USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of the state of Wisconsin : being a complete civil, political, and military history of the state, from its first exploration down to 1875 > Part 46
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
The senate was composed of twenty-three Republicans, nine Democrats, and one Independent. In the assembly were fifty-eight Republicans, thirty- eight Democrats, and four Independent.
At two o'clock, P.M., of the 11th of January, Gov. Washburn delivered his first annual message to the two houses of the legislature in joint conven- tion. It was a long message, and set forth in detail the general condition of State affairs.
The general condition of the State for the previous year was referred to as having been very prosperous, blessed with abundant returns of agriculture, and free from pestilence and famine.
The recent great conflagrations were referred to in appropriate terms; and measures to afford relief were suggested. A thorough geological sur- vey of the State was highly recommended. Reference was made to the Board of State Charities, and their report commended to favorable consid- eration. The condition of all the State institutions was fully set forth, and commended to the attention of the legislature.
In national matters, the governor fully sustained the national adminis- tration. He recommended the Civil Service Reform, a return to specie payments at an early day, and the adoption of a government telegraph sys- tem in connection with our postal system. His remarks on these subjects were extended, and presented the matters in a clear style, giving evidence that they had been thoroughly considered.
The governor spoke of the great fires of 1871 as follows : -
"During the last days of September, and the first days of October, the north- east part of the State was overrun by extensive fires, destroying much property, and causing great distress, but nothing compared to what was soon to follow; for, on the 8th and 9th of October, a conflagration, unparalleled in the world's history, swept over portions of the counties of Oconto, Brown, Door, and Ke- waunee, consuming all before it.
"In vain the unhappy people sought refuge in open fields, swamps, lakes, and rivers. The fire-blast, which seemed to come down from heaven, was so sudden and appalling, that many believed that the long-foretold destruction of the world was at hand. By this conflagration, it is estimated that over a thousand persons lost their lives; and many others were horribly burned and maimed, and doomed to drag out a life more intolerable than death itself. As soon as intelli- gence of this great calamity reached the Executive office, my predecessor, with that promptitude and humanity which were to be expected from him, proceeded at once to the scene of the disaster, to lend such aid as was within his power. Appealing at once to the charitable for relief to the sufferers, the great heart of the country responded with a generosity that calls for the warmest gratitude.
"The people of the State, in the most prompt and liberal manner, sent forward money, clothing, and supplies for their suffering fellow-citizens. The people of other States were not less prompt and generous in their liberal offerings; and even Canada and Europe heard our cry, and manifested their sympathy with a liberal hand.
"I place before the legislature the very full and satisfactory report of my pred- ecessor, detailing his action in regard to the sufferers. The responsibility taken by him and the state treasurer cannot fail to meet your approval. The urgency of the case fully justifies their action. It cannot be regarded as a precedent; aud such an occasion is not likely to again arise.
CROSSCUP & VEST-SC N A
W. G. BYRON.
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" The total amount of money received at the Executive office for the benefit of the sufferers, to Jan. 1, 1872 was 8166,789.96, of which sum $46,900 was trans- mitted to the Relief Committee at Green Bay; $8.005.16 was expended for sup- plies; 8487.57, for sundry expenses, leaving, unexpended, $111.307.23 for which I hold the receipt of Hon. Henry Baetz, state treasurer, for $33,539.05, and a certi- ficate of deposit in the State Bank at Madison for $77,858.18.
