The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-04-14
Anti-Saloon Legislation.

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ours the vote in the senate on the
Thayer bill, which is a replica of the
Nicholson law in Indiana under which
the residents of a ward or part Of a
ward can by petition shut out saloons
in their residence district. There was
opera-house, largely attended by legis-
lators, presided over by Senator Hud-
nall of Superior. Hudnall is an at
torney and regarded as man with
future. He is a wholesome, CHEEKY
sort of man with good nerve and
while an administration man, pos
sessed of sufficient ability to stand on
his own merits. Nothing for years
has SO worried the brewers as this
Thayer bill and the ease with which
SO drastic q measure went to ma
jority on third reading (49 to 49,
shows that Wisconsin sentiment is be-
coming holder on the subject of the
saloon and that henceforth it must
prepare for ceaseless attack. But this
measure proposes nothing but "home
rule" the allowing of citizens to say
whether or not they wish saloons near
their homes and there is nothing to
be said in response to it except to talk
Of "confiscation'' of saloon property
where it is petitioned out
The county option bill has aggres-
sive friends--it is favorite law in the
southern states where it is imperative
to keep the negro sOber-but it's pas
sage at this session is unlikely. The
300 foot bill-forbidding saloons thus
near a school house-has been so
undermined by amendments that Mr..
Hare, the anti-saloon league agent,
questions it's efficacy. The five-year
clause, giving old properties that term
in which to get ready to move, takes
the life out of the law largely. The
Gothenburg plan has the approval of
President Hughes of Ripon college.
though radical temperance men dis
approve of public ownership of the
drink traffic, saying the revenue
soothes the public conscience and
makes reform effort difficult.
Busy Political Bees.
There is a good deal of politics in
this legislature and there are some
amusing exhibitions of personal am
bitiOn. One can readily enough name
half a dozen senators who evidently
have the ''bee in their bonnet and
now and then the sparks fly even be-
tween men in the same faction Only
close observers can note what the sig
nificance is.
If Senator Stout has any ambition
he does not betray it. The regard in
which he is held is shown by the re-
viva1 of his bill to make a Wisconsin
exhibit at the Portland fair The Me-
nominee man did not lift a hand
when the measure was voted down.
but the fact that he wanted it for the
business interest of the state was self
evident and it will become law.
Senator Stout can be diverted from
the most exciting scenes of legisla-
ton by discussion Of world topics
The other day in side room he grew
to unconscious elOquence in talking of
Burbank. the California wizard who
has dethOrned the cactus and done
other wonders with the vegetable and
floral world. The arrival of the first
Atlantic steamer to make the trip
with turbine engines was awaited by
him with all the enthusiasm that men
of other hobbies wait the turn of
card or the result of a foot bali scrim-
mage.
in 1~h
When one thinks of the important
measures that have not been threshed
out it is difficult to seee how this legis-
lature can get home certainly before
May 10, ard that would be doing very
we'll. Civil service has not been
touched in the sense of lining up a
vote on the floor The heads of the
state institutions are generally against
it so far as it limits their authority
and, on the other hand, if those who
are out in politics think that such
a law will cement in the state service
those who are 'in' they will oppose
it. A state civil service is a good
thing for the public and the passage
Of wise law should be the wish of
every good citizen.
New Capitol Plans.
AS for a new capitol. no one can yet
speak authoritatively. There is some
stalking out of the park to see how
new wings" would lie and it is prob
able that the idea of merely patching
up the old building is losing ground
Governor LaFOllette gave it to be
understood that Madison is the only
city for the seat Of government while
he is in the executive chair; and the
only way removal can become fresh
issue is to lay over the matter of CAPT
tol reconstruction until new legisla-
tive generation can work up new en-
thusiasm. The present decision to be
made is whether to appropriate a
number of hundreds of thousands of
dollars for repairs which must soon be
spent over again: or whether to make
start by way of one, or two wings
m 70 II, nj, Of