Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-12-10
WISCONSIN MADE
LAWS DISCUSSED

1.-TWO lII0UlJ00El)
Only few of the voters heard Mon
cay evening in the high school room
waat all could have heard with profit;
viz, the logical and fact laden speech
that was given by Attorney F. r.
Bentley. The speaker was not only
full of his subject but he sympathized
with the subject. Most speakers sym
pathize with their audience and if the
audience is lacking the speech limps to
its conclusion.
But the talk thatwas listened to atten-
lively was one that neither limped or
jumped to conclusion. The speaker
rapidly took up the matter of legis-
lation and especially the legislation
of Wis. reviewing that legislation to
see whether or no such legislation
measured up to the standard which
standard was the ultimate good of the
people as a whole. The speaker stated
that in Wisconsin we had altogether
too much law and so many laws that
were hurried through the legislature
during the closing days of the session.
In the session of 1913, which exceeded
all other sessions in the number OF
laws passed there were amended
1865 sections, there were repealed FOB
and adopted 848 new laws and re-
peale1 1856 chapt er of tt e session laws.
That is they had brain storm of law
making and breaking. And think OF
this fact that 10 per cent of
all the laws were passed on the
last day; "a per cent f rom August 1st to
the 9: 80 per cent last 13 days; and 66
per cent after June first.
That is, every man there tried to
Stand in the Sun" so his constituents
could see that he had done something
evenin the last days, if he were there
which was doubtful.
William Shakespeare says: could all
men thunder as great JOve himself does
why every petty ruling man would want
the heavens for thunder, nothing but
thunder.
The past ten years have been the
most fruitful in tax commissions, rail-
road commissions and all the other
commissions that follow when once a
legislature is hit by the commission idea
1t seemed to cloud up and rain commits
sions. And then these commissions
multiplied their number of helpers I'M
til they became thicker than the frogs
in ancient Egypt and then there came
legislation to protect the frogs. Viewed
from the best side lights that a years
time can afford it seems that the leg
islature had brain storm superinduced
in part, not by the effulgent glory that
might have shone from the possibility
OF another term beneath the dome Ito
be fnished) Of the capitol, but brought
OIL by the hyperbolastic statement'of the
va t needs of the University On the hill,
the University that clutches with both
hands land My God what hands) the
1000, 200 of appropriations and grasps
as well the very crumbs of comfort that
might otherwise come to the many little
red school houses at every cross road in
TIE state A very mania for laws, for
constitutional amendments, that were
al voted down and out.
Seeking for New legislation, the laws
passed were of such slight consideration
that the supreme court could not digest
th9m.
The speaker spent some time review
ing and suggesting with regard to the
city charter laws. The primary law
came in for its castigation and was
severely handled. Such legislation
ought to set men to thinking and to
make men more careful as to what
person or persons shall be chosen to
repre- sent them in the Legislature.
Tnen the people ought to look over
the map of the state of Wisconsin and
see that Madison is only little
dot on that map and to also see that
Mendoza is nearer Madison than any
other place in the state. concluded the
speaker.