Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-05-04
STEPHENSON
PROBE ASKED
Charged With Buying Seat in
the u. S. Senate.
RESOLUTION DEMANDS INQUIRY
Progressives in the Senate Will Take
Charge of the Investigation, Ac-
cording to Program-Com-
pensation Bill Passes.

Madison, May 2.-(SpeciaD -Politi-
cally the Wisconsin legislature faces
the climax of the session in joint
resolution reported in by the senate
committee on judiciary charging
Isaac Stephenson, the millionaire lum-
herman Of Appleton, with buying
his seat in the United States
senate The resolution calls up
on the United States senate to in
vestigate into the election of Mr.. Ste
phepson on the ground that the cleo
ton was gained through bribery and
corrupt practices. This legislature il
distinctly a LaFollette legislature, or
in other words, an anui-Stephensor
legislature. The venerable represent
ative Of this state in the federal SEN
ate does not stand alone in the Wis
cOnsin legislature, however, and the
resolution will meet with opposition
but that opposition represents a hope
less minority, and there is not a doubt
that the resolution will be adopted in
both houses and transmitted to the
'milliOnaires' club,
The charges of bribery as set forth
in the committee resolution does not
represent the entire committee. Sen
atOr BOdenstad of Milwaukee dissent
ed and he is preparing a minority
report Senator BOdenstad will state
as a fact that all Of the candidates
for the United States senate spent ire
mendOus eXtravagant sums which tend
ed to debauch the electorate, but the
minority report will make no criminal
charges against Mr. Stephenson.
The resolution by the committee or
judiciary is a substitute for a resOlu-
ton by Senator Husting, Democrat
After deliberation and careful cOnsid-
Grafton of this matter the Republicans
thought resolution coming from the
Republicans of the legislature, repre-
senting the majority party, would
have greater weight with the United
States senate than a similar Tesolu
ton coming from the Democrats OF
the minority party This is regarded
as peculiarly the affair of the Repub-
licans, and they intend to take the in,
ittatiye in calling for the investigation
into the political actions of Senator
Stephenson during his campaign fol
election. 1t also was the wish, it Il
said, of Senator LaFollette that the
resolution come from the Republican
side. At any rate, that has been the
position taken by the LaFOllette peo-
pie here, and they do not take the lib
erty Of doing big things without the
approval of their leader.
The prOgressives in the United States
senate, according to the present pro
gram, will take charge of the Stephen
son invest3 gat ton when it reaches
the national body United States
Senators Ciapp and Borah will be dele
gated to take immediate charge of the
investigation. Senator LaFollette will
remain in the background, but, OF
course, will direct every move that is
made.
Politically this investigation, regard.
. less of the outcome, is of much signi-
ficance. Senator LaFollette is a can.
didate for the presidency in 1912 The
Stephenson investigation will indicate
to the people Of the nation that Wis
consin stands for purity in politics
and that it is the first to condemn
corrupt practices, no matter whether
the lightning strikes in the Republi-
can or some other party This will
throw the state and Senator LaFoI-
lette into the limelight. 1t is be-
ieVed that the legislature will dispose
of the Stephenson matter within the
next week or ten days.
x = X
The workmen's compensation act
has passed both houses, and Cover
nor McGovern will sign it within a
few days. It will go into effect Sept.
/, Of this year. Now that the bill,
one Of the measures of largest import
ance before the legislature, has passed
the senate and the assembly there is
keen speculation as to the men who
are likely to be appointed to serve on
the administrative board provided for
in the act. Charles H. Crownhart.
who directed the senatorial campaign
of Senator LaFOllette, of Superior, and
Professor John r. Commons of the
University of Wisconsin, probably will
be appointed as commissioners to
serve with Joseph ID. Beck, state labor
commissioner Each commissioner
will receive an annual salary of So
0O0
The system of compensation is for
loss to workmeu as a result of iniur.
les. The personal injury cost is sad
died upon the product instead of upon
employe or directly upon the employ
er. The employer will add the cost
of hazard to the cost of production
The saving is represented in the largi
sums Of money that are now spent 10
litigation and with the result Of ap-
proximate justice to those immediate
ly concerned. The injured employe
will be compensated to the extent OF
20 per cent Of his average wages foI
temporary or partial disability to fom
times his average wages for perman-
ent or total disability In case OF
death the DEPENDENTS Of the deceased