The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-17

II Will be necessary to appropriate
100000 per year, or 100000 for the
next bi-ennium. When we have mus
tered In our full quota of IL, 400 men it
is estimated that the expense will be
100000 per year. 1t follows then, that
our military expenditures will event
ually increase 100000 per year over
and above the expenditures that we
have been in the habit of making un-
der our former Guard organization.
1t will be observed that the new fed
eral statute throws a large financial
burden for military purposes upon the
state. A substantial increase in these
expenditures is necessary to make it
possible for the state to provide its
quota of officers and men to enable the
general government to carry out its
plan of greater military preparedness,
which is a national necessity for pure
ly defensive purposes that should not
be longer delayed
| recommend that you memorabilia
Congress to amend the National De-
Tense Act SO as to shorten the term of
enlistment of the National Guard or
restrict its use by the president to
such service as will justify him in call
ing out reserve forces.
Development of Northern Wisconsin,
The problem of attracting settlers to
the northern part of our state and of
developing its industrial possibilities
deserves your attention. The state
should give reasonable assistance to
any legitimate effort that is calculated
to the agricultural and industrial adj
vantages of that section.
We should not merely attract set
tiers, but it is of even greater import
ance that we attract people who are,
or will be, good citizens. | consider
this feature of our northern develop
ment of first importance. The class of
citizens best fitted for the task of con-
verting our cut-over timber lands into
farms are the young men who have
been reared in our western agr;cul-
tural section, who will understand the
task that they undertake in opening
up farm in timbered section, and
in order to bring the agricultural
worth of our cut-over lands to the at
tention of that element, | recommend
that you appropriate a reasonable
amount of money to the Department of
Agriculture to be used in exhibiting
the agricultural products of northern
Wisconsin to the people in the rural
sections of our neighboring states.
Primary Law.
When the primary election law was
adopted it was represented by it's
friends to be an improved system of
making nominations for public office.
1t has been upon our statute books
since 1905, and it must now be ad-
mitted that it has had a fair trial
While the law is in some respects an
improvement over the old caucus sys-
tenn, believe it to be generally con-
ceded that it is unsatisfa Glory in it's
present form and should be amended
and changed in many respects.
Despite all that has been said
against conventions it has been fully
demonstrated that there is strong de-
mand among the people for political
L y
be provided for by law to enable mem
bers of the parties to meet and agree
upon a declaration of principles that
the party stands for. The present sys-
tenn of permitting successful candi-
dates to meet after primary and decide
upon platform with which to go to
the people for election is wrong in
i1o1n of
parties Under that system the candi-
dates may promise most anything to
the voter before the primary and COM
pletely change their political views
after the primary, if in their judg-
ment it is necessary to make such
changes to meet political conditions.
recommend such legislation as will
create the legal machinery necessary
to call state party conventions, at
which the representatives of the party
who have been elected by the people at
a primary may meet and decide upon
the principles that the party shall adj
vocate and stand for, such platform to
be accepted and agreed to by the can
didateS who seek election under the
party name.
1t is common practice in this state,
under the primary system, that voters
under the influence of personal pOliti-
cal organizations are prevailed upon to
vote for the candidates of an opposing
party at the primary for their own
political advantage, or, what is still
more Objectionable, to carry out a
trade or agreement for mutual political
advantage with some candidate or his
representatives. Such practice is poll
teal corruption and should be stopped
In order to protect our primaries
against such evil influences l recon-
mend that provisions be made by law
that will permit only the adherents of
a party to vote its ticket at primary
election.
New Building Projects.
Additional buildings are requested
by the University, the State Normal
Schools, Stout Institute and by the
State Board of Control for the Chart
able and Penal Institutions.
In view of the present high cost OF
material / believe it a wise policy fol
the state to defer all building opera
tions, except such as are absolutely
necessary, to a time when material can
be secured at reasonable prices, and
| Northwestern ice house collapsed The
| injured men were members of the
| crew putting in the seasons ice sup
| nj