" In addition to the foregoing contributions in money. large amounts of clothing and provision ; have been received through the Executive office; and it is under- stood that large amounts of money, clothing, and supplies, have also been con- tributed through the Milwaukee and Green Bay Relief Committees. It is rec- ommended that a joint relief committee. consisting of one member of the senate. and two of the assembly, be constituted at an early day, with anthority to pro- ceed at once to the 'burnt district,' and investigate the condition of the people there, and confer with the relief committees of Green Bay and Milwaukee, and ascertain what amount of relief will be required to place them in a comfortable condition, and when they can be self-sustaining; and I also ask that you consti- tute some anthority through which the amount now subject to my order may be so disposed of as to give the most relief, and best meet the wishes of the con- tributors "
After a session of seventy-six days, the legislature of 1872 finished its work, and adjourned, after giving ample time for the enrolment of all bills, and their examination by the governor before signature. Few of its prede- cessors have embraced an equal number of men ready in debate, both among those well known in the legislative halls, and those for whom this was the first experience as law-makers. The work of the session was peculiariy difficult, owing to the many general laws which the constitutional amend- ment, prohibiting a large class of special legislation, made necessary. When the legislature met, there were many open questions as to the construction of that amendment; and it was some time before it could be determined what was required to be done, or how to do it. The committee on general laws, after careful deliberation, reported such bills, as, with but little change, be- came laws which were suited to the objects for which they were framed. The apportionment of the State into congressional districts was another perplexing task devolving on this legislature; and although almost any one could suggest a change for the better, in some respects, considered by them- selves, as a whole, it is, perhaps, as satisfactory as any arrangement that could have been made under the circumstances. The framing and passage of a bill that should meet the popular demand for a law to prevent the evils of drunkenness, after much consultation and study, has been met by " Bill No. 7 A," making liquor-sellers responsible; the sharp contest on which was led by Mr. Graham of Rock County, the father of the bill, with able allies. This bill was the cause of much discussion, not only in, but out of, the legis- lature. The law was enacted after a hard struggle.
In the senate one hundred and eighty bills were introduced, thirty-one joint resolutions, and two hundred and ten petitious received; and, in the assembly, five hundred and twenty-nine bills, thirty memorials, forty-eight joint resolutions, ninety-four resolutions, and five hundred and eleven peti- tions. There were one hundred and seventy-five general laws enacted, one
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hundred and forty-one private and local laws, twenty-six memorials, forty appropriations, and eleven resolutions.
An amendment to the constitution, proposed by the last legislature, was agreed to, and provision made for submitting it to the people to increase the number of supreme-court judges from three to five; and an amendment proposed, limiting the power of municipalities to contract debt to five per cent of the assessed valuation.
General incorporation laws in pursuance of the constitutional amendment were passed, providing for the incorporation of railroad companies, villages, religious societies, for manufacturing and other purposes. Other more im- portant laws are, to regulate granting municipal aid to railroads, to pro- vide for locating and changing county-seats, to exempt private property from seizure on sale to pay municipal debts, authorizing cities and villages to establish free public libraries, &c.
The waters of the Chippewa did not divert the cause of legislation, or swell to such an angry torrent as on the previous year. Two questions were only brought to an issue affecting it; and those created little excitement, compared with last year. The Beef Slough Boom Company obtained certain privileges and powers under a general law, which the Eau Claire interests claim will give them privileges they have never enjoyed before. The friends of the Dells Improvement felicitate themselves that there was no square vote against their measure; while the Chippewa Falls people rejoice that it was not carried, and that a general law for the accomplish- ment of its purposes was defeated. One-tenth of the local and private laws relate to the city of Milwaukee; there are also a large number for the repeal of sundry railroad charters in the northern part of the State; also a large number of city charters, and amendments thereto, legalizing acts, and for a variety of ininor legislation, which is not inhibited. But three acts passed have failed to receive the executive approval, - one to give the Dells Inves- tigating Committee additional powers, and others of less importance.
Among the measures that failed to become laws were a constitutional convention, amendments to the constitution for biennial sessions, minority representation, raising the minimum of school age to six years, repeal of the registry law, changing the system of county government, for the printing claims of Calkins & Proudfit and S. D. Carpenter.
On the 25th of May a contract was made with T. Shimmins and William Landon to put up an iron fence around the Capitol Square. The whole ex- pense, under the contract, was 827,495; Mr. Shimmins to furnish the stone and mason work, at 813,000; and Mr. Landon the iron, at 814,495.
The Republican Convention nominated the following persons as presiden- tial electors, W. E. Cramer, F. Fleischer, J. S. Nickles, George G. Swain, O. B. Thomas, F. Hilgon, E. C. McFetridge, G. E. Hoskinton, R. Bunn, and II. D. Barron. The Democratic Convention nominated for the same officers, Mons. Anderson, J. Black, W. Spooner, A. G. Cook, George H. King, S. Rindskoff, R. II. Hotchkiss, Anton Klauss, M. Montgomery, and M. Wadleigh.
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CHAPTER LXII.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOV. WASHBURN.
