Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-06-19
SIMPLER BALLOT
WITH THE CIRCLE
INDEPENDENTS DEFEATED IN,
THE ASSEMBLY.
FUR FLIES IN DISCUSSION
Bancroft pleads Eloquently for the
Preservation of Party Organizations
Potter Sees Election of Bryan IN
less Republicans Nominate Senator
La FoIIette-Estabrook Wins
Madison Inns I:

Madison June 10.
The party circle will remain at the
head of the ticket in general elections.
Whirlwind debating. marked by fire.
quent bursts Of enthusiasm at the
mention of Robert NJ. La Toilette and
William Jennings Bryan as presiden-
tlal possibilities, preceded an adverse
vote by the assembly on the PROPOSE.
tioA to eliminate the party circle from
ths official ballot so as to make i'm.
possible straight ticket" voting. The
first indication of the attitude of the
assembly towards the proposition
came when a resolution that the com
mittee Of the whole rise and report in
favor of the party circle was adopted
by vote of As to SO.
Messrs. Cernahan and Potter. demo
Gratis. and Bancroft, republican.
stirred the assembly to a high pitch
of enthusiasm. Mr.. Cernahan spoke
in favor of more Independent voting
and demanded to know whether the
assembly would follow the leadership
of Bryan. Roosevelt and La Toilette,
who had frequently declared them
selves in favor of more independent
voting He touched tender spots when
he charged that the opposition to this
bill was identically the same that had
opposed all reform legislation advocat-
ed by the senior senator from Wisc0a.
sin,
To these statements Mr.. Bancroft
arose and INDUCED in a scathing de-
nunciation of "fair-minded. or
"feeble-minded" as he styled them.
democrats, who, he said, favored the
elimination of the party circle be.
cause they were ashamed to have the
word democratic at the head of the
ballot and because they desired TO
disintegrate the republican party into
disorganized mob such as the demo
cratic party mas been for 25 years in
this state
A dozen members. all of whom had
become infected with the oratorical
germ at the display of oratory made
by Messrs. Cernahan, Bancroft and
Norcross. jumped to their feet to gain
recognition from Chairman Estabrook
who was presiding over the committee
of the whole. Mr. Potter, democrat,
got the floor and proceeded to eulo-
gize the democratic party. He touched
upon national issus, and pointed out
now the peerless leader" W. ]. Bry-
an, and the peerless leader" r. NJ.
La Toilette. stood committed to this
reform. and called forth a burst of
applause when he said
Il am glad Wisconsin at leasc elect
ed a senator who was not afraid to
vote with the democratic leaders in
congress"
He predicted the election of w. J.
Bryan as president if republicans did
not take more kindly to reform legis-
lation and concluded by exclaiming
If you republicans want a repub-
lican president get move on you and
nominate Bob La Toilette"
Mr. Mckenzie made a plea for the
ignorant voter who cannot post him
self on every candidate. but Knows
enough about party principles to vote
straight party ticket Mr.. Burke
was opposed to any amendment what
ever to the ballot law Mr. McGregor
favored the elimination of tn party
circle 50 as to stimulate more thought
full, sincere and earnest voting, and
various other members also spoke
Speaker Ekern closed the debate
with strong plea for reform of the
ballot so that candidates should stand
on their own merits and read al
length from Senator La Follette's mes
sage TO the legislature a few years
ago in favor of such a change
| The committee then adopted the res
olution in favor of the party circle
and Chairman Estabrook made his re
port, The assembly then voted to
adopt the Kuckuk amendment which
provides for a simpler form of ballot
with the party circle intact.
Mr. Fred Smith of Waterfowl was
the only democrat who voted for the
retention of the party circle.
Estabrook Sustained.
BY vote of Sc to 81. the assembly
reconsidered its vote attaching a ref
erendum to the Estabrook bill to
change the system of electing alder
men in Milwaukee. and sent the bill
on its way under suspension of the
rules after another roll call was or
cred, which showed 66 for suspen-
sion and against. The bill provides
for one alderman from each ward and
IL at large, the latter to hold for four
years and six to go out of Office every
two years. The salary is fixed at
$500
AS an incident to the discussion.
Messrs. Estabrook and Alldridge had
an exchange about the disposition on
the part of members of the legisla-
ture to keep nagging at the social
democratic members. Mr.. Estabrook
argued that no civic organizations of
Milwaukee had protested against his
bill, and Mr.. Thompson interrupted him
with the question of whether he ig-
nored the labor organizations entirely.
Mr.. E,stabrook said he had explicitly
stated that no civic" organizations
had opposed 1t and then went on to
lash the social democrats for turning
coat on the proposition. He said that
they had been for the bill, but after