Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-24

Attorneys C. A. a. MCGEE and James
| A. Sheridan Of Milwaukee, who were
| appointed by the republican and demo
cratic state central committees respect
| lively to place construction on the
| caucus law, have issued a circular in
which the law is fully explained with
the method in which they believe eau
cuses should be conducted. In their
| Interpretation they declare that proxies
cannot be given for conventions. They
| also explain what they consider to be
| the duties of the city committee. In
| full their explanation of the law and
the construction which should be put
upon it is as follows:
The legislature at its last session ell
acted chapter 341, laws of 1899, which
embraces certain provisions intended
! to control the manner OF conducting
caucuses. The following is an analy-
sis of the requirements of the statute:
l. 1t applies to all towns, villages
and wards except the cities of Milwau
kee, Wauwatosa and South Milwaukee;
the towns and villages of Milwaukee
county come within the provisions OF
the measure.
2. A caucus in any meeting Of elect
ors in any town, village or ward held
for the purpose of nominating candi-
dates for Office, to be voted for at an
election, and also, any such meeting
| held for the purpose of electing dele
gates to attend convention called to
nominate candidates for office to be
voted for at any general, judicial or
municipal election. This limitation
excludes from the operation of the stat
ute caucuses called solely to elect dele
gates to county conventions whose only
purpose is the election of delegates to
a state or congressional convention
| The delegates to such conventions may
be selected according to the terms of
this law, or as heretofore, without ref
erence to it At the same caucus can
! didates for ward offices and delegates
to a city or county convention may be
named
8. The caucuses in all towns, viii
| lagos and wards, in the same county,
must be held upon the same day; the
caucuses in the cities to be held during
| the same hours; those in villages and
| towns may be called at different hours,
on the same day, as may be specified in
| the required notice to be given by the
| chairman of the county committee.
4. The duration of the caucus shall
! be at least one hour, and for such addi-
| tional time as may be prescribed in the
notice calling the caucus.
! 5. The law vests the power to call
caucuses, when applicable, in two com
mittees, namely, the county committee
and the city committee. Uniformity
under the law requires that the county
Conn tee shall act in all cases except
Wien thee is g special election in a
city or when the city election is held
at a different time from the election in
the towns and villages in the same
| county.
County Committee.
l. The county committee shall be
composed of a chairman, secretary and
| one member for each ward, town or vii
lage.
2. The law presupposes the existence
of such a committee in every county
as it fails to specify how the members
are to be selected in case no such com
mittee exists. In counties where g
committee exists but the membership
is incomplete, the county convention
as heretofore, may select the necessary
members from the towns, wards or vii
lagos without representation on the
committee. Existing county commit
tees composed in accordance with this
law may be continued without an.
change. Custom will determine the
length of the term Of a member, as the
law is silent upon this point.
3. The county convention elects the
chairman and secretary of the commit
tee. This must be done at conven
ton called to nominate candidates fol
office. If any member of the commit
tee representing a town, village OF
ward is selected as chairman or secre'
tary, this will create vacancy in the
committee from the town, village OF
ward represented by such person.
4. The county committee elects its
treasurer and assistant secretary. The
executive committee shall consist of {
chairman, secretary, treasurer and five
electors. The five electors may or may
not be the members of the committee
and shall be elected by the chairman
5. The names Of the officers of the
county committee shall appear upor
the face of all nomination papers filed
with the county clerk. Immediately
upon the election of a chairman ant
secretary of the committee by the
county convention, e.4eir names should
be filed with the county clerk.
6. Meetings of the committee are tt
be called by the chairman, unless thu
committee by resolution shall other
wise provide.
The committee has power
1. To fill all vacancies that may oc
cur in it's membership.
2. To determine the day and place
when and where the conventions Of tht
political party it represents shall b.
held, which includes all senate and as
sembly districts wholly within thu
county.
8. To determine the day and tn,
time of holding the caucuses.
4. To decide upon the number o
delegates to which each town, villag,
| or ward is entitled.
5. To designate the Offices for which
candidates are to be elected by dele
gates at the convention.