The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-01-26
HIS FIRST MESSAGE
NEW EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDS
MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES
IN LAWS.
ASKS FOR PROMPT ACTION
His Suggestions, He Declares, Are
Not Perfunctory Expressions of
Any Department of Government,
but in Sense Are Real Mandate
From the People Themselves.

Any Department of Government,
but in a Sense Are Real Mandate
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
urge upon you the necessity of taking up
this work and completing it without un-
necessary delay"
Primary Election Law.
The primary law, according to the gov
ernor. has been frequently tested and
the arguments against it's adoption are
now seen to be without merit. Some de-
fects, however, are now apparent. Con-
t1nufng this subject the governor says:
THE principal weakness in the law is
that under it nominations may be made
by the vote Of mere plurality. In many
cases this has been less than a major
ity of the voters of a party. Generally
speaking, majority rule wherever prac-
ticable has been regarded as a funda-
mental tenet in the government of public
bodies and voluntary political associa-
uons. 1t is not secured by the primary
law in its 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-
n1ct of opinion within each party is now
OFTEN more intense than between the par
ues and constant but almost imper-
ceptible shifting and interchange of mem
persh1p is taking place. Thus the real
lines of political cleavage frequently run
not parallel to conventional party boun-
uarleS, but across them. In this situa-
uon IL mas become very important that
the nomination of party candidates and
determination of what shall constitute
and fairly and free from strategy or
subterfuge
AS the law now stands there is danger
that whenever the majority wing or fac
ton Of any party is represented by a
number OF candidates in a 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 he
remedied In large measure at least. If not
completely by permitting voters at the
primary election to name their second
cho1ce candidate for each office. The
Value OF majority nominations may in
oeed at times prove inestimable I earn
estly recommend the enactment of such
a law"
Corrupt Practises Act.
The excessive use Of money in political
campaigns is declared by the governor to
be an unmitigated evil and one that has
apparently increased with each succeed
Ing year. On this subject he says:
Lavish expenditure Of money through
political channels for the purpose of in
nuencing elections is a debauching and
corrupting influence which has grown in
prominence and baleful Significance with
each succeeding campaign. In any form
this practice is demoralzing: but n he
comes intolerab1e when it reaches tbe
point of lawlessness and extrava eance
repeatedly single candidates and politi
cal committees have expended vast sums
or money, some times more than hur-
ored thousand dollars, most of which
was designedly employed to misIead the
voters ana befog the issues pending be-
fore them. As the law now stands ever,,
candidate for public office, whether he
hkes 1t or not, is placed at the mercy of
men or great wealth who purpose nv
the power of money, to annex to the,r
possessions some desirable public Office >,
To remedy this condition of affairs the
governor urges the enactment of an ef-
tect1Ve corrupt practises act He save.
Such law should provide for puhH
cation by the state and at public av-
pense of 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 bv
or on behalf Of any candidate for nnbIic
case, of course, upon the Importance of
the office and to bear some fair relation
TO the salary incident therefor 1t should
provide that no money whatever NAV he
spent In political campaigns EXCEPT FOR
certain purposes which should be enun
Grated In the law; it should require
strict system of public accounting of all
money disbursed in political campaigns
IN order to avoid evasion, and to the
end that every dollar spent may readily
be traced from the original contributor
10 the ultimate recipient; 1t should pro-
n iI all political activity whatever on
either primary or general election dav.
and 1t should compel compliance with its
provisions by rigorous penalties. includ-
ing Imprisonment and disqualification of
candidates for public Office
Workmen's Compensation Act.
The executive declares that :. demand
has grown up for more enlightened and