Page:The Wisconsin idea (IA cu31924032449252).pdf/218



considering the work and procedure of the legislature, it may be of interest to describe the peculiar conditions in Wisconsin. If the legislative product was to be effective, the actual business methods of the legislature had to be reorganized; this fact seems to have been recognized by the leaders. The reform of the legislature in this direction has been remarkable; the credit belongs not to any one faction, for this reform was due primarily to the decided legislative opinion that conditions should be improved. Eleven years ago there were about seventy women employed to engross the bills of the legislature in long hand; there was scarcely a typewriter used. Scraps of paper were often passed up as bills to the speaker's desk. The place was full of useless employees, many of whom never did a stroke of work. It was absolutely impossible to tell how many bills amending a certain section were before the legislature. There were no checks as to accuracy. The halls were crowded with lobbyists. It was easy for a country member to find an attorney to draft a bill for him for a small fee, especially if the bill was aimed at some corporation 194