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

on the commission proposed mere in
the bill before ms this morning. LOOK
over the files OF the reports ana
workings OF those commissioners and
see what they did Very little was
done for the people Why? The
governors We're human and appointed
their friends instead OF their enemies.
They did not cast about for special
ability. Now you say the people do
not know enough to elect the members
OF the railroad commission. That a
member of that commission must be
a man of special attainments and with
special knowledge. True; but that
does not prevent their selection by the
people. The president OF the United
States must have special equipment.
A United Sta-es senator must also
have special equipment You who
advocate the election of United States
senators by direct vote, think of this
proposition.
The governor under this bill would
have not only the power TO appoint,
but also to remove. | will never be
party to putting on the statute
books a law placing in the hands or
one man such power 10 appoint a
man and say to him in the same
breath You do thus and so, or /
will remove you
Chairman Hatten Explains.
Senator Hatten explained that the
committee had reported a bill for an
appointive commission only after care
full thought and consideration. The
first draft of the bill called for an
elective commission He said that the
members of his committee had CORE
sponded with and talked with many
men in Wisconsin and outside the
state as to the wisdom Of such pro
vision, and after careful consideration
mad decided that an elective commits
sion would not guarantee the same
high standard as the appoinGive meth
Cd Of selection. He said that to pro
vide an elective bill would defer the
time when the people could have
commission. In cr6er TO give the PEG
pie a commission they Gad voted for.
and give IL to then at once It became
necessary to either make the commits
sion appointye or TO call a special
election lie quoted from q letter writ
ten by Judge Regan OF Texas. author Of
the Interstate commerce law, and also
a member Of the Texas state commits
sion, to how that men Of experience
III this matter OF railway regulation
preferred the appointive system.
Roehr Offers Amendment.
Senator Roehr asked that the sen
tence making the railroad conlmiss1oa
ct a member of the commission be
stricken out as he wanted an opportun
Try to 80 squarely on record on the
proposition as to whether the commits
sio1 should be elective or appoin i've,
and he offered an amendment to thar
effect
Not a Complete Correction.
Senator Hudnal contended that the
striking out of that sentence did not
remove the constitutional objection,
because in the first sentence of the
amendment the commission is created
at once. or from and after the passage
and publication Of this act. and that in
section &c at the end OF the amend
ment. the powers Of the railroad com
mission were conferred upon the pres
eat railroad commissioner. This Sen
ator Hudnall claimed that was still
creating an Office and naming the man
to fiji it, thing not permitted by he
constitution. Even if this were not
TUe, he said The present salary OF the
railroad commissioner was $4,000 a
We ar,while the salary aXed by t@e 81
for member of the railroad commits,
sion was 5000. The constitution for
hade The increasing Of "aa's s3'a-,
during his term Of Off
Il want 20 warn this late Of some.
thing which has been ing on here
he said The presen abroad com
missioner has been attempting to in
fluence the senate into creating an
Office for him. do moi say thai n
has done so corrupt1y, Mr. would in,
innate thar it has been d me rruptir
But he has written personal letter 10
one If our senators and inclosed a le,-
- from the attorney general to rne
effect that he could be made a member
of the commission under the constitu
tion Is not that attempting 70 inhu
ence this body Is it not high time
that the senate sat down on that sort
Of thing and sat down on it hard?
81 ben again. why do you provide In
this amendment that all nominations
shall be made by nomination paper,
instead Of by primary election"
Why throw the primary election law
into the ditch so soon after its 7 sage
and approval by the people? # it Is
a good thing to trust the people to
elect their railroad COMMISSIONS IS. i.
is also a good thing to have them nom.
nate thom?
Recess Taken.
At this point Senator Rogers moved
that the senate take a recess until
O'Clock Iva the AZ .r.7g,u -Thar.. ts5aL