Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-02-20
SENATE DISTRICTS TO BE MADE
REGARDLESS OF THEM
NEW APPoRTloNMENT SURE
Legislative Caucus Formally Votes in
Favor of One Wholesale Variation
from the Committee Bill Foregone
Conclusion Session of Several
Days Seems Certain.
Madison. Feb. is.

present indications Its session Will be Mt
least four days in length Last nights
caucus of the republican members nc
least would seem TO point that way
While in so many words nothing was
said about ignoring the present bin for
the reapportionment of the state. the
whole action was indicative of such a
course and, from private talks with
members. there is no doubt that the
prevailing sentiment is that way. Lit
tie was done in the session. The meet
ing was called to order In the assembly
chamber by Chairman W. A. Jones, Of
the republican state central committee
and nearly every republican member of
1 both houses was In his chair when the
roll was called Mr.. Jones made a brief
i explanation to the effect that the caucus
was called for the purpose of consider
! ing the ACCESSIBILITY of redistricting the
state, and also Of discussing the new
I bin TO be reported today by the gov
i ernor, the bill drawn by the special, leg
islative apportionment committee Pre-
vious to his making this address, all
save the republican legislators were ex.
eluded from the room, it having been
decided to have the session secret
one. He also suggested that a perma-
nent organization be effected This
was done by the selection OF Senator 4.
/ d. Weeks, of Whitewater, as perma-
nent chairman, and Assemblyman Han
/ son, of Door county, as secretary. Then
the following resolution was adopted
Resolved. That it is the sense Of this
caucus that a bill be passed to appor
! ton the state into senate and assembly
districts which shall be fair and equit-
able and comply with the constitutional
requirements in all respects and that Il
shall be passed by the legislature "a
] speedily as is consistent with due and
careful consideration of the same and
I that then an adjournment be had"
/ II was next decided that a legislative
committee Of twenty should be appoint
Cd Immediately upon the asemblying of
/ both houses today TO look after legisla-
ton and be conference committee.
! Both parties will be represented ON the
committee, but the majority Of the
members will be republicans, sis is
the committee which will formulate the
| final apportionment. With ln ) action,
/ the committee adjourned.
In a separate caucus he assembly
elected its old officers for HE special
session, with the exception that, owing
to the absence of b. f. Willard. of Chip
pewa Falls, j. Il. Johnston Of
Montfort, the former assistant sergeant
Of arms was chosen for the position Of
sergeant of arms, of the house The
senate caucus meets this morning. Fol
lowing are the officers OF the two
houses; Senate, chief clerk, Walter L..
Hauser, Mondovi sergeant at arms,
+ w. l.. Pcttibone, OF Dodge county, as
sembly. speaker, George b. Burrows, Of
Madison; chief clerk, w. A. Novel;, of
4 Milwaukee A. X. Hall, Of Dunn county.
was selected as caucus chairman Of the
assembly 1t was also decided to limit
/ the employees of that body TO assistants
/ for both the chief clerk and sergeant at
arms and to three messengers.
Just what will be done at the session
cannot yet be predicted. When 1t con-
venes this noon there will, 1t is said,
/ be presented three hundred word
message from the governor. II viii,
however, be little more than an expla-
nation of the reasons for the
calling of the session. A copy
Of the bill as recommended
by the legislative apportionment com
mittee Will accompany 1t. What shall
be done with the message is matter
on which the members are at yari-
ance. Some think the best thing 70 do
Is TO adjourn sine die after hearing
Che message ard remain under the
present apportionment. This idea will
of course not prevail bill is GER
tain to be passed, That much the eau
Gus has already decreed. what II will
be is little NOR than matter OF con
lecture, but this much Is very prob
able indeed, that county lines will be
broken in forming senate districts and
that very many changes in the dis
tricts as proposed In the committee bill
will be made Some minor alterations
In assembly districts are also 70 BIG
effected There Is some prospect that
the new conception, which is now vel
In hand. will go to the committee o.
twenty as soon as the legislature con.
vencs, and be reported back and passed
possibly this evening. But such expe'
dition Is not at all probable. It is sl
most foregone conclusion. however
that the job will all he done and tht
bill be signed and officially published
this week.
Politicians began to blow In early
yesterday and In the morning
Chairman Thayer announced that there
would he q session of the legislative
apportionment committee in the old
senate enrolling room Here pocket
full 81 amendments which Jack Tur-
ner had brought down from Portage to
add to the bill were discussed. but no
action was taken ON them During the
afternoon the solons and the other pol
iticlans who came to town talked pres
identiaI matters quite as much rs any