The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-12-26
NEW CAPITOL NEARLY DONE
Republicans Will Continue to Have
Large Majority in Both Houses of
the Legislature Many New Laws
Expected 80 be Turned Out.

The Wisconsin legislature will con-
vene in biennial session at noon on
January 5. The session probably will
last Eve months as there viii be a
number OF bills introduced over which
there will be strong fights.
The two houses of the Legislature
assembly and senate-will be called to
order by the chief clerks of the pre-
ceding sessions, who are Fred M. Wylie
of the senate and Edward G. Shafer
of the assembly.
There are one hundred members of
the assembly and thirty-three of the
senate. One contest is promised in the
senate and one in the assembly. The
political standing of the parties in the
two houses is as follows: Senate, re.
publicans, %; democrats, 6; non.
partisans, 3; social dem. 1 assembly
republicans, 81; democrats, "a; non.
partisans, ID; social democrats, 6.
After the chief clerks Of the two
houses have called those bodies to or.
der, nominations will be made for pre-.
siding officers and subordinate officers,
In the senate the lieutenant governor
by virtue Of Office becomes the presid.
ing officer. A vice president is chosen,
| hoxr n4rs,a -
Darlington, the oldest member in point
of service, doubtless will be selected to
succeed himself as vice president
Fred M. Wylie Of Morrisonville, who
served as assistant secretary of the re-
publican state central committee during
the last campaign, probably will be
chosen chief clerk of the senate. In
the assembly no one has been proposed
for chief clerk except Edward c.
Shafer Of Madison, who has served in
that capacity for four sessions. AS
soon as the presiding officers take their
places the minor officers will be chos-
en-. The chief clerks appoint their
stats from the civil service list Of
candidates.
After the two houses have organized
they will appoint joint committee to
notify the governor that they are ready
for business and invite any communi-
cation that he may have. Gov. Meow
ern, according to present plans, will
read his message before joint session
Of the legislature on Thursday, and
the two bodies will then adjourn to the
following Tuesday. The speaker of
the house will in the meantime make
up his committees. The will, by reso-
luton, appoint its committees, seniority
of membership instead of political ex-
tendency controlling in the upper
house if such is agreeable to the pow
ers. The composition Of the commit
tees, especially in the lower house, is
regarded as of high political import
anee.
DR.. Charles Mccarthy, director of
the legislative reference library is
prepared to draft all bills requested by
members of the legislature. He has en-
gagged corps Of experts to assist him
as in former years. So far he has re-
ceived many requests for bills, but ex-
poets to get many after the holidays.
The older members, especially, will
keep him busy during most Of the
session.
The assembly will occupy the new
chamber in the west wing, which it has
used for two sessions. This was the
first wing of the new capitol to be
built. The senate will occupy, for the
first time, the new senate chamber in
the south wing, If it is ready. Work
men are busy day and night trying to
get the chamber ready for the senate
by the time it meets.
A joint postofice for both houses
will be established in the corridor be-
tween the south and east wings. Two
years ago the senate was compelled to
use small room in the north wing,
which was unsatisfactory.
The accommodations for legislative
committees, where most of the real
work of the legislature is done, will
be better this session than in the last
half dozen sessions. The assembly will
use the committee rooms on the fourth
floor of the west wing and the senate
committees will have rooms in the
south, east and north wings.
The capitol commission has bought
lot Of new furniture for the use of
the legislature and Il is expected that
the members w approve Of it. Some
of this furniture is the finest ever
brought into Wisconsin.
The fire department was called out
CT IL NJ