Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-03-06
IS BRILLIANT SOCIALLY
The Administration of the New
Governor of Wis.
= consin.
LAFoLLETTEs WIFE Is TACTFUL
Con .royersy About the State School at
Sparta-The Primary Election
Bill-Reform Measures.


for legislators, their wives, and all Wis
itors. She is a great help to the gov
ernor in that way, being tactful and
pleasing
The editors were guests at the execu-
tive mansion the other night. The gov
orpor wore a dress suit and a few or
the guests, but most of the gentlemen
did not, while the ladies We'd in brill
lance of costume. When state gov
eminent gets social, all political lines
are forgotten and Democrats ana the
warmest critics of the administration
shook the hands of the LaFOllettes,
after passing Private Secretary Mur-
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. bdl-
tor Mason. who lately bought out the
Cumberland Advocate and thus forced
a critic Of the administration over
into Dunn county, paused a 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 MS
friend:
II wish you would buy him out
again."
In the west pal .or is large photo
graph of Isaac Stephenson OF Marin
ette who entertained Governor LaFol-
iette 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 develop rents. Stephen
sons attitude is that il the new sys-
tenn does not work well, 1t can be re-
pealed.
Question of Babies at 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
400 but of late years the idea that a
home. and not an institution Is the
place for children has made great
progress II is said institution chill
dren become machines: do not know
how t. depend upon themselves; rare
ly cry ind never smile. The result
has been that all over the country or
phan asylums and other once well
thought Of institutions have lost
IL
homeless child into a new home as
quickly as possible Consequently
the Sparta school has run down to 40.
Bright and attractive children sent
Their, are quickly sent into homes
which have lost children or never had
any The balance left Mt the school
is what is known as the melancholy
reslduum."
Some advocate that the Sparta
school should wholly give over the
work of placing children from aban-
doned and wrecked homes, making thu
plant an annex to the feeble minded
institution. The Children's home soci-
ETY. and 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. 4 bin is before the legis-
lature To admit infants under three
years of age. At present il takes chill
dren between IA and 3. There Is the
warmest opposition to the bin on the
ground that II Is a step backward and
on the ground of expense to the state.
These private societies have no build
ings but transfer infants to their
homes often within few hours. One
can frequently meet an agent with his
homeless babe on the trains in Wis
consin. The Sparta school promises
to be a mere clearing house." receiv-
Ing and placing children at once but
the tendency would be of course for
infants TO tarry there Babies thrive
badly when herded. Even an ignor-
ant mother, by watching chlld's ev-
cry motion. it's feeding. ETC. by some
God given instinct can do well with II,
but when they are handled in numbers,
trouble begins. The Sparta school Is
exeellently managed at present. but
there is always the possibility of poll
ties being emphasized there. AT all
events many physicians and parents
are up in arms over the proposal to in
troduce babies at sparta.
AlI-Important 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 number of assemblymen have
filed proposed amendments, some hav-
Ing to do with the platform making,
Others limiting the operation to city
and county etc. There has been a
great campaign of education going on
and II Is said that the author of the
bill, Mr.. Stevens. thinks now ne him
self can improve it, II is probably
true enough that on secret ballot
the Support of the Legislators would
be less hearty than on an omen vote
but this proves little. The anti-pass
bill was even more unpopular with
legislators. yet 1t passed practically
unanimously and nearly all hut the
fellows who lest their passes think
well Of 1t. Meanwhile. eat.h dav there
Is q flood of petitions pouring liz for
the primary elections bin and when
the measure gets before the assembly
and senate, there VIII he lots of talk
ing
What Moral Reformers Urge
There are gist of reform bills.
AS the circular of the Wisconsin Anti
Saloon ieague begins: The ozone of
reform ,nvigorates the atmosphere.
Cities and country are ablaze. The
iron is hot. Your blows are needed"
The two bills that must most perplex
the opposition are Bill No. $50 A. "a.
1. Dodge of Monroe) providing for
ward option and bill No. 301 John A.
Henry of Adams county, turning all
liquor license moneys into the county
treasury for meeting the expenses Of
the poor and criminals.
II is difficult to see what can be
said against a bill under which citi-
Eens of ward may Gust saloons. IL