Events of 1873-Legislation - Statistics - Closing Events of Gov. Washburn's Administration - The Election of 1873-Defeat of the Republican Party.
THE Twenty-sixth session of. the State legislature convened on the eighth day of January, 1873, and adjourned March 20, after a session of twenty-two days. In the senate, Hon. M. H. Pettitt, lieutenant-governor, was president, and J. H. Waggoner was elected as chief clerk, and Albert Emerson as sergeant-at-arms.
In the assembly, Hon. Henry D. Barron of Polk County was elected speaker, E. W. Young chief clerk, and O. C. Bissell sergeant-at-arms.
On the 9th, the second annual message of Gov. Washburn was delivered to the two houses of the legislature. It is a document of more than ordi- nary interest, and is above the common standard of gubernatorial produc- tions of this kind. The message opens with a brief reference to the abun- dant returns from agricultural pursuits, the development of the industries of the State, the advance in manufacturing, the rapid extension of rail- ways, the progress of education as being eminently satisfactory during the past year.
His recommendations in regard to the repeal of the law authorizing the loan of the school and university funds to school-districts, and for the revison of the law regulating the descent of property in case a husband dies intestate without children, commended themselves to the legislature, and met with its approval. The new Liquor Law, he thought, had not been in force long enough to have been fairly tested as to its merits, and recom- mended further legislation to secure its enforcement. A patriotic reference was made to the great Centennial Exposition proposed to be held at Phila- delphia in 1876 ; and an appropriation was suggested to the consideration of the legislature.
On the subject of railroads, the message set forth the roads that had been constructed in the State during the year 1872, and informed the people that " there will be few communities that have not railroad facilities at no great distance from them " when the various lines now in process of construc- tion should be completed. His views set forth in his last annual message, on 636
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the general subject of railroads and their management, remained unchanged. He claimed that "many vast and overshadowing corporations in the United States are justly a source of alarm," and that " the legislature cannot scan too closely every measure that should come before it which proposed to give additional rights and privileges to the railways of the State." The recom- mendation of the previous year for a Board of Railroad Commissioners was repeated. He also recommended that the " granting of passes to the class of State officials, who, through their public office, have power to confer or withhold benefits to a railroad company, be prohibited."
The subjects of the St. Croix Land Grant, the River Improvements, the Harbor of Superior, were discussed at considerable length; and the benefits that would accrue from these improvements were fully set forth in the message.
The governor took strong ground in favor of the adoption of the Postal Telegraph System by the National Government, but was decidedly opposed to the proposition before Congress, " which contemplates a partnership be- tween the government and private parties."
The necessity for cheaper lines of transportation was dwelt upon ; and the great enterprises of the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, and the Niagara Ship Canal, strongly commended by the governor, who ex- pressed the hope that the General Government would make the necessary appropriations for their completion.
The message was very favorably noticed by the leading newspapers of the State, without regard to politics. One paper, not politically a friend, said, " If Gov. Washburn is not a great statesman, he is certainly not a small politican."
The first important business of the session was the election of an United States senator to fill the place of Hon. Timothy O. Howe, whose term of office expired March 4, 1874. On the 22d of January, the two houses met in joint convention for the purpose of comparing the journals of the two houses, relative to the election of United States senator. Hon. H. L. Eaton, president of the senate pro tem., called the convention to order; and the action of each house was read by its chief clerk. In the senate, Timo- thy O. Howe received twenty-two votes, and Henry L. Palmer nine votes. In the assembly, Mr. Howe received sixty-one votes, and Mr. Palmer thirty- five votes. The president then announced that Hon. T. O. Howe was elected United States senator for the term of six years from the 4th of March, 1874; after which the convention adjourned.
The bills before the legislature which occupied the attention of the mem- bers in preference to many others were the land-grant bills, of which there were a number. One was to confer the grant of the St. Croix Company to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company: others on the Northern Wisconsin Road, on the Chicago and Northern Pacific Air Line Road, on the Milwaukee and Northern Road, the Prescott River Falls and Northern Road; also the bill to authorize the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad tc erect a bridge across the Mississippi at La Crosse. This last bill occupied
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the closing days of the session, and created much interest. Friends and opponents of the measure were at the Capitol in strong force. The bill passed both houses, and was sent to the governor for approval. On the 18th of March, he returned the same to the assembly, with his reasons at length for refusing to sign the bill, closing with the following remark : -
"I cannot approve the bill without sanctioning the nullification of a law of Congress, plainly authorized by the Constitution. It is an assertion of State rights, never before claimed within my knowledge, where Congress had already affirm- atively acted in the premises, in any section of the Union, - not even in that sec- tion of country where those rights have been most watchfully guarded. Nor am I willing to say that the government engineers (in locating the bridge) have failed to discharge the duty imposed upon them under the law of Congress."
