Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-06-22
Madison. June II

Again the governor eHeicl5cu MO
prerogatiye to do some vet0ing. Yes
terday he sent a message to the senate
Directing to the bill providing 'or an
Increase OF salaries In the attorney
generals office from the chief down to
and including the clerks. The bill pro
posed to increase the salary OF the at
torney general from $4,000 to $4,000
per annum first assistant from $4,000
To $500, second assistant from $1,000
to $4,000, law examiner from $lbOO u
$4,000, clerk from 81 600 to $l,200. IL
also provided for one stenosrapher at
$500 per annum, second at 1920 and an
additional stenographer during tne
period that the Legislature Is IN session.
Governor La Toilette explained hiH ac'
ton as follows:
1T may well be urged that the salary
OF $4,000 per annum provided aS com
pensaliOn for the attorney general IL
insufficient. The service whicd he rem
ders AZ the law officer OF the state, tbs
counsel which he Is called upon to fu
nish to the other departments OF gov,
eminent, and the important litigation
which he must conduct for the state,
entllIo his Office to be considered 10
equal at least In responsibility to that
Of any other state officer excepting the
executive. II this bill went no further
than the proposed Increase In the sal
airy of the attorney general, 1t would
receive executive approval. 1t pro
vdes, however, for an Increase In all
salaries excepting that of the st"no-
graphers.
"The advances which II makes In the
salaries OF the three assistants TO th@
attorney general and the clerk are not
large, but am unable TO pursuade my
self that there Is any reason why there
should be any increase at all The
salaries for assistants In the Office
have been and are ut the present time
sufficiently high to secure the services
of attorneys Of ability, This would not
be so II such attorneys were required
or expected to give their entire time
To the state, This they have never
been accustomed to do, II has always
been the practice for the attorneys EN-.
ployed in this Office to give attention
10 the engagement which zach has In
serving his own clients and In the
prosecution Of his profession whenever
official duties would admit of absence
from the Office Of the attorney general
otherwise, It would, of course, be I'M
possible to secure capable men for
such positions. That this custom
-. continual with ihn In,
crease of the salaries contemplated by
this bin there can be no reasonable
doubt No attorneys competent to fill
positions ms assistants In the olilco of
the attorney general can be secured I'M
der present salaries or under the salary
proposed In this bill upon any other
condition.
There will arise from time to time
litigation In which the state is interest
ed which Is so important In character
as to make It necessary to employ tho
special service of the ablos counsel to
aid the attorney general In protecting
public interests. This has been tho eS
perenco In the past and will be like
wise true Of the future II would also
be found necessary, Notwithstanding
the salaries OF the assistants in tho
office of the attorney general were in
creased much beyond the limits OF this
proposed law.
There is another reason why think
this BIN should be dlsnpproved, inc
legislature In It's wisdom has Increased
the expenses of administering state
government by the addition of the rail.
road rate commission, by enlarglng tho
force In the ONCE Of the dairy and food
commissioner, and by other increasas
made whore the public interests
seemed absolutely to require 1t. | be.
Hove that further increases. for these
reasons, should be most critically OK,
amined"
The governor also communicated his
refusal to approve bill 372 :. known as
one Of the Dunn pocket ballot meas
ures, His reason for such action was
that its provisions were embodied In
i4i s, which had passed both houses
and Is now being considered by him.
Bills Recalled.
A Joint resolution recalling bills l73
SID and $50 from the governor FOL
minor corrections was introduced by
Senator Sanborn of Ashland, In one
of the bills an amendment had been
enrolled which the assembly had re
fused to concur in and 1t went To the
governor in that form
Senators Summoned.
Senator Rogers introduced reson
tiion instructIng the sergeant.at-arms
to communicate to the absent senators
that the governor would present his
final messages to the senate this morn
ing at 10, and request their presence
al a Wednesday session. Il
is believed that many senators will be
unable to reach Madison at that time
and hence quorum, impraeticable
but on Thursday which was the day
agreed upon at last Saturdays session
for re.assembling, there will probably
be general attendance.