The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-05-26
ADJOURa,N[.I
NEAR At HAND.
Everybody Is Happy Over
Railroad Bill Except
Railroads.
CIVIL SERVICE YET TO COME
Senate Will Certainly Modify and
May Even Do More
Than That.
Appropriations Big This Year-Tem-
perance Bills Dying Fasu-TO
Be Governor Davidson
Soon Now.
CIVIL SERVICE YET TO COME

| Now that the railway rate bill has
passed the senate, and it's passage by
the assembly will be uneventful, there
is an eagerness on the part of the
members to get home. A number of
big matters have not been adjusted,
but they will be put out Of the way
soon.
There is a good deal of growing
about the small pay $500 for mem
| bers, for to those who live well, the
amount is not enough to cover ex-
| penses. And, in the meantime, their
| home business interests are suffering
! What the legislature needs to effect an
| earlier adjournment is more activity
| in the early weeks of the sessions and
| few Saturday and Monday sessions
! in earnest. Some favor a fixed period,
| as 100 days, but with a growing state
there are objections to hard and fast
the two branches to stay and work
over Sunday. say every third week. it
would keep things moving. But when
| spasmodically a Sunday is selected
when the members are expected to re-
main at the capital city. so many of
the members stay home that the rem
nant is unable to do much.
A Rate Commission at Last.
The senate passed the committee
| railway rate commission bill Thursday,
after considerable talking, and the as
sembly is expected to send it to the
governor as it now stands. The bill
provides for three commissioners at
$4,000 each, and these the governor
will appoint before the legislature adj
journs. to be confirmed by the senate.
There has been talk of Mr. Thomas.
the railroad commissioner, and Mr..
Erickson. the labor commissioner, for
two Of the places. but no one knows
what will happen.
The bill ieself is less drastic, of
course. than the Texas Iaw-which
leads them all in severity-but is re-
garded as a pretty vigorous measure
AS one railway lobbyist said, Were
like the young physician, having lost
pulling through the old man.
The measure will prohibit discrimin-
ations and that is a great gain. AS
the freight Oh pair of shoes from
Massa chusetts is about one and a half
cents. the consumer will not often
know that anything has happened.
The coal rate from Milwaukee, how
ever may come down. But the ship
pers who. it is said, growl good deal
in private, despite their strong adj
vOcacy of the present system. will be
better off. Things will be more in the
open.
All Parties Shared.
The bill itself is less drastic. of
senate; moreover. in it's drafting. men
of both factions co-operated. so, With
all honor to Governor LaFollette for
the agitation. the new law will be re-
garded as measure in the making, OF
which men of all parties shared. OF
course it carries the appointive fea-
ture. The history of Iowa and some
other states is that the early commits
sions are appointed. after which the
people demand a change to the elective
systems and all parties seek to oblige
them.
Senator Whitehead hoped to effect
certain changes-especially as to COM
modify rates-and made notable
speech just before the passage of the
bill; but. as with others, he said he
waived his objections in view of the
hard work done by the committee and
the impossibility of agreement if each
man insisted for all he wanted. and
voted for it, Nine-tenths of the volume
of freight traffic is interstate business
under the purview of the commission
at Washington. but there will he
enough for the til ee commissioners TO
do on the balance
Will They Hold Their Jobs?
The civil service bill has yet to run
the gauntlet Of the senate. 1t will like
ly be amended there, and between the |
two houses may die the death. AS it
is, the present office holders in capitol.
state institutions, etc. must undergo a
non-competitive examination. and the |
"outs," not only the Stalwarts, but the |
non-office holding half-breeds. are
anxious to get at them. But good men |
of all parties hope civil service may be
esta blished.
Fighting Fire, Etc.
The forestry bill has passed the
senate and will undoubtedly become
law. This should mean abating |
OF forest fires and a lot of planting of |
pine trees and the safeguarding of the |
water supply up north 1t does not
appear that there is much room for |
patronage in the BILL No township |
may spend more than $1,000 in a year
for local wardens, at the rate of % |
cents an hour IN fighting fire, ETC.. the |