Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-01-24
LEGISLATIVE LETTER
BOTH HOUSES WELL AT WORK ON
MEASURES BEFORE THEM.

Consideration of Measures in Com.
naittee. E9e. Epportionment ssNdatters,
Primary Election Law, 9toutsa Mar
riase Bill, Payment OF Wages, Ger
tain Committee Essionmenta.
The legislature is said to be de-
Lucrative body, and SO it is. Some
people think it a very deliberate body
for it adjourns, especially in the early
par, of the session, a great deal more
than it sits. In the nearly two weeks
now past the senate has not been in
actual session four hours in all. The
assembly has been some better than
that, but not much.
that the work of a legislator is meas
ured by the number of hours his house
is in session, for that is only time for
the introduction of business that must
receive the most careful attention in
committee. A member may in two
minutes get bill before the house and
have it referred to committee that the
committee may be obliged to work
hours, days or even weeks upon. The
quarter part of legislative work is done
in committee. 1t is there that the bills
referred to them are carefully consid
cred in detail, and it is in committee
that the fate of most bills is decided,
And men on committees must. as rule,
do all their work when their respective
houses are not in session. Therefore,
legislators are not to be considered as
Indifferent to the good of the public
because OF their long adjournments
Senator Riordan is a member of five
standing committees, all of them very
important, and of two he is chairman
This means that he will have much
hard work on hand during the session.
The people of the Both district may
we'll congratulate themselves upon hav
ing so efficient member of the senate
as Mr., Riordan. [ may also say just
here that the senate has in Editor Moon
a most capable assistant to the sargent
alarms.
Some important bills have been al
ready intr oduced. The first proposed
law in the assembly is one coming from
Mr.. Overlook, of Door county, the OBJ
iect of which is to do away with the
sale or giving away of any cigarettes,
cigarette paper or any substitute
therefore, under penalty of $4,000 fine.
It was referred to the committee on
public health and sanitation, and was
at once unanimously recommended by
them for passage this week. But a
big tobacco firm has asked that the
consideration of it be put off till it can
send a representative to present argu-
ments against it,
Senator Stout has introduced bill,
the object of which is to prevent mar
riages in which one OR both the parties
have any tendency to insanity of any
kind, to consumption or to certain dis )
eases incident to impurity of life. The
bill provides for board of three ply
sicians, only two of any one medical
school, one member of the board d lady, |
when possible to be appointed by the
probate Judge of every county, whose
duty it shall be to examine every appli-
cant for marriage license with refer
ence to his or her physical condition
The county clerk may not issue a il
cense except on certificate issued by
this examining board. Everybody |
whom have heard speak concerning
the matter says there are the best of
reasons for the restrictions named.
One of the important matters before |
the present. islature is the re.appor-
tionment of congressional, senatorial
and assembly districts. The committee
TO consider this matter is TO consist of /
30 members-One senator and two as
semblymen from every congressional
district. Mr.. Riordan will be the SEN
ator from the 9th district, and will be |
chairman of the senate contingent on |
Lhe joint committee for re-apportion-t
ment. It will net be easy to suit
everybody in this Encouragement of
districts. Nearly every one has a forty
acre lot he would like to have consid |
cred according to his personal choice
in the matter. It seems to me that the
committee is rather too large fsr eff /
Gent work.
The bill providing for primary cleo
lions will be introduced by Assembly
man E, Ray Stevens, of Madison. He
has been at work upon the bill ever
since election. He says it is mot easy
10 arrange the details of the proposed