Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-05-23
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m 4!9,','s1 %, NQlI51E1J.

TO the automobile bill to protect tina
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
obstructing, impeding en-
bGrrassing, or in any other manner or
form infringing upon the prerogative of
any political chauffeur to run an auto
mobile band wagon. at any rare 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-
tion, 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 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"
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All this talk against the lobbyists
Snght to lead to a simple solution of
,he 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. q thing
which the members might not do if the
lobbyists had not been so kind to them.
Why not have a lobbyist or force of lob
byists for the people? Let there be a
&C
and plenty of expense money who will
make it pleasant for the legislators
whose time hangs heavy on their hands,
and so counteract the influence Of the
lobbyists for special interests. We have
district attorneys and all kinds of COM
missioners TO look after the peoples in
terests. Why not lobbyists, too, since
these gentlemen have so much influence?
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Now if 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 Oratorica 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
twenty-five years ago that the then
BOSS" Keyes was one of the foremost
of Madison citizens to greet young Rob
ert 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 ap-
prOpriating $1,000 for the purchase of a
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 a rustic mem
Der the artistic merit of the shield, It's
noble conception, its exquisite design,
and the educational value it would have
if exhibited i'll some public place in the
capitol, the legislator strolled his beard
and asked how much the shield weighed
MIS-. I4OeueE Itplicu ludI size just MP
pened to know that it weighed about 400
pounds. well" drawled the skeptical
solOn, how much is bronze selling for a
pound now?' Mrs. Loeher was tempted
to ask in reply how much brains could
be bought for pound.
The committee on claims has reported
favorabIy on n bill providing for the
payment of S120 to a 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
had no use for the material and that it
could be returned. On the other hand, it
was claimed that the stuff was injured in
the 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
overworked during this session More
than ever before the committees have re-
ferred measures to that department for
opinions as to their cOnstita:;cpalie~.
Heretofore it was quite customary for
the Governor. when the bills came to
him, 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.
1t 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-
count of the inability Of the factions to
get together on a man.
Is the case Of John Dietz of Cameron
dam an example of what we are coming
to in the agitation against the corpora
tions on account of their high-handed
His brother openly averred
before q committee Of the Legislature
that poor man had no use for the
courts in a fight against a big corpora
ton.
The Senate committee IN judiciary in
a new bill a day or two ago
and recommended it for indefinite post
pOnement at the same time. The pur-
pose of this strange action was to make
the proceeding a matter Of record so
that a certain claimant against the State
could bring suit to collect his claim.
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