The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-12-07
Gov. La Toilette Sets all Doubts
at Rest BY Accepting Election
to United States Senate
TO AID POLITICAL FRIENDS
Demands Amendments to the Primary
Election Law, Anti Pass Law and
Makes an Unusual Bitter Attack
on the. State Railways
(By a Special Correspondent

Madison, Wis, Dec. 5.-The doubts
that may have existed in the minds of
Wisconsin politicians in regard to the
acceptance Of the senatorship by
Governor LaFo11ette, were forever
set Eat rest this morning when the
governor appeared before the joint
session Of the state legislature to read
his special message. AS most OF the
actions of the governor it was a
dramatic one. Before lie began the
work Of reading his long message to-
the legislature he prefaced it with an
announcement of his intention to go
| to Washington as United States
senator. He stated that it was his
privilege and his duty to accept this
call Of the Wisconsin legislature to
carry the reforms that had been
started in this state to the national
capitol, but he insisted that he would
not lose sight of Wisconsin and inti-s
mated that he would still keep firm
hand on politics in this state. He
stated that the reforms which he had
sought had largely been enacted into
laws, and that he expected the Wis
consin 1egis1at ure to go ahead and set
| the example for other states in. the
union.
| There was a sigh Of relief from the
| LaFo11ette followers when this an
l4nouneement had been made, as up. to-
THE time the governor had started for
the Legislature he had declined to
give out to even his closest political
friends statement of his intentions.
| After his announcement of his IN
tentions in regard to the senatorship,
the governor began the work of read
ling his message. The message was
more than Is, 900 words IN length, but
contained little or nothing of a sensa-
| tiona1 nature, unless it was his I'M
usually bitter denunciation Of the
railways for their action in going into
court to contest the collection of the
state railway tax. In this regard the
Egovernor waxed eloquent and de-
lImandsdio Of thedegis1atu that it take
lIsteps to amend the state tax laws so
Ithat therailway companies could be
forced to pay the tax and leave pro-
vision for the return Of the tax by the
state should a successful contest be
fought in the courts.
The governor prepared way for
the perpetuation in power of the fac
ton Of the Republican party of which
he was the originator, by asking for
an amendment to the primary election
law. This amendment provides for
the adoption Of the Australian system
in Wisconsin which provides for the
counting of both first and second
choices. It is claimed here by stall
wart Legislators that this amendment
mas been framed for the express pnr-
pose of preventing the enemies of the
governor securing nomination by a
straight primary election.
The governor, il his message,
urged that the state take steps to Sc
cure an investigation of the business
of the mutual life Insurance compan-
lies in Wisconsin, and that other In
surance companies be submitted to
the same rigid examination under the
direction Of the state insurance de-
partment.
He urged amendments to the anti
pass law and to the law creating the
state capitol commission for the pur-
pose Of strengthening these laws and
making it possible for them to carry
with them possible enforcement.
1t is understood here that the gov
ernor will leave for Washington at
once, and that Lieutenant Governor
James @. Davidson will succeed to
the position as head executive Of the
state within the next few hours.
The message of the governor was
received almost III total silence from
the Legislators, and the old enthusiasm
of his followers was decidedly lacking.
IT is expected that there will be a big
fight if any effort is made to carry out
the recommendations Of the governor
in regard to the primary election law,
but his other recommendations will
probably meet with com p1iance Of
some sort from the legislature.
HOLD ANNUAL ELECTION