The bill was returned to the assembly; and on the question, " Shall the bill pass, the objection of his Excellency the Governor to the contrary, not- withstanding? " the bill so passed, - ayes sixty, noes twenty-eight, and ten absent, or not voting. On the bill being received in the senate, that body refused to concur with the assembly in the passage of said bill over the governor's veto by a vote of ayes fifteen, noes twelve.
The legislature adjourned March 20, having remained in session seventy- two days.
The following is a statement of business presented and disposed of at this session: Senate, bills introduced, one hundred and seventy-two; memorials to Congress, two; joint resolutions, twenty; resolutions, twenty-six; peti- tions presented, one hundred and ninety-five. Assembly, bills introduced, four hundred and thirty-four; memorials, eleven; joint resolutions, forty- two; resolutions, ninety-six; petitions, seven hundred and fifty-one. There were one hundred and thirty-six general laws passed, one hundred and forty- five private and local laws, twenty-seven appropriations, eleven memorials, and six joint resolutions.
Among the most important acts passed were, providing for a geologi- cal survey of the State, to be begun in Ashland County, and completed within four years, by a chief geologist and four assistants, to be appointed by the governor, thirteen thousand dollars being appropriated annually; giving the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company the land-grant, conditioned on building roads from Prescott to Superior and Bayfield, from Red Wing to Chippewa Falls, from Monroe to Shullsburg; to change the management of the State-prison from a commissioner elected by the people every two years, to a warden appointed by the governor, with consent of the Senate and a board of directors; to substitute the secretary of state, state treasurer, and attorney-general for the senate, as a State board of assessors: applying the temperance law of last winter to all cities and incorporated villages, regardless of any special provisions of their charter; increasing the salaries of Supreme Court judges to five thousand dollars; providing for a State tax for 1873 of $321,110; to provide for finishing the State Capitol, protecting the same against fire; for the improvement of the Capitol Park, and appropriating $26,850 for the same; and numerous other bills and specific appropriations to the various State institutions.
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DR. D. W. PERKINS.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
In addition to the bill vetoed by the governor on the bridging of the Mississippi, there were three others which failed to become laws; viz., for the relief of S. D. Carpenter; to audit a.verdict of Calkins & Proudfit on their printing claim; to provide for the collection of certain property sta- tistics, for which an unobjectionable bill was afterwards passed.
The above is a synopsis of what the legislature did, and refused to do. There was less reference to politics than in any session for a number of sessions; and the best feeling pervaded the members.
At the spring election, Hon. Orsamus Cole was re-elected associate jus- tice of the Supreme Court.
Under the law for carrying on the geological survey of the State, Gov. Washburn appointed Increase A. Lapham, LL.D., as chief of the survey, on the 11th of April. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, on the 15th of May, sent to the governor an official notice that they declined to accept the St. Croix and Superior land-grant, under the terms prescribed by the act of the last session of the legislature. This action on the part of the company was the cause of much comment by the newspaper press; and the course of the company was severely criticised.
On the 27th of August, the Republican Union Convention for the nomi- nation of State officers was held at Madison, John Nazro, president.
Hon. C. C. Washburn was unanimously renominated for governor, with- out ballot. For lieutenant-governor, on the first formal ballot, Robert H. Baker received 136 votes, and was nominated; for secretary of state, E. W. Young received 130 votes, and-was nominated; Ole C. Johnson received 189 votes for treasurer, and was nominated; for attorney-general, L. F. Frisby received 162 votes, and was nominated; Robert Graham received 160 votes, and was nominated superintendent of public instruction; G. P. Lindman received 119 votes, and was nominated as emigration commissioner.
On the 25th of September, the Liberal Democratic Convention met at Milwaukee, Hon. S. D. Burchard, president.
