The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-06-11

In the way of political leadership
this legislature has not developed
many men. 1t has brought out many
new faces and has brought before the
public with good records such men as
Assemblymen Ingram, Mcconnell,
Whittet Bray, Cleary, Hambrecht and
Hull among the Republicans and Kala-
her, Viebahn, Bichler AM Kindlin
among the Democrats. In the senate
the leadship largely was legacy and
few of the new senators have taken
away any of the power of such men as
Senators Sanborn, Marsh, Owen, Hud-
nall and Whitehead among the Repub-
licans and Husting, Randolph and
Hardwood among the Democrats.
Of the new members possibly w. r.
Gaylord, the Milwaukee Social Demo
crat, has attracted the most attention.
He has made a good record, as have
the Social Democratic assemblymen.
Weber, Brockhausen and Berner.
interesting Resolutions.
Resolutions bearing possibilities OF
exceedingly interesting and important
developments were introduced into the
assembly yesterday afternoon, one by
Assemblyman Stack of Superior, being
suggestive of factional controversy and
one by Assemblyman Culbertson OF
Chippewa county being aimed at Greek
Letter secret societies at the unlver-
sity. Each provides for an inyestlga-
ton
The Stack resolution refers to the
charges preferred by former Deputy
Insurance Commissioner Waite against
Commissioner Beedle alleging unlaw-
full charging and retaining of fees, re-
fers to other charges against other de-
partments in the capitol and provides
that the speaker appoint five assembly
men to investigate such charges and
report to the special session next Jan
uary.
The Culbertson resolution describes
the Greek Letter fraternities and soro-
rites as destructive of the democracy,
which should exist in the university
and calls upon the faculty to investi-
gate and make recommendations to
the legislature with view to either
abolishing the secret societies or elm
mating the evils AssemblymaR Gull
bertson himself during his university
days belonged to two fraternities but
declares that he has become convinced
that their presence today is most UNI
wholesome.
Wisconsin's Mistakes.
Interesting in connection with the
debate that has been waged this win
ter over the question Of the taxation
of water powers is an article by John
l.. Mathews in the June Hampton's
magazine which has been much COM
mented upon in the legislature because
the author points out Wisconsin's mis-
takes in the past and its possibilities
for the future.
After explaining how the forests
were depleted Mr.. Mathews says: "The
enriched lumbermen, caring nothing
for the future but satisfied with the
present gain, abandoned the burned
over land to the state and deserted
their fallen dams. The federal gov
eminent spent $4,0O0,OOO in an en-
deavor to keep the Wisconsin river
navigable, and then gave up; and until
the railway commission came into be-
ing the railroads, freed from competi-
ton, charged what they would for car.
rying in the coal that was necessary to
replace the wasted water power"
The article declares that Wisconsin
should be rich, but it was not until
Forester Griffith came to Wisconsin
that the era of rejuvination was start
ed
Three Million Acres of Trees.
Cup there in the central highland,
whence all his rivers rise, he has es-
tablished his stronghold, and there ne
has determined to gather a reserve of
three million acres of trees says the
article. 1t is then explained how some
of the men of the state attempted ito
grab all of the ponds in the state re-
serve for storage. AS the result it be-
came necessary for the. state to form
the Wisconsin Valley Improvement
company. The corporation, subject to
the control of the forester, has the
right of eminent domain over ponds
and lands-lands suitable for water
farms-in the source region and the
right to use ponds in the forest re-
serve.
'Now let us see what Griffith has
done for Wisconsin with the aid and
cooperation of the mill men, contin-
ues the article. There is so far de-
veloped 4OOO,00O,O00 feet of storage
and surveys are made for 100000 900.
The value and efficiency of every pow
er on the (Wisconsin) river is already
doubled. Instead Of shutting down or
buying coal in the lower water season
last year, as the mills on other rivers
did, those on The Wisconsin went
ahead on their stored water. The
lower river which has SO long been un
navigable is soon to become a deep
and useful stream, reducing freight
rates in large territory
Mathews predicts that with the inn