Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-03-19
HOW TIMES CHANGE.

| From an article appearing in one of
the city papers it is evident that the
PILOT is laboring under mistake. We
supposed that at the election last fall,
Hon. August F Marquardt was elected
to represent the First assembly district,
which would include all the people liv-
| ing therein, but if seems he was chosen
| Gar 1t is unwritten law in this coun-
| try that when a man is elected to the
legislative body that his constituents
have a right to express to such repre-
sentative their views on any public
question. The editor of this paper,
with sundry other citizens of this city,
sent a communication TO Mr.. Mar
quardt on public question upon which
until the present, there has been no con-
troversy. Laboring under the idea that
Mr. Marquardt was our representative
and not our Gar, we mailed him copy
of our paper We beg the gentleman's
pardon for intrenching upon his rights
in any way and hereafter when he is
elected to Office we will know that he
owns the Office and may use his position
as he pleases without regard to any
ordinary mortal.
In 1874, the legislature of Wisconsin
passed a law requiring the common
council of city to revoke the license OF
saloon keeper when he violated the
law. This statue our supreme court has
decided is valid law. All the liquor
associations in the state, by their silence
have approved it. So far as this writer
knows, none of the leading saloon
keepers in this city, or elsewhere, have
for moment wished any change in
this statute This law he's been in force
over thirty years and even the Hon.
Marquardt cannot point to single
instance any where in the state, where
any common council or other municipal
body have used their power under this
law. except in such way as would be
approved by all good citizens.
The saloon keepers association OF
this city has never made any move for
its repeal or made any request to Mr..
Marquardt to have the same done. On
a number of occasions its members have
shown their good judgment in agree
ing with the authorities in suppressing
saloons and joints that were violating
the law. AS we understand, the objec-
ton of the saloon keepers association of
this city, it is only to protect themselves
in their legal rights. They have never
asked for anything else. The editor is
acquainted with nearly all of the mem
bers and certainly has never heard any
of them advocating, in public or private,
violation of any law of this state,
Mr.. Marquardt has right to intro
duce bill in the legislature to change
the law which has been in force for
thirty three years. Mr.. Marquardt has
right to introduce this bill either upon
his own motion or upon the request of
the Saloon Keepers association or any
other interest. Until the last election
any citizen of this city had a
right to express his disapproval of that
bill and until Mr.. Marquardt was elect
ed, no member of the legislature ever
believed he had right to publicly
insult constituent for such an act.
We congratulate Mr.. Marquardt on
the discretion he has displayed by intro
ducing this bill and the many compli-
mentary remarks he has made of the
editors of this city as well as of the
leading business men. Conduct such
as this ought to make Mr.. Marquardt
statesman.
P. S.-Since writing the above we
have been informed that some relative
of Mr.. Marquardt's owns the saloon
building which was recently occupied
by Mrs. Mess whose license was revoked
by the common council because she had |
sold liquor to minors. Probably, if Mrs |
Mess had been able to run until July 1st,
and pay the rent, Mr.. Marquardt's views
on this question might be different.
Since Mr.. Marquardt is Gar of this
Legislative district we do not dare ask
him.