716 



WISCONSIN". 



with anything that he had once acquired. His 

 first public office was that of justice of the 

 peace for Harrison Township, Knox County, 

 in the year 1838. In 1843 he was elected to 

 represent Knox County in the House of Rep- 

 resentatives of the General Assembly. Though 

 a Democrat in a Whig county, he received a 

 majority of votes. This hold upon the popu- 

 lar favor he kept through life. He represented 

 his county in the House during seven sessions, 

 and in the Senate during twelve. He held 

 office almost continuously, and never lost but 

 one election, and then his opponent was judged 

 to have deserved so well of his party that he 

 was rewarded with the speakers!) ip. The de- 

 veloping of the agricultural interest of Indiana 

 was his foremost object. Three societies were 

 formed in his county for promoting these in- 

 terests, and he was elected president of each of 

 them. He was one of the incorporators and 

 President of the State Board of Agriculture. 

 He was also deeply interested in education, and 

 originated many of the laws which have per- 

 fected school and college facilities in Indiana. 

 In 1874 he was returned from his district to 

 Congress and served in that body until 1876, 

 when he resigned on his nomination to the of- 

 fice of Governor, though his term as represent- 

 ative had not yet expired, nor was his election 

 sure. During his gubernatorial term, friends 

 and foes alike concede that the conduct of 

 public affairs was honest. He applied to af- 

 fairs of state the same economy, prudence, and 

 stability, which had built up his private for- 

 tunes. He continued unpolished in manner 

 and uncouth in appearance, as when he earned 

 the sobriquet of " Blue-Jeans Williams," by 

 which he is widely known through the coun- 

 try, but he kept his integrity and commanded 

 the respect of the people. He mourned over 

 the corruption and venality which have ob- 

 truded themselves into elections and the con- 

 duct of the Government. One of his last 

 speeches was that, if he had his life to live 

 over again, he would give it to stir up whole- 

 some public opinion, rather than to the devel- 

 opment of the material prosperity of the coun- 

 try. He died in Indianapolis, suddenly, on 

 November 20th, while fulfilling his duties as 

 Governor of Indiana, and he was mourned by 

 that people as one wholly identified with the 

 growth and history of the State. 



WISCONSIN. The Legislature met January 

 14th, and adjourned March 29th, having been 

 in session sixty-four days, and enacted 323 bills 

 out of 669 presented. Alexander A. Arnold was 

 elected Speaker of the Assembly. The Senate 

 was presided over by Thomas B. Scott, Presi- 

 dent pro tempore. The tax levy was increased 

 from $248,000 in 1879 to $453,000 for 1880, 

 after a reduction from $405,000 in 1878. The 

 direct appropriations made amount to $418,- 

 753. An official inspection of illuminating oils 

 was ordained, and the test fixed at 120 Fahr. 

 State lands at the head of the Chippewa, Wis- 

 consin, and St. Croix Rivers were reserved to 



be used for navigation reservoirs. A grant of 

 swamp lands was given to the projected St- 

 Paul and Eastern Railway, and counties in the 

 northern part of the State were authorized to 

 part with similar lands to promote railroads. 

 Slight changes were made in the game and fish 

 laws. Authority to appeal from the equaliza- 

 tions of county boards of assessors was con- 

 ferred upon cities and villages. An investiga- 

 tion of charges of mismanagement on the part 

 of the authorities of the State Hospital for 

 the Insane was ordered. The clause in the 

 Revised Statutes which makes railroad compa- 

 nies liable for damages to employees, for acci- 

 dents due to the negligence of other employ- 

 ees, was repealed. The dog-license tax was 

 abolished. A militia law provides for a force 

 of thirty companies, and for annual encamp- 

 ments. The insurance laws were changed in 

 such way that the Insurance Commissioner is 

 vested with full authority to examine into the 

 condition of any company, and to revoke li- 

 censes in case the provisions of the law are 

 not fulfilled. An act was passed empowering 

 United States Commissioners to administer 

 oaths, and take acknowledgments to deeds, 

 which latter power was also extended to regis- 

 ters of deeds. Certain police powers were 

 conferred upon the conductors and other em- 

 ployees on railroad trains. The definition of 

 larceny was so altered as to make it a State- 

 prison offense to steal property of the value of 

 twenty dollars or over, instead of one hundred 

 dollars, which has been the limit heretofore. 

 The " good time " regulations were modified so 

 as to allow long-term convicts to earn more of 

 the time premium by good behavior, but short- 

 term prisoners less ; and the penalties for mis- 

 conduct in the Penitentiary were increased. 

 Agents of the Wisconsin Humane Society were 

 authorized to arrest in certain cases of cruelty 

 to persons or to animals. It was provided in 

 one of the acts that judgments of the Supreme 

 Court may be docketed in the Circuit Courts. 

 Personal property, as provided in smother en- 

 actment, must be assessed in the town in which 

 the tax-payer resides. A law was passed per- 

 missive of the use of barbed- wire fences. Grad- 

 uates of colleges and universities of the State 

 were given the right to obtain teachers' certifi- 

 cates. The liability of bank stockholders was 

 established. A law against the adulteration of 

 foods and drugs was passed, and the Governor 

 was authorized to appoint a State analyst. A 

 law was enacted which provides that persons 

 alleged to be insane may, at the request of 

 their friends, be tried before a jury, to have 

 their insanity established, before committal to 

 an asylum. The claims of counties against the 

 State for the care of insane persons or pau- 

 pers were directed to be presented to the State 

 Board of Charities and Reform, to be audited, 

 and reported to the Legislature. A woman- 

 suffrage amendment to the Constitution, to 

 permit female citizens to vote at elections, Avas 

 adopted by a joint resolution. It must be rati- 



