The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-06
WISCONSIN ,.-. ::F.'~ -...A
CHOICE OF SENATOR
How It Figures in the Fight the
"stalwarts'' Are Making at
Madison.
The Primary Bill, Now in Deadlock,
Is Believed to Be an I'm
possibility.

Special 70 The Journal. .e -:
Madison, Wis, April 6.-Control of the !!
next legislature and with it the election
of United States senator to succeed
Senator Quarles, is beginning to be rec
ognized as the main bone of contention
in the contest over the primary election
bill. ~. ..--. ..sl- -
When the conference committee on the
primary bill meets the assembly members,
all administra ton men will, according to
the statement of one of. them, offer a
compromise by way of a referendum
clause to that part Of the bill applying to
state officers and congressman the sec
tions requiring nomination of Legislative,
county and municipal officers by athe pri-
mary system, to take effect at once This
the sstalwarts,'' according to their pres
ent declarations, will not accept. Then a
second proposition will be made, attach
ing the referendum to the entire bill, but
providing that it shall be voted on by
the people at the spring election in 1904.
On the face of it this goes farther than
the bill passed by the senate, but Sec
ond thought shows that it's practical eff
feet would be the same as if the bill were
passed without any referendum, to take
effect at once, for no one has any serious
doubt as to the result of a vote by the
people on the primary bill, and this vote,
taken next sbring, would put the law in
force before the next general election.
This, as has been said is just what the
"stalwarts'' are fighting against for with
the primary machinery in control of Gov
ernor La Toilette and his lieutenants, they
can see them not only holding the state
offices two years hence, but also electing
either the governor himself or the man
whom he shall select to the United States
senate.
Present Bill Is Dead.
Therefore, the ':stalwart.", senators will
probably stand pat" on their amend
ments to the primary bill, putting it into
effect at once in it's application to county
and municipal officers, but, submitting it's
provisions to state officers, congress
men and members of the legislature, to
a vote of the people at the next general
election: There is no expectation that
the assembly will concur in this and it is
already being announced that the pri-
mary bill is dead :
1t looks as if this were trus so far
as the present bill is concerned, but its
demise will be followed very closely =by
the birth Of new primary bill, under
the parentage of the assembly committee
on privileges and elections, which will
Contain one Of the propositions the ad-
ministration men will first submit to. the
conference. The bill will have an easy
believed by administration leaders that
when 1t reaches the upper house it will
draw support from enough senators who
have voted with the majority there thus
far, but who are. lowering close to the
edge of the primary question, to Sc
cure its passage there.
Along Recess.
ELECTION day and Good Friday both oc-.
curing this week, with only two work
ing days between, the legislature is TAX
ling vacation the entire week. When
the members return next week they will
be watched with interest to learn wheth-
| er any change in sentiment on the rail-,
way commission has been DEVELOPED dur
ing their absence. The most effective
arguments used in opposition to the bill
nave come from manufacturers and other
shippers about the state in protests to
| the legislature and letters and telegrams
to individual members against the pas
sage of the bill. During their week At
home the members will have a chance to
find out whether these protests are vol
untary on the part of the shippers. or
whether. as has been said, they are IN
spired by the railway people, who, by
threats of what they will have to do in
case the bill is passed, have caused m
| due alarm among the shippers IL
Another hearing on the bill is to be held
next week by the assembly committee on
railroads. That it will be reported favor
Iably by at least a majority of the commit
teee there is little question. and a warm
| fight on the floor will follow. It will not
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