, 1911-02-02
NEWS R 0 THE FRONT
Editorial Correspondence
cheyenne, Jan 81. 1911

making laws. No one wanted to take the initiative for for ~ og. !,
ing somebody whose vote would be needed in the final ronnd mn 60,
United States Senator Now there is a general disposition 10 uode
in and let the devil take the hindmost.
The freak legislation, that has struck in spots all owe tbs countr
notably in Oklahoma, is with us. BILLS looking to the stsbIshin
of the Direct Primary, the Initiative aud Referendum, the Recall and
the Lord only knows what else, have been introduced-piles of them,
for no two men seem to have the same ideas with reference to the
same subject. wyoming is not ready for such legislation and her
only hope is that the men who re proposing these things will get to
quarrelnp among themselves and thus make it impossible to saddle
these things on her.
No doubt in the world but what the writer is prejudiced against
most If this new tangled legislation. He Is free to admit, that
while there may be much in the direct primary, al we'll as all down
the line, it does not cure the ills it seeks to remedy, but leaves the
gate just as wide open for fraud as ever. The whole business is
hew and untried, besides confusing and perplexing to a exasperatinp
degree, especially the initiative and referendum. But w have
none of these laws IS yet, and We are hoping that the evil day may be
put off for another two years, IN order that We may see how these
things work out in other states. Then, if they prove beneficial,
well and good. We can adopt them. If they do not pan out we
W 8 will have been saved the humiliation of having made fools of our
selves by making haste to adopt pewfangled laws just because they
appeared to be coming into fashion. The Direct Primary, the In
itiative and Referendum, etc, in politics, are what the hobble skirt is
to the feminine world-neither a thing of beauty or Use but the fad
of passing moment.
Whatever may be done in the way of legislation along these new
lines the republicans will have to 90 slow. iii proves to be popu-
lar, the democrats will claim the credit, for they will say: while We
were in the minority, We forced this beneficial legislation thru" fit
proves unpopular, then the democrats will simply step from under and
point to the strong republican majority and say: "They did it"
We are going to have some county carving before this Legislature
adjourns. There will be dire need for a new map of Wyoming be-
fore the first of March. Laramie county lies n the platter Just
now, with a big crowd around it, every man of whom is reaching 70,
a choice bit. The last bid for recognition is Golden Prairie county
If somebody will take a cleaver and cut that name in two there might
u bamc CuduC6l T IL nW Jul II ul 10 duoWtut W
roam around until it has been bisected.
This county division is along right lines. Our counties are en-
trely too large. One of the greatest drawbacks to the settlement
of the state is the fact of our large counties, making it necessary for
men to go from 80 to $50 miles to reach the county seat. At pres
ept we have IA counties only, many of them larger than
some of the New England States. When some prospec-
tive settler, back in Iowa or Illinois, asks a resident of a thriving COM
munity in Wyoming how far it is to the county seat and is told it is
"only a hundred miles" he throws up the sponge. He has been
used to hitching up the bays at 9 O'Clock in the morning, driving to
the county seat, transactng his business and back home in time for
lunch, and when he thinks of travelling 100 miles on such an errand,
which he imayineS will take him the better part O a week, he simply
throws up his hands in holy horror and emigrates" to some state that
has more than a bakers dozen of counties.
Bye the way, this Golden Prairie county" is the out1growth of
the very enterprising dry farm community, that has sprung up on the
arid praries in the eastern part of Laramie county. There are
many prosperous farms out there and a fourishing community now
occupies the former domain of the coyote and the prairie dog-a land
that has been considered, for 10! these many years, as only hit foT the
glazing of sheep and cattle. tits certainly a wonderful transfer
nation, and the great work that has been done out there, in the way
ofmaking homes and knocking a big hole In the solitude that has
reigned there supreme for ages and Hges, ID the final answer to the
many arguments that have been made by hundreds OF our own people
that dry farming" was a snare and a delusion. OF coure those
people Could not make a success of farming out there on the dry des-
et, but others have and there is simply nothing to be said for they
have tine goods to show"
The 18th Legislature is a body of working men. 1t is not los
ing ony time in philandridg around. 1t went down to Denver to
see the Stock Show, which shows that a large percentage OF it's mem
beers ar stockmen. But that was early in the session and 1t Is not
probable that there will be any more adjournments until the final day
comes around. Just at this time everything is up in the ar and no
one knows positively what legislation is going to find its way to
our statutes. The House is &c close and each side is 80 anxious to
make a record and, at the same time, keepthe "other fellow from scor-
ing, that we may look for some pretty sharp battles IN that body.
In response to a call issued by Judge O N. Potter, the president
of the Cheyenne Inpustrial Club, Publicity meeting was held Satur-
day at the Club, which resulted in a temporary organization aov-
ernor Carey presided and General Gatchell was secretary. There
were several good talks from the delegates from difernt parts OF the
state, the hes. one being made by Chas. Q. Mercia, president OF the
president of the University. His talk was along practical get-to
geher lines and made a deep impression. He said, among other
things, that if Wyoming was going to be able to make the progress
that she should, then all local and sectional differences must be wiped
out, He said this spirit of sectional pride, while right and proper
so far as the local interests e concerned, were to be deplored when
it came to the interests of the entire state. wyoming rs a grea'