The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-05-16

date of May 10, 1901, returning with
out his approval bill No. 738, the Gov
ernor has made the following state
ments:
"The history of the effort to secure
primary election law IN this State, the
character of the opposition, and the
means employed to defeat 1T, demand a
permanent place in the legislative rec
ord of this session. It is therefore
from a controlling sense of obligation
that submit the following IN connec-
ton with specific reasons for interpos-
ing the executive veto to prevent this
bill from becoming a law.
Immediately upon the organ1za-
ton of the Legislature, many weeks
before any bill was offered upon the
subject of primary election, was boast
inglY announced and published that
one of its branches had been so organ
lied as to defeat the passage OF any
primary election legislation.
"'Before the introduction OF the
Primary Election bill an attempt was
made to arouse distrust concerning 1t,
and to thoroughly discredit the meas
ure in advance. Upon its presentation
to the Legis1dture-so framed as to
comply with the pledge made to the
people of the State-a systematic cam
paign of Misrepresentation OF the bill
and it's supporters was industrlously
presented. The general purpose OF
the measure, the plain meaning Of its
provisions, the certain effect of the law
in operation, the necessary and reason
Ona BILE expense, each and all furnished
theme for persistent Justification and
malicious assault. An array of federal
Office holders, joining with certain
corporation agents and the repre-
sentativeS of the machine in the regu-
lar legislative body, moved upon the
capitol, took possession of its CORR
doris, intruded into the legislative
halls, followed members to their ho-
tells, tempted many with a1luring forms
of vice, and in some instances brought
them in the capitol in state of intox1-
cation to vote against the bill. This
sets forth in part the character OF the
opposition, but omits to take account
of some of the means used, and at
tempted to be used, to prevent the pas
sage of the measure.
"'I cannot divest myself of the
binding character of my official obliga-
tion-not in any narrow partisan sense
which forbids my sharing in the re-
sponsibi1ity of giving them law
which violates that obligation and is
manifest1y so framed as to bring re-
proach upon the principle, even if it
were at all possible to interpret or en-
force it," +-~-.
'''This message, containing these
statements, appears at large upon
pages 1O3o-1O48 of the journal of the
Senate. We therefore claim our privi-
1ege as Senators to have it appear up
on the record of our proceedings that
we do not allow these statements of
the Governor to pass uncha1lenged,
and that upon any view of his -consti-.
tutiona1 prerogative, we deny that he
is justified in thus thus addressing the
legislature. We hold that no "sense
of obligation" on the part of the Gov
ernor can excuse such grave ref1ec-
tons upon the members of the Legis-
1ature as are contained in the portions
of the message above quoted.
eve recognize the constitutional
right of the Governor freely toexpress
his views upon the policy and validity
of any legislation submitted to him
for his approval, but we hold that the
use of such expressions as are above
specifically referred to transcend all
bounds of official propriety and con-
stitutiona1 right.
"We protest therefore most earnestly
as members of the Legislature against
the aspersions cast upon our official
acts, upon our personal motives and
upon our private characters by the
governor in this message to the 1egis-
lature.' -