The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-12-13
State Campaign Will Soon TEEN
With This Lively Issue.
TRY TO EMBARRAss LAFOLLETTE
New Bookkeeping System To Be For
warded-County Farm Schools"
To Be Estab lished.

effort will be to put Governor La
Toilette on the defensive, based on his
dealing with his subject by message,
appointment and through the so-called
'LaFollette men, in the legislature.
The stalwart claim is that the reform
contingent" did not show up any more
aggressive tax reformers than the stall
warts. 1t is true that a few of the
I.aFOllette leaders laid no stress Oh
tax reform, because their whole bent
was conservative. The late Senator
Stebbins was an instance of this.
Then there were political leaders"
some of whom have since deserted the
governor, who were a source of weak
ness to him by their well-known SYM
pathy with the interests the tax bills
were aimed at. The LaFollette men
claim that whatever the cleavage dur
ing the legislature land they invite
comparisons in the assembly that now
the governor is the standard leader of
those who wish the tax commission
to do vigorous work. On the other
hand, the stalwarts say that if there
are any more sincere tax refOrmers
than Whitehead, Ray, Orion and other
men in their camp, they want to know
where to find them. The melting Of
the anti-LaFollette forces to get at
this tax question is a long story, in
volving the suggestion of men of high
rank. Something will soon drop, east
or west, and Wisconsin will be in a
ferment, both factions struggling for
the prestige of being the original and
only reliable advocates Of easier taxes
for the common people.
The new system of bookkeeping has
not been fully launched, nor are some
Of the state departments wholly re-
gretful; in fact, they don't want it.
The system has great merit, however
and in some form certainly will find
hearty advocate in the governor. The
fact that it is not congenial to the
offices which object to the new ma
chinery of debit and credit (by the
secretary Oh state) may not prove more
than that it is an excellent system
None of us like to be moved out of our
ruts.
Teaching Farming in Local Schools.
Marathon county will set up one Of
the new county agricultural schools
authorized by the legislature. These
are, of course, distinct from the coun-
ty normal schools which Marathon
was first to set up. The appropriation
by the county board for the agricultur-
al school is $4,000. Competition in
agricultural pursuits, as we'll as. in
other lines of business, becomes keen
er each year, and the men who would
succeed in this line are those who
thoroughly understand it in every de-
tail. This Inc school will furnish.
Dairying, and stock raising will re-
ceive especial attention. Dunn coun-
ty will also have one of these farm
schools. AS for the county normals,
Buffalo and Jefferson have voted to
establish them. The erect in better
trained teachers for the small rural
schools will soon be manifest. Super
intendent Harvey will be happy to see
his suggestions thus crystallized.
One Useful County Asylum.
The county insane asylums of the
state are doing good work in quiet
way. In these are kept the "chronic
cases." those FOR whom there is be-
lieved to be little hope in this world.
The theory is to keep them safe, to
give them fresh air and work, if they
can do it; and between the extensive
institutions and the work for women
in laundry, etc. those who are strong
enough to work are kept busy, and
happy, too, to a great extent, for to
keep the insane employed is an impor-
tant element in their treatment.
The Dunn county asylum, like all
the activities i'll which Senator Stout
has a hand, is one Of the best of the
Wisconsin system. 1t has been in eX-
istence for ten years. The remarka-
BILE statement is made that the insti-
tuition has paid for itself in this time.
There was an original tract of 200
acres, to which 3S3 acres have been
added at cost of $11,25O The pres
ent value of the property of the asy-
lum, real and personal, is $119, 1881.
During the ten years the total amount
earned and saved has been $1S7 ,322.O 4;
while the expenditures for all purposes
except interest amount to $1S3,647.1l
Ia difference in favor of the asylum
of $3,674.93. There are 121 patients;
the cost of board per person is $2.87
per week. The earnings of the farm
foy. fbce most rnor bavn b.vfxu, GO Sff1