Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-05-24
THE HATEFUL CAUCUS.
How the Republican Members Flocked to
Isaac Stephenson.

MADISON, WIS, May IL Speclal.I
Isaac Stephenson was nominated for
United States senator from Wisconsin
to fill the uneXpired term of John G.
Spooner at the Republican caucus last
night.
Lieut.-Gov. W. D. Conner, chairman of
the Republican state central committee,
turned the trick.
William II. Hatton of New London
had more than the required ffty-tWo
votes pledged to him. Mr.. Conner in
fuenced two of those ffty-two to vote
for Stephenson and then the Marinette
man secured the votes of enough more
to nominate him.
The final chapter of the most exciting
and closest senatorial contest ever fought
out in the political history of Wisconsin
came suddenly. although not unexpected
ly, after nip and tuck race for three
days. Up to the last minute, the
shrewdest observers could not state
whether the contest was to be settled
that night or whether it was to continue
over until next week.
The excitement was not as intense as
it had been the night previous and the
crowd in the Assembly chamber was not
SO large. The preliminary proceedings
were marked by no departure from the
monotony which had become familiar
to everyone of the members of the Leg
islature through the routine ceremonies
of the past thirty days.
The roll was called and resulted in fifty
votes for HattOn and fOrty-seyen for
Stephenson, one for LenrOOt and one for
McGregor-that of Assemblyman Nelson,
who had attended the HattOn caucus the
day before, but stayed out of the Repub-
lcan caucus that evening. Mr. Colds
worthy, the other COnnOr man who had
done the same thing, did not respond
when his name was called.
Began Changing Votes.
Before the secretary had announced
the result Mr.. GOldsworthy addressed
the chair and stated that he desired to
be recorded as casting his vote for Isaac
Stephenson. Then Mr.. McGregor, who
had voted for LenrOot, announced that
Stephenson. Mr.. Nelson then stated
that he desired to change his vote from
| McGregor to Stephenson. Mr.. Clausen
then stated that he desired to change
his vote from Hatton to Stephenson.
| This brought StephenSOn'S vote up to
hfty-one. Messrs. Ekern, Nelson and
Bancroft were seen working hard upon
Assemblyman Morris of Iowa county.
Shouts of Let him alone" and He
| knows how to vote were hurled at them
across the chamber. Air. Morris, after
considerable hesitation, however, arose
and stated that he had pledged his word
that if Mr.. Stephenson received fifty-One
votes that he would change his vote to
bring it up to the sufficient number to
nominate.
Chairman Martin stated that he did
not know the result of the ballot and
asked Mr.. Morris who was his choice for
United States senator. Before the mem
Der from Iowa could answer, Senator
Morris of La Crosse arose and stated
that he desired to change his vote from
Hatton to Esch. Senator Fairchild fol
lowed with the same request and quick
ly Senators BraZeau Hagemelster and
Noble and Assemblymen Jones and
Burke made the same request
New Roll Call Ordered.
The request to change votes sprung
up from all parts of the rooms and Chair
man Martin suggested that the secretary
call the roll to give all those who de-
! sired an opportunity to change. This
was done and the result was that Ste
phenson received 81 votes; Esch, %
votes; Hatton, II votes; McGregor, 2
votes, and Hudnall I vote.
The chairman then announced that Mr..
Stephenson having received a majority
of the votes in the caucus was declared
the Republican nominee for the office of
United States senator, an announcement
which was greeted with an outburst of
cheers as had been every announcement
of a change to Stephenson previOusl Y.
Mr.. kuckuk then moved to make the
nomination unanimous. The motion was
put and the ayes replied vocferously.
| When those opposing were called for,
there was q respectable showing of OPP
pOnents of the motion so that, although
the chair declared the motion carried,
the nomination was not unanimous.
How They Voted
The first roll call of the evening before
the members started to change was as
! follows:
FOR sTEPHENSON-sen Bird, Bish-
op, Browne Froemming. Lockney, Martin,
Owen. Stondall; Assemblymen Ainsworth,
b BG Berg Cah0q Cain caT5sI
Goldsworthy, Hager. Harrass.. Hebron,
Kander, Kay, Keup4 Keyes, Kimball,, lie
Boy Lny MGGee M e Pntaesoh F. r. Mn9I
Roethe, schauer, G. Z: Scott, soper, soren.
SON, sprague, J. o. Thomas, Ties, Turner,
Notwithstanding.
zeau, Burns, Fairchild, Fridd, Hagemeister.
HudnalI; Thomas, Morris; Munson, Noble,
Wilcox, Wright; Assemblymen A. S. Baker.
J. F. Baker. Burke, Carpenter. Clausen,
Cleary, Coolidge, Everett Grassie, Hagen,
Ledvina, Mains: Marquardt, T. Fl: Miller,
D. ]. Norris. Neitzel, -Norcross. Glen. Per
Ein R9yc r nJ John Seott Simon Smith,
FOR MGREGOR-Assemblym Nelson
tOR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. an McGregOr
i.
The final roll call after the members
had had the opportunity to change their
votes was as follows:
FOR STEPHENSON-Senat Bird
Bishop. Browne Froemming, Lockney, Mar
tin, owen, Stondahl; Assemblymen Aims
worth, Bancroft Bell Berg, Cahoon, Cam.
Claussen, Curtiss. Disch. Durley, Extern.
Falvey. Georgi, Goldsworthy, Hager, Har-
rass, Heilbron. Kander, Kay, Keup, Keys.
kimball. LIE Roy, Luy, MCGEE, McGregor,
Mckenzie, Morris, f. f Mueller, Nelson,
| Neitzel. Nye, Palmer, schauer, G. E Scott
Simon Smith. Soper Sorenson, Sprague Z.
c. Thomas, Ties, Turner, Wellensgard-55.
FOR ESCH-Senators Barker, Brazeau.
Fairchild, Hagemeister, Morris, Munson,
Noble, Page. Whitehead, Wright; Assembly,
men \. S. Baker. J. f. Baker, J. +. Burke
Everett. Ingram, Jones. keppel. Mains
Marquardt, T. II. Miller, Norcross. Wehr-
wein-23.
FOR HATTON-Senators Burns. Fridd,
Hudnall, Sanborn, Stout, Wilcox; Assembly
men Carpenter, Coolidge, Hagen. Irvine.
Kucknk LedYina Glen RnYcroft. Scott