The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-29
Wisconsin.
ELECTION BILL
HARD TO PREVENT ITS
PASSAGE
CooK-vANDERcooK CONTEST
Subject of RenppOrtionment to Be
Considered This Week Causes
Jealousy and Ill
Feeling.

MADISON, Wis, jan ga primary
| election bill was introduced in both
houses of the legislature tonight and re-
1erred to committee on privileges and
elections. The author of the bill is AS
semblyman E. Ray Stevens. The bill as
| presented meets the views of the gov
| ernor 1t is believed to be the most COM
plete primary election measure ever
drafted in this country. Many of the OBJ
Jections that have been made to the pro-
visions of the Minnesota law have been
eliminated in the Stevens bill
Caucuses and conventions are entirely
abolished by the bill, and all nominations
are made by the direct vote of the cleo
tors. No person can be a nominee unless
he has received signatures to a petition
with the names of per cent of the voters
OF MS party, the signers so distributed
as not to represent one locality.
Political organizations are in the least
disturbed, though the people by direct
vote choose their party leaders. The
party platforms are framed by the state
and legislative candidates, and must all
be made public by certain day.
Presidential electors are chosen by the
state central committees, and national
delegates are elected at the~Spring cleo
ton by a direct vote Of the people,
The bill tends to perpetuate non-po-
litical judicial nominations, candidates
being placed on the tickets by petition
Town, village and school district meet
ings are not affected by the law and will
be conducted under the present system
The primary election bill will be intro
duced In both houses at the evening ses-
sion tonight. Assemblyman E. Ray
Stevens, who has been making a new
draft which will be more concise than the
original measure, now has ii in shape.
Much opposition is expected to it. es-
pecially from the senate, which is made
up largely of old-time Republicans not
associated with the La Toilette element
of the party. Mr.. Stevens, in drawing the
measure, has made it probably more com
plete than any Of the various similar laws
now in other states, and the author be-
heves that all the requirements of the
case have been met. 1t puts practically
all nominations in the hands of the peo-
pie.
While the system of making nomina-
lions is completely changed, Mr.. Stevens
has so framed the measure as to retain
the party lines and not in any way in
terfere with party work While the ten
dency of political cliques to control NOM
nations will be eliminated, the party
organization in no way will be disturb
ed, though some changes will be provided
for organizing the parties.
The Cook-Vandercook contest will be
determined during the next few days and
the rightful owner of the seat of the
First district of Marathon county will
then be settled. There does not seem to
be much doubt that two reports will be
made by the committee on privileges and
election, and if the sentiment and re-
ports that are in circulation are taken
for a forerunner of the outcome of the
contest, Mr. Cook will retain his seat.
Those who have watched the proceedings
closely say that five members of the
committee will report for Mr.. Cook and
two for Mr.. Vandercook This will give
the Democratic assemblyman the adj
vantage on the floor of the house, as a
favorable report means much in a fight
of this kind. Mr.. Vandercook, however,
has friends in the assembly, and some
lively debate is looked for when the ques-
ton comes up. 1t is expected that a
committee report will be received by
Wednesday, and possibly on Tuesday.
The subject of apportionment will be
considered this week, and promises to
offer good many difficulties. Each of
the congressman will doubtless have
somebody to look after his interests, and
then there are the personal ambitions of
the various members of the present as
Sembly and senate. There are several
senators who have their eyes turned to-
wards seats in the house of representa-
tives at Washington. Some of these are
on the committee, and it will only be
natural for them to see to it that they
do not altogether get the worst of the
apportionment. While it is expected that
the question of congressional districts
will be taken up first, as it will be hard
est to adjust on account of the extra dis
trict to which the state is entitled, the
task Of fixing the assembly and senate
districts later on will require equally as
much care Already dozens of maps of
both sets Of districts have been made
out by various members, and they are
now waiting for an opportunity to spring
them on the committee when it meets
The committee of thirty will be far too
large to draw up an apportionment plan,
and 1t is probable that a subcommittee
of few members will be appointed to
propose some definite action.
On the whole, the number of bills so
far introduced in the two houses does not
come up to the number offered last year
up to this date. Members have been back
ward in sending in their bills. There
are several in to regulate franchises.
One by Mr.. Owen provides that common
councils and town boards have the power
to modify grants given in the past. Mr..
Lenroot, in the assembly, has a bill that
provides that on petition citizens NAV
have an opportunity to vote on franchises
before they become operative Mr.. Len
root also has an antitrust bill in the
house, while in the senate Mr.. Mills has
one changing the taxation plan of street
railroads and another the plan of oil
Inspection. Then there is the anti-cip-
arctic bill, which seems to have a good
chance to pass both houses.
Some of the younger employees about
the legislature, who recently wished to
call on some gentlemen of the green
| cloth and deposit a portion of their nav
In the bank" had an amusing experi-
ence this week. They are not unlike
students who are kept out of the gam
bling places of the city as far as the pro-
prietors can keep them out The spotter
| of the gambling house knew the young
men were not Madisonians, and suspect.
| ing them to be students, refused them
admittance. AS they were the verv
class whom the gamblers seek to get into
their places, the spotter was severely
| reprimanded by his employer when the
| facts came out.