River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-06-24
The Legislature

Inc Wisconsin Legislature au'
journed last Friday, June 10, after
a session lasting five months and
five days.
We believe this to have been not
only the most protracted legis lative
session in the history of the State,
but one of the most barren in prac-
teal results accomplished. Not
withstanding the protracted length
of the session nearly all ofthe really
important measures went over for
consideration at special session to
be held next winter. This being
the case, the session that closed
last week should have been cut in
two in the middle, and legislative
expenses, which are heavy, reduced
one-haif.
With properly directed effort, the
work performed at the recent ses-
sion could have been equally we'll
done in one-half the time consumed
by the first session.
In a Legislative body consisting of
one hundred and thirty-three mem
bers, it is generally impossible to
fix upon any one member respon-
sibility for the shortcomings of the
organization, but even the casual
reader who has given the matter any
attention can easily account for the
unnecessarily long session to be fol-
lowed by another one next winter.
One very fruitful source of delay
in legislative work is the Friday to
Tuesday recess, forced by members
from Milwaukee, Madison, Racine,
Green Bay, GAINESVILLE, and other
cities, who wish to go home to look
after their personal business affairs.
OF course such members argue that
committee work can be in progress
during their absence and that thus
no delay need be occasioned there
by. AS a matter of fact, this is no
justification whatever, because these
are the very members who occupy,
as a rule, the most important posi-
tions upon the most important COM
mittees that it is possible for them
to secure. For this reason. is any
committee work is done between
Friday and Tuesday, it is nominal
in amount.
Another cause for delay in the
progress of bills is the absence of
members at home on leave of alb
sence, on personal business, for
days at time. They are thus alb
sent from the committee room where
they are supposed to be at work for
the dear people, and if a measure in
which they are particularly interest
ed is on the calendar in their alb
sence, Legislative courtesy demands
that it "go over" until their return.
The last session of the legislature
was thrown off its base by pro-
longed and still unfinished inves-
tigation of a subject that should
have been threshed out in the courts
before the legislature met. This
investigation practically untitled
the members, temporarily, for
statesman-like work, each of two
factions devoting their energies TO
attempts to secure a political adj
vantage.
When the legislature finally adj
| iourned it was SO thoroughly
hattened out that but Two Senators
remained to adjourn the Senate,
while eight Assemblymen adjourned
the Assembly. When Gov. David
son was signing and vetoing bills
on the home stretch" his veto
messages might just as we'll have
been sent to the common council of
the city of Madison as to the legis-
lative branch in which vetoed bills
originated, as far as Legislative re-
view was concerned.
We make no attack upon any mem
Der of the Legislature, but as lay
member of the Republican party,
seated on no-body's band wagon,
express the opinion that the Wis
consin Legislature of 1909 has been
weighed in the balance, and found
wanting
The latest report from the tariff
revision drama now in progress at
Washington is, that Senator Aldrich
has decided that special tax legis-
lation, such as income, inheritance,
corporation, etc., shall go over to
the regular session of Congress 10
open in December. Aldrich is still
at work on the proposed new tariff
schedule.
r OoSterh11iS q graduate of