The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-04-14

IOrHldLlOn OF 0YIU0UCe w ulCn IC mas
CLEANED on the Lorimer case was fur
nished to him by one of the pest
known detectives in the country who
is one of Senator LaFollette's closest
friends
The legislature has been in session
nearly three months and so far not a
single one of the twenty-four plat
form pledges or the measures recon-
mended to the legislature by Governor
McGovern has been enacted into law.
With the exception of two, all are il:
embryonic stage.
The platform pledges are: A cor
rupt practices act, initiative, referen-
dunn and recall, a record of commit
tee hearings with a roll call on the
vote of all measures, home rule, state
and national; conservation and state
control for water powers, public health
measures, more regulation of public
service corporations, investigation OF
the high cost of living and the returns
of the producer and the cost to the
consumer, workmens' compensation
rem, better educational system binder
Irvine plant, ad valorem system OF
taxation for all public utilities.
To these are added by Governor
McGovern in his message an act to
strengthen the stock and bond law,
state treatment for INDECENT, crippled
and deformed children, assistance for
the reference library, license tax for
automobiles, state labor commission,
weights and measures law. The gov
ernor omitted from his recommends
tons the keeping of record of the
vote in committees on bills. shorter
hours for women and children and the
binder Irvine plant.
Bills have been introduced from one
to a half a dozen, on all of these SUBJ
jects, but not one has been passed up
kG date with the exception of joint
resolution favoring a national In
come tax. The wOrkmen's cOmpensa-
ton act and a good roads bill have
passed the senate and the corrupt
practices act and MARY Ann" or
second choice bill have been brought
into the assembly and will probably
pass that house this week All the
rest are still in the hands Of the COM
mittees.
The legislative recess was made
eventful by the resignation from the
university board of regents of Former
Governor W. D. Hoard of Fl Atkin-
son and charges by him that the un-
iversity board of regents is a political
machine to further the interests of
Senator LaFollette. The charges were
denied by President Van Hise and by
Governor McGovern, the chief execu-
tice issuing two denials. The main
portion of the storm has passed over
and now there is speculation as to
whether or not the incident will re-
suit in an investigation of affairs at
the state university. Because of the
expense incident to such an investiga-
ton and because of the general char
acter of the charges in question it is
not thought likely that an investiga-
ton will be held. Persons who follow
politics closely in Wisconsin say that
Mr.. Hoard's charge is not based upon
sound political reason. They argue
that when the personal ambition of
Governor McGovern is considered it
does not logically follow that he would
build a political machine for anyone
but himself if he went into that bust
ness.
Advocates of shorter ballots in this
state will have to discover something
new in the shortening line. The bill
by Assemblyman Stern of Milwaukee
to help shorten the ballot by making
attorney general appointive by the
governor instead of elective by the
people was turned down cold in the
house.
Using the words of Senator LaFol-
lette that "the will of the people is
the law of the land Assemblyman
Hull said:
1--WE seem to be getting twisted.
This is a progressive legislature in a
progressive state, and we hold that
there is no higher authority than the
people. This is the wrong way to go
about shortening the ballot"
''The passage of this bill would open
the way for the greatest political ma
chine this state ever has seen," ar
gued Assemblyman Gettle of Edger-
ton. LET me repeat that there is no
higher authority than the people in
the selection of public officials"