Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-07-01


tent with present political and indus
trial trends He especially pitched
into trusts.
Filing Lobby Expenses,
Under the lobby law Of two years
ago, representatives of corporations
and others who do work about the leg
islature must sign a book in the secre-
tary's Office before they begin. This
is called registering" That is, they
must register if they get pay for their
service. 1t is not a pleasant task, but
the law is we'll drawn and the man
who talks to members and especially
who addresses a committee is very
apt to be publicly asked by the oppo-
sition "if he has registered"
Not only the professionals register,
| but the occasionals-the leading law
yers of Milwaukee, the champions of
reform measures, etc., it they are paid
even for their trouble, to say nothing
of services.
But more than this is required.
| When the session is over, the secretary
of state sends blank to al who regis,
tered-the lobbyis- and the interest he
represented, requiring statement un-
der oath of the amount spent in pro-
noting and defeating legislation; and
the legislation must be specified. Th. )
must be done within thirty days of the
conclusion of the session.
Fees for this sort of thing are large.
A number of Madison law firms are
active in this work 1t consists not
only in formal speeches before legisla-
tive committees, but in interviewing
members, in int. esting influential
| parties outside, in circulating newspa-
| pers and the like. Fees of $500 are not
uncommon for an important piece of
Work-legitimate work, but requiring
perseverance and cleverness. Many
a bill that has nett requires q cam
| paign behind it to enable it to pass.
Many a bad bill will not die until it's
! defects have been made very clear to
a majority of tne members and this
often requires some ones time. The
new law can do no harm and DO doubt
it does good.
Wisconsin at st. Louis.
Wisconsin is to do her share at the
st. Louis worlds fair. At a recent
meeting of the commission in Milwau
| kee the site of the state building, the
proposed buildings and the distribution
of the money appropriated were dis
cussed Nothing definite was decided,
although it seems that the committee
favors spending on the agricultural ex-
hibit Gncluding the dairy display $780,
900, which is the largest sum accorded
any display. Some of the other large
items are as follows: Mines, $4,000;
fisheries and forestry, $4,000; educa-
tional, $4,000 or $4,000; horticulture,
$4,000: and building, $4,000. The rest
of the $S4 200 subsc ibed and appropri-
ated, will be used for current expenses,
maintenance, etc.
WOodmen at milwaukee,.
Milwaukee succeeded in capturing
the annual WoOdmen convention for
1905. This will mean that $4,000 will
be brought to the Cream City. The
Wisconsin delegation was headed by
Mayor d. w. Agnew of Oconomowoc
Los Angeles was after the convention
and made strong bid. The delegates
from California had a cash offer of
$4,000 to back it, while Milwaukee
had nothing but an invitation.
The administration" (as the head
officers are called were well sustained
at the recent annual convention. The
opposition had only about one vote in
five and the outcome was a lOve-feast.
For some years it has been admitted
that the present financial plan could
not go much longer-it is too cheap
Moreover, there was too little differ
ence for age. A boy of 20 and his ia
Their of 45 paid but little difference.
But now the rates have been raised to
quite an extent, although those al
ready in the order will pay the adj
vanced rates on the age at which they
entered and not on the age at which
they are now. New members will pay
some more and thus build up fund
toward meeting their death claim
when it comes due. 1t is said that the
Woodmen rate will even then be less
than their rivals-the Foresters and
some other orders. The Fores+ ers
have over $6000,000 surplus. WelI-in-
formed Woodmen tell me that the new
plan merely means a better condition
of affairs pending a still more drastic
revision of the financial system.
Enforcing Child Labor Law.
It is gratifying to see that an effort
is being made to stop child labor. Wis
consin has not been as negligent of her
children as have some Of her neigh
bors, but the evil is great enough The
child labor law recently passed by the
legislature is a good one according to
Labor Commissioner Erickson, but its
enforcement makes necessary eternal
vigilance. Under the new law it is
necessary for children, between the
ages of II and 16, to get permits from
the inspector before they can go to