The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-03-20
MAY ELECT VAN H|SE
Belief That the CeoIogist Will
Head the State University.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS DORMANT
Senate May Pass Some FAIR Measure
Political Complications-Cr
t... Taxation To Be Discussed.

Madison March 17.-Each day the
senate and assembly are opened with
prayer by Madison pastor For this
service they are compensated by the
state. Last week there was a novelty
in the way Of substituting a hymn for
the prayer 1t was instituted by Chap
lain Bolton, presiding elder for this
district He is a tall, superb-lOoking
man with gray hair and was one Of
ChicagO'S beSt-knOwn orators, eSpe-
cially on patriotic occasions. twenty
years ago "America." Nearer. My
God, to Thee" and other hymns were
sung, the chaplain leading. In the
Maine legislature, when I was a boy
in Augusta, there was a great deal Of
informal singing of all sorts of songs
by the members But those were sim
pier days
Health Park for COnsumptives.
There are two bills looking to eli
mate cure for consumptives. One is
for a 100000 plant under the state
board Of health. This, however, is said
to be q tentative measure, not expect
ing passage. A great deal is being done
in the way of saving the lives of in
cipient cases, and even advanced cases
of consumption. by having them live
outdoors. Astonishing claims are made
as to the percentage of cureS-frOm
% to 90-if the climate fits.
1.-THE Lungers Friend"
The other bill is for $1,000 a year
for two years to be turned over to the
Health Park association. This is a
philanthrOpic cOterie of gentlemen of
Madison and other places who already
have made q start The late "Bill''
Bradley, Of TOmahaWk, Lincoln coun-
ty, gave them $40 acres of land, most
ly uncleared, close to TOmahawk, and
the idea is to put up cottages here
and have the patients clear the wilder
ness, do farm work, chicken raising
and the like, while they are getting
well. The association has collected
some $4,000 already, it's president be-
ing eX-Judge J. II. Carpenter, of the
Dane county court. The moving spirit
in the work, however. is DR.. VIM. p
Roberts, who is q character He is
Maine quaker, an Old-faShiOned home
Opathic physician. with curious notions
mixed up with deal of common sense
He has been working on consumption
for years, and has lot of ideas that
jar the regulars: for instance, he
ridiculeS the idea of consumption be-
ing contagious. and offered some time
ago to have any number of germs
pumped into his own body. He has
locked horns with the head of the
state board OF health, who is a hope
lessly conservative individual and it
is said the 100000 sanitarium bill is
more to head off Roberts than to
secure Il Sanitarium. Roberts was the
father of the famous Massachusetts
Invalid Aid SOciety-he is unselfish
and good and simple. In the Colorado
country he is known as the "lungers'
friend" Like all men who achieve
anything, he is desperately in earnest,
and when he gets after the members
for the appropriation to the Tomahawk
project he will prove the most persist
ent lobbyist the capitol ever saw.
Primary Elections.
We are all wondering how long will
be the session. In Minnesota there is a
constitutional limit of 100 days; in
North Dakota to sixty days. In Wis
consin the term has been steadily
heightened of late years 1t now runs
from about 100 to 116 days. The spring
promises to be an early one. so there
is much talk of this matter. The pr-
mary election and taxation matters
if these were out Of the way the rou-
tine matters could be quickly disposed
OF, for there is not the usual number
of bills of second constellation impor-
lance.
March Is is the date fixed for this
topic. Details are not much discussed
by the senator's who have it all in
their hands. 1t is generally believed
that some genuine bill will be adopted
by the senate; but there is much di-
vision of sentiment. Some who don't
relish the bill feel they must vote for
it Some who will not oppose any more
than necessary are annoyed at other
sSCldtOLS w IiOIIl lll6S lUIuh SuOuIu
stand firmer than they do; and all
are wondering what the assembly will
do with a partial measure If the SEN
ate can be put in the attitude of
blocking" Governor LaFollette. the
latters opponents fear he will be ia
vored as a martyr" and be in SPLEEN
did shape for a fresh appeal to the
people" On the other hand, they fear
that if they give him primary elections
he will be able to work" it to fullest
advantage. And so there is a good
deal Of confusion.
The outcome will probably be that
the senate will give a fair allowance
of primary elections in the strong
hope of acceptance by the assembly
and governor; and yet it is not impos-
sible for even a bill that everybody
wants to be lost altogether. Men get
set and angry, and confusion sets
in. and before cool heads are able TO