William R. Taylor received 229 votes for governor (all cast), and was declared unanimously nominated; for lieutenant-governor, C. D. Parker re- ceived 188 votes, and was nominated; Ferdinand Kuehn received 188 votes, and was nominated for state treasurer; Hon. Peter Doyle received 156 votes, and was nominated for secretary of state; for attorney-general, A. Scott Sloan was nominated by acclamation; Prof. Edward Searing was nominated superintendent of public instruction by acclamation; and M. J. Argard, receiving 140 votes, was declared nominated for state-prison com- missioner.
At the election in November, C. C. Washburn received 66,224 votes, and William R. Taylor 81,509: the latter was elected, and the remainder of the Liberal Democratic ticket, by majorities ranging between thirteen and four- teen thousand. In consequence of the result of this election, the Republi- can party, which had been in power from the beginning of the administra- tion of Gov. Coles Bashford, in 1856, to the close of the year 1873, retired from power to give place to Democratic or " Reform " supremacy.
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CHAPTER LXIV.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOV. W. R. TAYLOR.
Events of 1874 - First Message of Gov. Taylor - Legislation - Statistics - Railroad Litigation.
Ox the fifth day of January, 1874, the Reform party of the State of Wis- consin commenced its administration. The inauguration ceremonies took place on the 5th, and were brief and simple. At half-past eleven, A.M., a large party assembled at the Executive office, among whom, besides the newly-elected State officers, were Hon. George B. Smith, attorney-general of the last Democratic administration, Gen. C. R. Gill, formerly attorney-gen- eral, Hon. S. D. Burchard, Hon. N. D. Fratt, Hon. L. B. Vilas, Hon. J. C. Gregory, and many others. From the Executive office, the incoming officers, escorted by the outgoing ones, proceeded to the Supreme Court room, and, with the judges, to the assembly chamber. The newly-elected officers took seats in front of the clerk's desk; and each, as his name was called, arose, and the oath of office was administered by Hon. L. S. Dixon, chief justice of the Supreme Court.
The following is a list of the State officers who took the oath of office, which comprised the State officers elect: -
Governor, William R. Taylor of Dane; lieutenant-governor, Charles D. Parker of St. Croix; secretary of state, Peter Doyle of Crawford; state treasurer, Ferdinand Kuehn of Milwaukee; attorney-general, A. Scott Sloan of Dodge; state superintendent, Edward Searing of Rock; emigra- tion commissioner, W. R. Argard of Eau Claire. In the evening. the State officers received their friends at the assembly-chamber, at which time the room was filled to its capacity. After the officers had received the congratu- lations of their friends, the floor was prepared for dancing, which was enjoyed by the large party of ladies and gentlemen who were present on the occasion.
The annual meeting of the State legislature commenced on the 14th of January. Hon. Charles D. Parker, as lieutenant-governor, took his seat as president of the senate ; and J. II. Waggoner was elected chief clerk, and O. U. Aken sergeant-at-arms. In the assembly Gabriel Bouck was elected speaker, George W. Peck chief clerk, and Joseph Deuster sergeant-at-arms.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
In the senate, sixteen were Reformers, and seventeen Republicans. In the assembly, Reformers, fifty-eight ; Republicans, forty ; Independents, two. The legislature adjourned on the 12th of March, after a session of fifty-eight days. On the 15th of January, Gov. Taylor met the joint convention of the two houses, and delivered his first annual mes- sage. At the beginning, he referred to the financial disturbances of the country, and said, that accompanying them had come an impera- tive demand from the people for a purer political morality, a more equitable apportionment of the burdens and blessings of government, and a more rigid economy in the administration of public affairs. He made reference to the financial condition of the State, and suggested that taxes be collected semi-annually, or, if the time be not changed, that the State ought to derive some revenue for interest on its surplus funds during a portion of the year. The receipts and disbursements for the pre- vious year were given in a clear manner, showing that the general fund was overdrawn, and that money had been borrowed temporarily from the trust- funds of the State to pay drafts upon the general fund. This practice the governor condemned strongly, and remarked that a deficiency in the general fund in excess of all proper resources for current expenditures from the trust-funds of the State was, in fact, an increase of the State debt to the precise amount of the sumn thus taken from those funds.
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