The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-03-31
Wisconsin S0Ions Plan to Ex-
pedite Business.
LIVELY DEBATE IN ASSEMBLY
Henry S. cochems Clashes with At
torney T. C. Richmond Over the
Bill to Wipe Out the Sa-
looms in Madison.

party OF this state are now Squafely
before the Wisconsin legislature: the
good roads bill and the wOrkmen's
the corrupt pratices act. and the
second choice idea-knOwn as the
Mary Ann bill-at the primary in
the assembly. Because legislation was
progressing slowly and because both
branches of the legislature were de-
voting too much time to comparatively
unimportant matters, Governor Nc
Govern called a conference of the Re-
publican leaders in the senate and the
assembly AS a result of that confer
ence hurry up" policy was adopted,
and in another two weeks practically
every important piece of legislation co
be acted upon at this session will
have been introduced in either the
houses in the form of bills.
Particular interest centers in the
corrupt practices act because 1t is
aimed to give to Wisconsin new and
cleaner spirit in politics. The nub OF
the proposed corrupt practices act as
framed by the assembly committee on
elections is the disqualification fea-
ture. Under this provision any can
didate for public office who shall be
found guilty of violating the corrupt
practices act shall be disqualified from
serving.
The special committee on work
mems compensation and industrial in
surance reported to the senate its
bill recommending the adoption Of
eighteen amendments, as introduced
The most important of these pro
vides that the defense of negligence Of
fellow servants shall not be taken
from the employer of less than four
persons
Another amendment provides that
an employee of a contractor on public
work shall not be considered an en-
ploye of the state or the municipali
ty for which work is done. The third
amendment provides that nonresident
aliens shall be considered dependents
A claim for compensation under the
bill shall be entitled to preference
over other debts of the employer. ex-
cept in cases of lien or judgement
entered
The bill is to go into effect July /.
1911 1t will come up for considera
ton early next week and will be push
ed to vote as soon as possible. If
the bill becomes a law friendly suit
will be started early to have the SUI
preme court pass on the subject.
X X X
The assembly hall rang with bril-
liant debate when a public hearing
was held on the bill to wipe out all
saloons in Madison because of the
presence of the University of Wiscon-
sin. After both sides of the question
had been discussed by Madison clergy,
university professors, members of Wis
consin faculty and prominent attor
neys for the bill, and liberal think
erS' on the other side, Henry Coch-
ems of Milwaukee, a former WiScOn-
sin football star and one Of the most
brilliant debaters ever graduated from
Wisconsin, FLASHED with Attorney T.
G. Richmond, one of Wisconsin's early
graduates Mr. Cochems said that the
professors of today are attempting to
handle the university boys like hot
house plants or like a flower that is
too fraiI to stand alone. He pointed
to Germany, where the great masses.
of people drink beer moderately, as
a leading nation of the world, and he
challenged Mr.. Richmond to show
where the people-the Mohammedans
that for many generations had
practiced his theory, had contributed
anything substantial to the progress
of the world. Mr.. Cochen15 said that
people cannot be made good or bad
by legislation, and he resented the
inference that all of the young men
at the University OF Wisconsin a"e
becoming habitual drunkards simply
because amo~ that great body are to
be found rev fools The ga1lar-
les were filed with students present
to show their interest in the bill! to
make Madison dry An attempt was
made to laugh Mr.. Cochems into sill
ence.
Turning to the galleries, in dram
attic sort Of way, he said, in a quiet,
earnest tone that could be heard all
over the great room:
II have addressed audiences all ever
the land: have addressed lumber
camps where the subject of appointing
guardians for men was not the topic
of the evening, and | have on many
i occasions addressed my alma mater,
but this is the first time in my life
that a speaker has had to ask that /
being given fair hearing"
After that one could have heard
pin drop. and the speaker was accord
ed courteous treatment.
Mr.. Cocnems, among other things,
charged that through the enthusi.
asm of a lot of university students
the anti-saloon people of the state
were attempting to smuggle through
the legislature measures which meant
prohibition. He charged that the anti
saloon people were not putting tna