Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-05-02

! IL IS now pretty well settled
that the legislature will adjourn
May IL. 1t looks as if every
Thing in their line of work may
1 be finished by that time except
ing primary election matters and
the reapportionment. 1t seems
doubtful about any agreement
with reference to the first, and
one can hardly see how the second
can be completed in two weeks.
The proposition known as the
Senate Hagemeister substitute
went to the assembly for concur
renee, but the committee on priv
eleges and elections reported to
the lower house still different
plan. Hagemeister you will re-
member, proposed primary cleo
tions for such counties as may
choose to adopt the plan. The
assembly committees proposition
was to nominate county officers,
city and judicial officers and mem
bers of the legislature by direct
vote of the people; but that the
law should not become operative
until submitted to the people of
the state for their ratification at
the spring election of 1902.
|
! The matter came up for action
il the Assembly last Thursday
4 night. A good sized crowd of
people came to see and hear this
third big battle of the primary
election war. The discussion be-
gan at s o'clock and closed at 10.
The speeches of the occasion were
rather weak compared with some
that have been heard on both sides
of the question. The roll call
after the discussion stood AZ in
favor of the assembly committee S
report to A against. The major
| ity was just the same as it was
when the Stevens bill passed that
house. And SO the Hagemeister
Substitute was killed.
And now this assembly amend
ment if before the Senate, and is
made special order for Wednes-
day evening. | do not suppose
that the Senate will vote to &C
, cept the amendment, though it is
thought that about two senator's
will vote for it that opposed the
: Stevens bill. But it will require
change of heart in four of them
at least in order to pass the meas
ure.
Some think that if the matter
is so arranged that the people
may not vote upon it until No
vember 1902 the senate will agree
to the Assembly's latest plan. 1t
seems that the so-called stalwarts
are afraid to have members of the
legislature nominated by direct
vote of the people. They say by
that method there will surely be
nominated what they are pleased
to call an administration legis
: lature, - and that Senator Spooner
might thus fail of reelection.
Now, were | ''stalwartD in the
the legislature this is the last az
gument [ should want to use. 1t
is as much as to say, "Give the
people chance to nominate Sen
ators and Assemblymen by direct
vote and they will not nominate
those of us who haze opposed pri-
mary elections they want pri-
mary election law and they will
be likely to turn down such as us
as have voted against it. " This
seems to be a conclusive argu-
ment in favor of the demand
the people are making. | was
talking yesterday with as fair and
cIear-headed Senator as there is
in the capitol and he says that the
above is clear statement of the
case. "Let Senator Spooner say
that he is candidate for re-elec
ton, and let him say that
he is willing to have the people
vote for candidates for the legis-
lature and he will get the solid
republican vote, for nobody that
| know of says one word against
returning him to the Senate.
If the Assembly substitute for
Hagemeister substitute is killed