The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-09-01
Politicians Anxious for Gov
ernor to Call Special SEES
sion of the Legislature
REPORTS READY OCTOBER |
Governor Is Declared To Be Ready To
Call Such Session IF Shown That Tt
Is Best For Affairs Of the State.

There is certainly around Madison,
an extra session Of the Wisconsin legis-
lature in November for the purpose of
taking action on the reports of the
special committees which were appoint
ed at the regular session of the legis-
lature of 1909 with the understanding
that they should make reports to the
legislature by which they were created.
It can be said also that the talk for a.
special session is emanating to some
extent from the executive chamber.
Friends of Gov. Davidson have gone
SO far in fact, in discussing the posi-
bility of special session as to declare
that it is unfair to the governor to say
he is opposed to an extra session of the
legislature. They say the governor has
always claimed in taking on this special
session that his position was that if all
the committees should report SO that he
could see work for special session that
he would be willing to call the session,
although he has personally not changed
his mind on the subject and believes
that when the special committees were
appointed it should have been arranged
that they report to the regular session
of 1911 instead of to a. special session
of the legislature when it was created.
1t is said the governor took this posi-
ton when the special session question
was being discussed during the session
of 1909 and that he has not changed his
belief on the subject since that time. It
is, however, said that the governor de-
clared to committee of the legislature
of 1909 which consulted with him on the
subject that If it was the wish of the
legislature a special session should be
held he would observe that wish, provid-
ed the special committees prepared their
reports.
The indications now are that all Of
the special committees will have filed
their reports with Gov. Davidson by
Oct. /, and that he will be able to call
a special session to meet some time in
November if he so desires. AS a matter
of fact, the only one Of the special com
mittees which has not reported to the
governor at the present time or at least
has not placed its report in such form
that its contents are we'll known in the
executive chamber, is the committee on
industrial insurance.
Practically three reports of the water
powers committee have been prepared.
One at least is now in the hands of
Gov. Davidson and if the other two are
not it is merely because the formalitv
OF their being signed has not yet been
concluded The first report is signed bv
Senators Husting and Krumrev. It ad-
vocates the immediate. control of the
waterpowers of the state by the state
and the passage of laws which will pro-
vide for the levying of state license
fee for the use of the power.
The second report is the one which
has been prepared by Assemblyman
Bray. This also advocates the state
control of the waterpowers, but places
this control under the police powers of
the state and provides for the levvino
of tax on the waterpowers to meet the
expenditures of the state supervision.
In fact, save for technical differences
in terms, the real results of the two re-
ports are nearly the same and one is
liked about as well as the other bv the
waterpower men who oppose all state
control or regulation
Assemblyman Hambrecht is to have
still another report on this waterpower
question, but just the character of his
eport cannot yet be said. Senator Bird
who was one of the members of the
joint committee which has been investi-
eating the waterpowers question. has
been Ill since the reports of the commit
tees have been in formulation, but it is
understood he will sign the Bray report.
Over this powers question there is
bound to be hard' fight in the legisla-
ture, no matter whether the fight is in
regular or a special session. The
waterpowers interests are thoroughly
organized and are not intending to
allow any measure which they think
is inimicable without a. fight.
AS matter of fact, however, it is
really the industrial insurance commit
tee which will decide whether there will
be special session. That committee has
not yet finished its work. It is now
sending out copies of the third tentative
bill which it has prepared and before
it makes any final report it intends hav-
ing thorough hearings over this measure.
1t is true the committee considers this
tentative bill as more nearly perfect
measure than any of the other bills
which it has prepared, but it is admitted
that there may be defects in this bill
also which must be remedied 1t is
hoped to conclude the hearings on this
bill so that the committee can formulate
its report and place it in the hands of
GOV. Davidson by Oct. l. Whether this