Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-02-07
OLD HEADS W|SEST
HERALD CORRESPONDENT THINKS
ELDERS WILL DOMINATE THIS
SESSION OF LEGISLATURE.
Especial Correspondence to Herald)
BY II. b. PIXLEY.

daily sessions or in committee
rooms, forces the conviction that
the state is represented this year
by a body of men not excelled in
years. While there are few if
any orators, there seems to be
an abundance of common sense.
The members will average as
much in age as any legislature
for a great many years-after
all the old heads are wisest.
If there is anything in the adage
that experience is great teacher it
ought to apply to this legislature.
There are many gray heads, an unus-
ual number Of bald ones, and few
striplings as far as years as concern
ed.
1t strikes the Herald correspondent
that few fads will get by this legisla-
ture, and there will have to be reas-
on for every bill. There seems to
be an undercurrent toward. economy
in state affairs, but there is nothing
niggardly about the expressions heard
wher state activities are discussed.
To date there have been about 300
bills introduced in both houses. That
seems to be quite a number until one
looks at past records and finds that
last session more 1900 were introduce
ed. The figures will not vary much
for many years back, either
The presence Of the road school,
with delegates from all over the state,
in Madison this week has had an effect
upon the talk about highways, al
though there was plenty of it before
Nearly all the counties had good eX-
hibits here, and the room provided in
the capitol was crowded at every SEES
SIGN. The question of handling the
federal aid and the project of state
trunk lines were discussed. The legis-
lature will probably appropriate
enough to meet the national aid and
keen the other appropriation at the
present sum, $75O,OOO year.
The women of the state now are rep
resented by bill all their own. 1t
was introduced by Senator Skogmo Of
River Falls, and calls for an election
in November, 1918, to decide whether
or not the women over twenty-one
shall be allowed to vote for every
proposition, from president down to
coroner.
The governors cabinet idea, which
provided that the executive should APP
point the state treasurer, secretary OF
state and attorney general, will not
pass this year The senate commit.
tee on judiciary killed it, five to two.
1T is admitted here, however, that the
theory is good, and many members
say they expect to vote in favor OF it
some day. They are not quite ready
for so advanced a step, one which is
being advocated by many students OF
government. The governor will not
be greatly disappointed, as he did not
expect the bill would pass, but sug-
be bad to talk about.
There are several members Of the as
sembly in the no-bill class this year,
among them Speaker Whittet. The
sneaker will not introduce any bills,
according to his present plan John
Dixon of Racine and Martin BATHS Of
Oshkosh. are two others who do not
expect to add to the statutes.
A bill has been introduced i'll the as
sembly giving the industrial commits
sion the right to regulate the hours
Of women employed i'll domestic serv-
ice. Iii other words the commission
under this bill, will have the right to
say to the housewife that she shall al
low her maid of all work Thursday
afternoon off, and fix the hour she is
to light the fire in the morning and
nut the cat out and lock the door at
night. The women need not worry.
The bill will not become law.
Since the discussion before the joint
finance committee Of the subject of aid
to county fairs, Assemblyman Wood
ard Of Chippewa county has introduce
ed a bill bearing on that phase OF the
state service. Mr.. Woodland is es
pecially anxious that the Northern.
Wisconsin fair at Chippewa Falls be
aided and he also mentioned the La
Crosse county fair and the fair at Elk
horn. Assemblyman Greel is ready to
place the Watertown or Jefferson fairs
in competition with either of them,
and the other members are ready to
argue that their home fair cannot be
beaten. The result probably will be
that the fairs which have been we'll
managed will receive the aid they are
entitled to. There is disposition on
the part of the finance committee to
appropriate money which is to go to-
ward paying premiums, but the mem
bers are not so much concerned over
he purses and other monies spent to