The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-01-01
AssembIyman c. Shearer
Comments OH Opening Of
State Legislature.
GIVES MODUS OPERANDI
Describes How Legislature VIII
Be Organized and How Bills
Will Be introduced.

EDITORS Note-During the sessions OF
+he state legislature two years ago. AS
gemblyrnan Conrad Shearer, one OF Ine
| members Of the lower house from Keno
/ sha county, sent a weekly letter 70 ene
Kenosha Evening News, setting 1cfth
the legislative happenings. These let
/ +ers were SO interesting and instruetiVe
to the people of Kenosha and henosna
county that this paper has asked as
1 semblynan Shearer to write stInliaf
1 saries If letters this year from Madison.
1 The following article IS writ.sn ~ ~
semblyrnan Shearer as the nrst Oh en /
new series of weekly letters 1t deals
with comment on the opening OF She
state legislature in the near 1uturel
MANY times recently has the ques-
+ion been asked, when does the state
/ leoislatura convened" This date is set
bv statute--the second Wednesday IN
| Januarv of the odd-numbered years
| The 1925 session opens January l4tn'
| Announcement rests with the member
ship of the senate and assembly.
| There is no limit to the number OF
bills which a legislator may introduce
It should be borne in mind, however.
that it adds nothing to the prestlge o.
| a member to present measures thal
stand no chance of being enacted into
law. Each bill travels rough anu
rugged course before coming to hnai
vote. Even though it hurdles the COM
mittees with favorable report II may
be destined to defeat.
| All proposals for either new legisla-
ton. amendments or repeal OF exlstlng
laws should be submitted to the sena-
tor or assemblyman in writing Verbal
suggestions are liable to be forgotten.
In looking over our files to date, we
And that some constituents seek
change in the divorce laws; others
want statutory enactment forcing all
vehicles travelling the highways to car
" rear and tail lights; intoxicated
persons must not drive automobiles or
if caught in the act, shall suffer Sc
we're penalties. Provision shall be
made whereby regularly appointed
challengers at elections will be COM
pensated. Trained attendants from
the state institutions must escort fee
ble-minded and insane persons from
their homes to the asylums. These
are but a sample of the measures set
forth by our local people. Some OF
them appear essential and may receive
favorable consideration; others are not
likely to make Ine SIdUS'
Each member of the legislature re-
ceives, during his term, numerous Pc
titions and resolutions bearing upon
matters Of legislation. The right OF
the people to petition law-making bod
les is established by: the. constitution
of the United States. Documents Oh
this nature transmitted to either SEN
ate or assembly are supposed to con-
yey the desires of the slgners and car
nv some weight in the committee room.
Petitions are of little value unless
there is a bill drafted covering that
particular subject. Few persons apart
from lawyers can draft a bill in proper
form. but the legislative reference IL
brary, better known as the Dill rae
tory" assists members in preparing
measures for introduction. This de-
partment is good in that most leglsla-
tors require the service afforded 1t
is bad in that it affords an incentive
to ambitious legislators to prepare a
batch of useless bills to lengthen the
session.
Answering correspondence is no
small part of members service. Dur
ing the 1928 session it was my aim TO
reply to every communication IN frst
class mail Oftentimes a legislator re-
ceives from IL to 20 letters per day,
and as he must be his own stenogra-
pher and typist, he has real Joo
ahead. He hears not alone from peo-
pie residing in his district, but from
all sections of the state. For the most
part the letters are courteous, but oc-
casionally one comes along that would
wreck the disposition of a saint. Too
few are commendatory; many commu-
nications seek to inform the senator or
assemblyman just what the writer
would do if he were member of the
legislature.
Few legislators attempt to reply to
all communications and mass of let
tiers are consigned to the capacious
wastebaskets without attention. This,
to nv mind, is wrong. Oftentimes the
constituent communicates ideas of real
value which are helpful to members of
the legislature. We should welcome
all constructive correspondence, and 1t
shall be my endeavor during the COM
ing session to keep in touch with those
who care to communicate their views.
In sending for copies of bills, as
happens frequently during the session,
people should bear in mind the fact
that state legislators have no franking
privilege. Postage is a considerable
| item of expense and stamps should be
| enclosed. The writer recalls mailing
one package of bills on which the pos
tai charges amounted to 80 cents. Per-
sons desiring copies of all bills, reso-
buttons, proceedings, ETC., of the ses-
sion may subscribe for same by send
| ing S12 to the secretary of state.
Will Send Press Letter.
Ny weekly letter TO the local press
during the last session was appreci-
ated. It is a part of the service which
feel member owes his constituents
and will be continued during the COM
/ ing months as far as time Will permit.
Ny purpose during the 1925 session is
| to serve both district and state to the
best of my ability. My position on
bills acted upon in 1923 remains un-
changed. Some people will disagree
with my stand on certain measures.
That is natural, because you cannot
please all the people all the time. 1t
| should be remembered that circum-
stances often arise where it is advis-
able to support or oppose certain mi
nor bills in order TO gain the passage
or defeat Of some major proposition.
It is also well to credit your represen-
! tative on the field with having a more
4 intimate knowledge of the situation
than do people many miles removed.
NV action upon any legislation cannot