Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-01-19
HIS FIRST MESSAGE
NEW EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDS
MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES
In LAWS.
ASKS FOR PROMPT ACTION
His Suggestions, He Declares, Are
Not Perfunetory Expressions of
Any Department of Government,
but in q Sense Are Real Mandate
From the People Themselves.


From the People Themselves.
/ Madison. Wis.-In his first message TO
! the legislature Governor McGovern urges
/ some important changes in the laws of
/ the state. He declares that Wisconsin
| has been the leader in carrying forward
reform Legislation. and that the present
| affords splendid opportunity for continu-
| ing the work along those lines.
The problems presented by the growth
| OF monopolies and trusts and the dis
/ placement of the small manufacturer are
discussed by the governor. and the ne
cessity for curative legislation along lines
| that will protect the interests of both
capital and labor. The governor says:
accusation and recrimination concern
Ing existing abuses should now come to
an END. This was once necessary
phase in the development of present is
sues, but it is so no longer. The people
now want action. They must have re-
suits. In all governmental affairs the
newly awakened public conscience de-
| mands square deal. In response to this
imperative demand you, gentlemen Of the
legislature, should accomplish much du-
ring this session. The great mass of men.
all political parties, are in substantial
accord as to the lines upon which you
should proceed. Let me most earnestly
4
this work and completing 1t without IN
necessary delay"
Primary Election Law.
The primary law, according to the gov
ernor. has been frequently tested and
the arguments against its adoption are
| now seen to be without merit. Some de-
fects, however, are now apparent. Con-
tinuing this subject the governor says:
THE principal weakness in the law is
that under it nominations may be made
by the vote Of a mere plurality. In many
cases this has been less than a major
lty OF the voters of party. Generally
speaking, majority rule wherever prac-
| ucable has been regarded as a funda-
mental tenet in the government Of public
bodies and voluntary political associa-
lions. 1t is not secured by the primary
law in It's present form.
Existing political conditions greatly
emphasize this defect. Never was indie
pendence in politics more marked. Many
good citizens now vote for men rather
| than for parties, and are more deeply in
terested in political ideas and legislative
programs than in party organization or
partisan candidates. AS a result con-
1lict OF opinion within each party is now
often more intense than between the par
ties, and constant but almost imper-
ceptble shifting and interchange Of mem
Dership IS taking place Thus the real
hnes or political cleavage frequently run
not parallel to conventional party boun-
DIARIES, but across them. In this situa-
tlon 1t has become very important that
the nomination Of party candidates and
determination of what shall constitute
party principles may be made honestly
and fairly and free from strategy or
subterfuge.
AS the law now stands there Is danger
that whenever the majority wing or fac
uon or any party is represented by a.
number OF candidates in primary cam
pa1gn. compact, cohesive and we'll drill
ed minority may defeat it.
This is a condition which should not
| be permitted to continue. It flows from
defect in the present law which NAV be
remedled in large measure at least. If not
completely by permitting voters at the
primary election to name their second
choice candidate for each office The
value of majority nominations NAV in
oeed at times prove inestimable. I earn
estly recommend the enactment of such
law"
Corrupt Practises Act.
The, excessive use of money in nolitica1
campaigns is declared by the governor to
be an unmitigated evil and one that hos
apparently increased with each succeed
ing year On this subject he says:
Lavish expenditure of money THROUGH
pohucal channels for the purpose Of in
iluehclns elections Is debauching and
corrupung influence which has grown in
prominence and baleful sfgnifcanca 1,,,+b
each succeeding campaign Tn any -.
this practice is demoralizing. hut # ba-
comes lntolerable when 1t reaches tho
point OF lawlessness and extrava cameo
Repeatedly single candidates and noIiti-
cal committees have expended vast sums
OF money. some times more than a bun.
was designedly employed to misIead tbo
voters and befog the issues Dendine, he
fore them. As the law now stands evary
candidate for public office, whether he
hkes 1t or not Is placed at the mercv Of
men OF great wealth who purnosa Nv
the power of money, to annex to tbe,,
possessions some desirable public Office I"
To remedy this condition of affairs the
governor urges the enactment of an 81
fectlVe corrupt practises act. He saws.
Such law should provide for nuhIi-
cauon by the state and at public ex
pense Oh necessary Information concern
ing the qualifications of candidates Of
all primary and general elections: #
should place an absolute limit on tba
amount Of money which may be spent nv
or on behalf Of any candidate for nuhIic
once, this amount to depend in each
case OF course upon the Importance of
the office and to bear some fair relation
to the salary incident thereto: It should
PROVIDE that no money whatever NAV he
spent in political campaigns except for
certain purposes which should be enum
Grated IN the law; it should REQUIRE a
strict system of public accounting of all
money disbursed in political campaigns
IN order to avoid evasion. and to tho
end that every dollar spent NAV readily
be traced from the original contributor
to the ultimate recipient; 1t should pro-
h1b1t all political activity whatever on
either primary or general election day.
and 1t should compel compliance with its
provisions by rigorous penalties. incIud-
Ing imprisonment and disqualification of
candidates for public Office
Workmen's Compensation Act.
The executive declares that y demand
mas grown up for more enlightened and