Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-05-19
>5<llN|ljlla|||IE .<<;z1E[ll
na ,!,,,;zt,gE q E1J.

rights of those who are fond of riding
in the band wagon. The amendment as
suggested is as follows: Nothing in this
act shall be construed as in any way
preventing, obstructing, impeding, en-
barraSsing, or i'll any other manner or
form infringing upon the prerogative OF
any political chauffeur to run an auto
mobile band wagon, at any rate Of speed
he sees fit compatible with safety of the
occupants thereof, provided, however,
that not less than ten nor more than
twenty ropes be allowed at all times to
trail behind this vehicle when in mo-
ton, in order to permit those who have
been so fortunate as to escape with their
political lives an opportunity to be drag
ged to death. and provided further when
ever a mangled political corpse implores
for mercy, the driver of the machine
shall in accordance with the provisions
Of this bill throw out the life line.
-:
All this talk against the lobbyists
ought to. lead to a simple solution of
the problem of what to do with them
and how to regulate them. Lobbyists,
it is generally conceded, are the repre-
sentatives of special interests. In pro-
tecting their interests they make them
selves pleasant to the wearied and home
sick legislators and so perhaps influence
them to vote for their measures, a thing
which the members might not do if the
lobbyists had not been so kind to them.
Why not have lobbyist or force of lob
byists for the people? Let there be a
lot of good fellows with good big salaries
and plenty of expense money who will
make it pleasant for the legislators
whose time hangs heavy on their hands,
and so counterfeit the influence of the
lobbyists for special interests. We have
district attorneys and all kinds of COM
missoners to look after the peoples in
terests. Why not lobbyists, too, since
these gentlemen have so much influence?
Now il history repeats itself, and they
say it does, twenty-five or thirty years
from now Max Loeb will be Governor of
the State and will be welcoming home
from an interstate oratorical contest
some radiant youth, for whom the stu
dents will build bonfres and the towns
people will gather to do honor. But Loeb
must begin at once plotting against the
present regime and push his claims in
season and out of season. 1t was about
'Doss" Keyes was one of the foremost
of Madison citizens to greet young Rob
cit NJ La Toilette on his triumphant re-
turn from an oratorical contest. He
said that in the East the students delight
to heap honors on those who conquer by
Drawn, but in the West we honor those
who conquer by brain. And few years
later
Mrs. Alloys Loeher, the woman in
black" who is interested in the bill APP
p.oprating $4,000 for the purchase of
bronze replica of the Columbian shield,
the work Of her deceased husband, has
proven to be one of the cleverest lobby
lists at the Legislature. Even she was
somewhat stumped recently, however,
when after explaining to rustic mem
Der the artistic merit of the shield it's
noble conception, it's exquisite design,
and the educational value it would have
If exhibited in some public place in the
capitol, the legislator stroked his beard
md asked how much the shield weighed.
Mrs. Loeher replied that she just hap
Z ,ned to know that it weighed about 400
pounds. "Well," drawled the skeptical
scion, show much is bronze selling for
p ,und now" Mrs. Loeher was tempted
te ask in reply how much brains could
he bought for a pound.
The committee on claims has reported
tavorably on a bill providing for the
payment of $12O to certain man who
claims to have furnished boiler compound
to the State, upon the order of the super
intendent of public property. Gen. Geo.
e. Bryant, the veteran superintendent,
and his deputy, Mr.. Bennett protested
before the committee against the pay
ment of the bill, claiming that the State
ad no use for the material and that it
could be returned. On the other hand, it
was claimed that the stuff was injured in
4ne capitol fire and that it had been duly
ordered by Gen. Bryant. The commit
tee came to the conclusion that the State
couldn't afford to wrangle over small
matter like that, especially inasmuch as
the claimant had actually furnished the
| material.
The Attorney Generals force has been
oyerworked during this session. More
tlan ever before the committees have re-
erred measures to that department for
opinions as to their constitutionality.
Heretofore it was quite customary for
he Governor, when the bills came to
l i'm, to secure an opinion from the legal
authority of the State, but now the COM
mittees are doing it. Which goes to
show that the legislators are becoming
more careful in the drafting of their bills.
T. also emphasizes the need Of the perma-
nent revision committee clerk, as was
suggested at the commencement Of the
session. The idea was abandoned on ac-
tount of the inability of the factions to
get together on a man.
-
Is the case of John Dctz of Cameron
dam an example of what we are coming
to in the agitation against the corpora
tons on account of their high-handed