The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-04-21
IF NO AGREEMENT WHAT Then?
Governor LaFol!ette Will STAY in
Wisconsin, Say His
Lieutenants.
Adjournment About May 15-Antf-
Pass Law Enforced-AsseInbly
Graphing with Saloon
This Week.

Madison, Wis. April 1S.-"Adjourn-
ment between May II and May 49,"
That is the word that has gone forth
and it is as official as anything so un-
certain can be. And if the sOlons get
through then, it will be doing better
than the legislature did two years
ago.
The members who tarry over Sun
day. while their mates go home, have
lonely air. and we'll they may. The
fact is, the anti-pass law is success.
It has gone into operation so quietly
and effectively, that those who remem-
Der the ridicule and whitening scorn
with which the idea was originally
met can-well. new measures, even
radical ones. will not surprise us any
more. The carnival of free passes is
a memory IT there is free riding by
public officials to any extent 1t would
be noted And that this hold of rail
road corporations on lawmakers-for
it was a hOld-should be abolished, is
progress
Small Pay for Busy Men.
But the state should have some
mercy on these honest, hard working
members who do not live near at hand.
AS it is, the state pays them $500
for the session, with mileage, to Madi-
son anu back-once! Wisconsin can
afford to at least provide them mileage
every other week. Take a Bayfield,
member. 1t costs him about $50 for
fare and sleeper, round trip. In the
old days when the sessions were short,
the injustice was not SO great. But
now it is condition that should be
corrected.
Railroads and Rum.
The two big topics under the white
dome these days are the railroad rate
bill and the Thayer bill, giving resi-
dence districts chance to petition out
saloons. The civil service bill follows
hard after. All are expected to cut a
figure this week.
What Of railroad regulation? II
there is anyone who definitely knows
what is going to happen, he has not
showed his head. 1t Is Of crucial in
terest. for Governor LaFOllette'S flu
ture is related to it. One of his lieu
tenants says in all sincerity that one
thing is absolute; if the governor does
not get what he deems full meas
ure, he will stay in the state. If he
can show a refusal to go TO the SEN
ate as an object lesson-sOmething
which would impress the whole ma
tiOn-his friends say that, with the
primary election law next summer,
he can not fail to get a fourth nOmin-
alton. 1t would be a daring thing to
! ask the state-but the governor is a
daring man-and he has only about
$4,000 majority to protect him, and
that of a presidential year. But the
''ins'' always have an advantage in
operating the primary election system.
Of course, the opposition would be
mighty, especially as the anti-cigar
cite law and this temperance land
slide are counted upon to ALLEVIATE GER
! tain contingents very effective in pol
>.
of his lieutenants in the legislature
| who wish him TO go to Washington
some that he may pass round the
/ ''plums'' of federal patronage, and 9th
| ers that the home field may be cleared
for their own ambitions. These will
hope for agreement ON railroad law
! that will withdraw amy reason why
Governor LaFollette may not accept
his senatorship. 1t is never safe to
prophecy. but the upshot will likely be
! q law.
! The Situation.
The assembly has passed bin with
an easy majority. The senate is di-
vided. The four Democratic votes are
Important, and they take their stanG
ON the elective feature-they want the
three commissioners elected. Worth,
of Dodge, and others are apparently
set in this matter, for they regard it
as a Democratic principle, and Neal
Brown, the sage of Wausau. and 9TH
ers are abetting them in the matter.
1t may prove the turning point of the
contest il the senate. Some say it is
not as important as it seems, for even
If an elective commission were named
how, the law could provide for APP
pointive commissioners il the next leg
islature wished to change it: but no
one can imagine this assembly ac-
cepting this feature and it is a cues
ton whether the senate can pass such
& bill as the assembly wants without
these Democratic votes. The admins
tratien men think they can: the con-
servatives doubt it.
But it should be said that there is
in the senate, irrespective of faction. a
genuine disposition to draw a fair bill.
1t is impossible yet to draw an align
ment by reason of this earnest pur-
pose. Nor does 1T appear that men
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