerable. Ey-
cry member, especially the veterans,
likes to be on an important commit
tee, even the head OF 1t. AS bill
comes from committee, 'fayorably"
recommended or indefinite postpone
ment' recommended, SO its fate is apt
to be with the full assembly or senate.
who's, members have not the time
to canvass it's merits. There is good
deal of pressure brought to bear, OF
course, to frame these committees as
Interested parties would like. Speak
Ell Ray, however, is man of lots OF
resistance and this year especially,
when reform bills are TO be urged.
will see to it these measures .,tf a
fair hearing and a report Oh their mer-
its.
OF these regular committees there
are about twenty-five in the assembly
and the membership varies from eley-
ell down to five. The judiciary is per
haps the most important. OF this w.
G. Wheeler, the Jonesville attorney,
was chairman IN 1899. AS he has just
been appointed federal district ate VI
ney in Madison, at a salary of $4,000,
the vacancy is open to Judge Orton
of Darlington. State affairs Is anotll-
er important committee from the
head hip of which L. l. McGrath, the
versatile Green Bay contractor Is out.
by rea son of non-return to the legis-
lature.
In College with Roosevelt.
FraIcis Keene, the scholar In poll
ties, and college mate at Harvard or
Vice President Elect Roosevelt, viii
continue chairman of cities" to
which important junta Milwaukee
bills are prone to go. Mr.. Keene Is
popular with his mates. despite he is
a society thoroughbred-Milw
members, as a rule, coming from close
TO the masses. He can write good
verse, and not little of the fun of the
session comes from his corner, Byron
A. Burlington of Eau Claire is another
absentee at this session, and some one
may have his craftsmanship OF finance,
banks and insurance. John W. Thorn
as of Chippewa Falls is on his fourth
term, Welshman highly esteemed in
his section and on the floor He heads
the railroad committee. A. r. Hall will
continue at the head of the long table
about which taxes" are considered.
Gossip of Rsformer Hall.
Mr.. Hall liz, perhaps. the most
''pointed-out" of the members. He Is
very happy this year, as he feels that
reform" is on tap. and he has great
faith in Governor LaFNoliette. He used
10 cross swords with Ignatius p,tn-
nelly in Minnesota and has only a
moderate astinrrtA Of that gentleman's
political methocs.
One night Donhelly was speaking in
schoolhouse in Mr.. Halls section
and tried 10 clinch something by pro-
ducing affidavits. IL CHANGED TO be
On an issue that Mr.. Hall had looked
up with all his quiet cleverness, and
he stood up and disputed the docu-
ments and proved by his own neigh
bors that there was no such man in ex-
istense as the local justice before
whom the papers were said to have
been sworn. Doniel.y was furious,
and some of his aiherents begun to
cry Throw him cut" referring to
Hail.
Just then man weighing $50
pounds stood up aud Informed the riot
ers that IL there was to be any throw
ing out they could begin with him.
To clap the climax, at that moment,
under the weight of the crowd, the
floor of the little school settled down
two feet. Everyone thought the end
of life had come. and Mr.. Hall said
he viii never fraget the look Of aston
ishmenf and quick terror that framed
ha prnn1 sNf
But" added the Dunn county man,
"he was one Of the most effective men
that ever addressed a political gather
ing from the stump"
That Alleged Rebel senate.
Considerable has been said OF a sem
ats disposed to take falls out of Coy
er1or LaFollette, and ON the start
some OF the senators seemed disposed
70 take things into their own hands,
but wiser councils prevailed The adj
vice Of men like Whitehead, to dis.
arm criticism as body by giving the
new administration u fair chance. re-
suited in naming a privileges and
elections" favorable to the new gov
ernor, headed by Hatton. To this CON-
mirtee the primary election bill will
go.
The judiciary committee is headed
by Kreutzer of Wausau, a transpar-
entity honest lawyer, popular and with
a backbone and balance as to which
his boyish makeup might deceive.
Jones, the Waukesha Staiwar-t. heads
state affairs Stout is happy as
chairman of education. and Mills sue
ceeds Baxter at the head of "cla' MS"
the important committee which esti-
mates expenditures and tells the legis.
lature when the revenues compel a
stopping of appropriations.
Report of Tax Commission.
Two big events of the first week.
apart from Inauguration. We're the ie-
port Of the state tax commission, ana
the inaugural message of Governor
LaFollette. The tax commission was
concrete enough to satisfy any one.
II proposed an increase in tax receipts
from the railroads of 100000. This
method. If applied 20 the gross earn
ings of the railroads for 1899. would
give a revenue approximately of 80
10000. 1t must be confessed that the
railroads would thus be toeing the
mark To quite q degree.
II proposes that the street railways
shall pay $50. 700 more: and hat the
telegraph and telephone companies be
increased $4,000 a year The fear
that the commission would advise es-
6mating the yalue OF railroad proper
lies as other property is estimated
and taxing II in the same fashion, was
not realized. The commission init
na1AS that this Is the ideal SvSts,t,