Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-05-24
Madison, May 10.

MduloOIlg 4hos ~
The senate passed the rate bill last
night
Action was taken under suspension
of the rules, after a debate lasting
from the opening of the days session
at 10 o'clock in the morning.
The struggle was upon long list
of amendments, all of which We're
voted down On the motion for final
passage there was not a voice raised
in opposition, 81 votes being cast in
favor of passage. The senate journal
contains the announcement by Sen
ator Merton that he would vote for
fhe bin were it not that sickness
made it impossible for him to remain
10 the last moment.
The final unanimous vote came at
500 last night, passing the commit
tee substitute for the original rail
way commission bill The bill was
first ordered to engrOssment by
unanimous vote and then, upon the
motion of Senator kreutzer, the rules
of the senate were suspended and the
bill put upon its fnal passage.
An Anniversary.
The long debate of over seven
hours. the heated struggle and the
stubborn, though elual, contest sug-
gested another scene, year ago to
the day and almost to the hour, when
after hours of debate in the univer-
sty gymnasium, the stalwarts walked
cut of the last republican state con
vention to be held in Wisconsin; but
the result was different. There was
bitterness then, Lut there is good
feeling now; and when the long days
work was completed and the last roll
called, the senate and the spectators
broke into cheers and applause.
Unequal Contest
1t was evident early in the debate
that the contest was ar unequal one,
but it was none the less stubborn.
At first the opposition came not only
from the stalwarts and democrats
hut also from some members of the
administration forces, who wanted an
elective commission Then as the
amendments were voted down one by
one, the opposition began to disap-
pear, until at the last when the sever
al Whitehead amendments were up
for consideration the vote dwindled
to five for the opposition.
McGilivray Votes Alone.
The McGillivray amendment TO
make John W. Thomas. the present
n
the commission was the first amend
ment to be voted down. Senator Hud-
nall succeeded in convincing the SEN
ate that it would be in violation of the
constitution inasmuch as the legisla-
ture was not given power to create
an office and then name the man who
should fill it, With all the senators
present, Senator McGilivray was the
only one to vote for the amendment.
Elective Plan Defeated.
Next came the Stevens amend
ment, which was the basis of long
debate participated in by Senators
Hudnall, Hatten, Frear and Sanborn
on the one side, and by Senators
Roehr, Merton and Stevens on the
other. This was voted down % to
10. The Stevens amendment provid
ed that the commission should be
elective and that it should not take of
flee until January L, 1907 1t also
provided that the powers conferred
by the bill upon the commission be
vested in the present railroad com
missioner until the commission was
organized.
The Rummel amendment came up
next, providing for an appointive com
mission at once. but an elective com
mission ater This was defeated by
q vote of % to Z.
Then cane the North substitute
which was in substance the same bill
which had been rejected by the rail
road committee. This was voted
down % to 6, Senator Whitehead not
voting.
Mr. Whitehead outvoted.
After this came the eleven amend
ments offered by Senator Whitehead,
the same as those offered to The rail
road committee by the railroad attor-
news. as Senator Hudnall said. and
which were rejected by the commit
tee. There was a roll call on one OF
these. the others being rejected by
viva voce vote The largest number
Of votes was mustered for the first
one, the roll being as follows,
For the endment--SenatOrs
T4agemeister. Kreutzer, North. Ran
dolph, Rogers, Roehr, Smith, White
head, Wolff. Wright-10
Against the Beach,
Bird Burns. Frear. Froemming, Hat
ten, HudnaIl, Johnson. Martin McGil-
livray. Morris. Munson. Noble. Rum
mel, Sanborn, Stevens Stondall
Stout. Wilcox, Wipperman. Wvlie--21.
Unanimous at the End
When the question az last came TO
the adoption Of the COMMITTEE substi
tute. the vote was unanimous though
the roll vas called Then 10 relieve