Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-02-05

Isitors are men of the keenest abil-
ty, and they bring their counsel with
them-men who command $4,000
year salary. 1t remains to be seen
whether equal ability and cleverness
will be there to ask questions and
draw out facts.
State Control of Freight Rates.
The bill outlining a railroad COM
mission will soon be introduced-ab
as important a measure as the session
will develop next to the platform
pledged bills. 1t will provide for state
control of rates. The object of the
bill is to give shippers rates that will
compare favorably with those of Iowa
and Illinois and to prevent the increase
Of rates as a retaliatory act for the
assessment of taxation upon an ad valO-
rem basis.
Senator Spooner Reinstalled.
The past week was made eventful
by the election of John c. Spooner to
the senate at Washington for the third
time. His term will expire March 4,
1909 He will then be 67 years Of age.
1t is likely that if our Wisconsin man
is to figure as a presidential OF vice.
presidential candidate it must be in
1904 or 1908. Coming later than that,
the unwritten age limit would be apt
to intervene. The signs Of the times
point to a second term of President
Roosevelt This will accord with Sen
atOr SpOner's views, as they work to-
gether we'll. Following that, however,
if the senator holds his present high
place in the public esteem, and multi
plies his achievements, forensic and
otherwise, it is calculated that he
should be most eligible for honors in
1908.
His Speech of Acceptance.
Senator Spooner walked alone from
his office to the capitol the day he was
elected. He grows stOuter each year.
Though not q tall man he is well pro
portioned, and every inch tribune. A
short man to have dignity must have
power behind it, and Spooner has that
He told me he was never more under
stress, his manuscript as he held it in
his hand-though able to say most of
shook like leaf in the wind. 1t
was a hard post. The assembly
chamber was choked with men of note
from every part of the state-and the
ladies were in full force. During the
past two years few had seen him and
now mountaineering whom much
Of the confusion and debate ragged
was before them. He and they were
thinking of the same thing-of the war
of factionS-yet by the canOns of good
taste he could say nothing of it, nor
did he. There was, however, touch
Of satisfaction with which he recalled
that the honor came to him unsought
Election of Senators; Popular Vote.
The legislature last week passed the
resolution it has passed before Gas, in
deed, have most of the states) in favor
of election of United States senator by
popular vote. Earlier in the week
there was an attempt, largely by
Democrats, TO worry Senator SpOoner
by instructing him specifically to sup
port the principle. Some twenty as
semblymen stood out in the clearing
to put the senator in a box but it
failed thanks to Mr.. Cady and others
who might have been expected by some
to have enjoyed a dig at SpoOner.
Some Odds and Ends of Bills.
While the number of bills of cardi-
nal Importance this year is not long,
there are many that are interesting.
Senator Randolph's, for instance, pro-
poses to put stop to the frequent
presentations practiced by station
agents as to chow late the train is
The bill requires that all passenger
trains shall be bulletined and the exact
moment when they may be expected
to arrive at any station to be accurate
.ly posted.
Of local bills there are many. One
aims to forbid the use of nets and
seines in Lake st. CroiX. A petition
states that while in former years large
numbers of pike, bass pickerel and
similar fish could be caught with hook
and line, it is now almost impossible
to catch such fish in that way. On the
other hand a Bayfield, movement pro-
Uoses to allow the use of a net along
the south shore of Superior.
These men do not desire to take
from any waters game fish, but suck
ers. for which market in the east has
been found. The fishermen say they
are willing to use a net with a mesh
sufficiently large for brook trout and
other small fish to slip through. The
laws of Minnesota and Michigan,
whose coast lines are less than fifty
miles distant permit shore fishing.
Every one knows Wisconsin has an
bitons in raising cranberries-ind
after Massachusetts and New Jersey,
this state has good rank. But we have
vet much to learn. The legislature
will be asked TO appropriate $4,000 an
nually toward maintaining state cram
berry experimental stations. There
are now 1000 acres of cranberry marsh
in Wood county alone, producing 3d.
600 barrels of berries annually.
There are whispers of an effort to