River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-03-23

400 Appear Before Joint Hearing
on Suffrage Bills.
TIRED or NIGHT SESSIONS
Expect Resolution for the Going Back
to the Regular Routine-Legisla-
tors Salary May Increase
to $500.

to 1,5OO.
Notwithstanding like 400 Wom-
en- invaded the capitol to appear before
the joint hearing on the Hamper and
James woman suffrage bills. Noted
clubwomen from all over the state
were in attendance, and special train
brought large load from Richland
Center, the home of Senator James.
The assembly chamber was bow
er Of color, and with the large major
ity of the fair sex present, presented
an unusual scene. Chairman Roy
craft of the assembly committee on
privileges and elections presided, Sen
ator Donald of the senate committee
waiving his seniority privilege.
Among the speakers were Mrs.
Helen Grenfel of Denver, Miss Emma
Smith DeVoe Of Seattle, Wash; Miss
Alice B. Curtis and Mrs. Hipke, Mil
waukee: Miss Ada James, Richland
Center; Mrs. B. C. Cudden, Oshkosh;
Rev. Olympia Brown Willis, Racine,
president Of the Wisconsin associa-
ton, and Mesdames e. M. Fuller, Jo-
seph Jastrow and H. G. Lyman of
Madison.
The committee on judiciary reported
the Gaylord resolution providing for
constitutional amendment allowing the
members of the legislature $1,000 sal
airy, for passage. The committee also
recommended the passage of Senator
Kileen's resolution calling for the
striking out of the constitution of the
state the words nor shall he be COM
PEELED in any criminal case to be a
witness against himself" Senator
SCOTS resolution providing that the
legislature may determine the time
and manner Of choosing the secretary
of state, treasurer and attorney gen
eral and prescribe their terms of Of
flee, was reported by divided COM
mittee-Senators Blaine and Linley
that the matter be placed upon the
calendar without recommendation, and
Kileen and Bodenstab that the resolu-
ton be killed.
Senator Donald's resolution amend
ing the constitution, which is the pre-
sentation of the matter for the second
time to the legislature for amend
ments, relating to municipal corpora
tions and their Indebtedness, was
adopted by a vote of 20 to 2, Senators
Burke and Whitehead dissenting.
Two new bills came into the SEN
ate, one authorizing the chairman of
the judiciary committee, the finance
committee and the speaker of the as
sembly to purchase all right of publ
cation of the statutes of the state and
the indice arrangements which may
be in existence at this time; the other
bill provides for the compensation of
the employees of the supreme court
and raises the salary of the stenog-
raphers, renamed secretaries, to an
amount not exceeding 500 per month,
except that the judge may raise this
salary $40 per month above this
amount each year until the salary
reaches $3.50 per month, and if the
secretary is an attorney the salary
may be raised until it is 5000. The bill
also provides for additional messen-
gers and clerks.
Agitation in the assembly for
elimination of night sessions is
bearing fruit and it is expected that a
resolution will be introduced to pro-
vide for going back to the regular rou-
tine This will mean that sessions will
be held at 10 o'clock a. m. as formerly
but that whenever the calendars are
not finished recess will be taken until
evening to clean up the days work.
Revival of the spring shooting bill
was accomplished in the senate when
Senator Kleczka, who had voted for in
definite postponement of the bill the
night before, offered a motion to re-
consider, at the request of Senators
Owen and Sanborn and a number of
others who decided to go on record on
the proposition and who were absent
when the vote was taken. 1t is still
believed that the bill will be killed
when it comes up as a special order.
Arguments for the passage of the
bill appropriating 100000 as a re-
voIving fund for the working of the
binder Irvine plant at the Waupun
state prison were heard before the as
sembly committee on charitable and
penal institutions. For over an hour
Henry Towne, warden of the prison,
answered innumerable questions put
to him by members and others on
both sides of the proposition. Mr..
Towne made it clear that he was per-
sonally taking no stand in the mat
ter, and was prepared merely to give
figures and facts asked for in rela-
ton to the prison and its activities.
He said that the net per capita cost
Of maintaining prisoners at the insti-