Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-03-26

asm for the full bill is abated in
more quarters, and the few who
strenuously claim it rest their main
argument on the platforms Of 1898
and 1900 and say the people want
the whole thing" | do, not look to
see this bill passed in its entirety
however There is a danger that in
the quarreling that may ensue. no
agreement can be reached. in which
event, some think Gov. LaFallette Will
be i'll the. position of martyr" and
in great form for "a fresh appeal to
the people" Whether the people will
respond to appeal No 3, is something
that his friends and opponents differ
about
Holding Back Big Bills.
This is the tenth week of the SEES
sion. The big bills have been held
back for one reason OF another, and
some Of the committees are backward
in sending in their measures. This,
or course, is a matter largely within
the scope Of the chairmen, who are
very influential folks, where the pro
gress, and indeed, the destiny Of legis
latlon is concerned.
State Control of Freight Rates.
There is saying that petitions
have lost their efficacy and it is so,
except on the rare occasions where
it is big one-perhaps engrossed on
the American flag and tOted into the
halls of legislation by four perspiring
Workingmen In such way one can
sometimes make an impression OF
aroused sentiment. But the routine
petitions of y. Jones and IL others"
have little or no weight Madison re-
ceived a petition on legs, however,
the other day, Of different order.
1t was an invasion of big shippers,
jobbers, etc, who came to protest
against the bill to establish state
board Of railroad commissioners. They
were joined by some big men of the
railroad companies who, Of course,
want no supervision of their freight
rates. but it was an influential de-
scent on the aSSemblymen and SEN
ators, especially the wealthy and in
uuC1lldI UllSluCSS IuCI1 IlO1l (lCIl wv IL
districts. Gov. LaFollette in his
message urged strongly the idea and
quoted figures showing apparently
lower rates in Iowa (Where they have
had a commission since Granger
days., and the superior prosperity of
that state as result. Replies were
made to these claims; but the main
argument of the jobbers was that they
don't want an expensive state board
| set up-that the present railroad com
missioner is capable of righting their
wrongs, etc. The administration was
shy of able speakers, Frank w. Hall
! being an exception. Mr.. Hall is a
Madison attorney, who tries cases in
the supreme court in the morning,
manages hospital and public library
matters in the afternoon, and writes
articles for the logical reviews in the
evening He is beautiful talller, and
while smiling graciously all the while
can put the knife in to the hilt-
as he did at the railroad hearing-and
turn it with great effectiveness.
1t is true that the bill assumes pres
ent freight rates just and provides fol-
their lessening only after most guard
ed and even judicial review. 1t is
true, too, that heavy retailers favor
such a system, though not organized
to assert themselves as are the manu-
facturers, but the proposition is Sc
new and the big shippers SO infuen-
tial that it is likely the proposition
! must mature and mellow before be-
! ing enacted into law.
Part of LaFoilette's Programme.