Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-22


Gus effort WI be made to cub the
length Of future sessions is assure /,
but Whether or not anything VIII be
done this year is probIematicaI.
The event i'm Madison Of the early
mart Of the week was the coming of
Secretary Of War Taft, who spoke to
large crowd at the gymnasium Mon
day The day was disagreeable, but
fhe turnout of citizens was large and
enthusiastic.
Little in the Story.
Somebody started a story some time
ago that the railroads were Joining
hands with the big insurance COM
panips to defeat the passage of the
insurance bills. 1t is probable that
there is little if anything to this story,
as the troubles of the railroads for
this session are about over and they
are not in the habit of pulling chest
nuts out of the fire for others.
The railroads, in popular vernacu-
lar, ''got theirs" in the comparative
negligence bill, which greatly in
creases the scope of their liability for
injuries to employees. In many small
Ter ways also the railroads were given
gentle raps. but most of the drastic
measures such as the 2-cent fare, fire
escape in roof bills, etc, have been
killed. The express companies Were
also given bad scare by the bin to
cut their charges One-third, but they
were saved by the action Of the senate
in killing the bill.
Subject of Express Charges.
The fact that such bill made its
appearance, however, has caused
many people to do deal of thinking
on the subject of express charges and
that there will ultimately be a reduc-
ton goes without saying for they
argue if sane, sober committee
could recommend so great cut as one
third there must be something rotten
in Denmark 1t is but another of the
issues that requires a campaign
of education" Another corporation
smaSher that is as important as any
to come before the legislature is still
before the senate however, in Senator
Sanborn's cOntributory negligence tili.
which the sturdy senator from Ash and
is trying hard to put through his
house.
The bill is in line with the speech
Of President Roosevelt at Jamestown
and aims to hold all corporations re-
sponsibIe for accidents to employees in
proportion to the extent to which EN-,
v,t0voc a va MT optipoIry RI bIopon tbou1.
selves. The interests are making a
strong fight on the proposition and
the outcome is not yet clear to see.
Residence District Option Bill.
The residence district option bill,
largely the old so-caIIed Thayer bill
of two years ago has at last become
a law by the signature of the govern
or. BY means of this measure people
will be able, through remonstrance, to
prevent the establishment Of saloons
in residence districts. The passage Of
this bill through both houses with
practically no opposition illustrates
again the change in public opinion
and what a campaign OF education
can effect. Two years ago, by the
hardest kind of effort the bill was
forced through the two houses, only
TO be killed ON a question of some
minor amendment. This year the
brewers, realizing that it would be
futile to attempt to defeat all legisla-
ton Of this kind. joined hands in the
framing ND Of the bill. the result, of
course, being measure less drastic
than that presented by the preacher
legislator Of two years ago, but never
theless a fairly effective measure
This years bill was introduced in
the assembly by John f. Baker, the
'baby Of tire legislature" whose name
it narrowly escaped taking. Mr..
Baker has been an earnest champion
OF legislation to regulate the liquor
traffic and as a result has been chosen
attorney for the Anti-SaioOn league Of
the state, succeeding Rev. F. G.. Weed,
who has served in that capacity the
past year and done effective work,
but who now wishes to return to the
pulpit. Mr. Baker is still student
in the university college of law
Pension for Former Governor.
The introduction by the committee
! on claims Of bill to grant pension
| of $500 a year to former Governor
William r.. Taylor recalls a stirring
chapter in the history OF the state.
TAYLOR was the famous farmer gov
ernor who a generation ago rode into
power on the granger movement and
who played thunder with the rail
roads In a way that no other governor
except LaFoIlette ever did. In fact