Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-02-05
CONTROVERSY Up
TO The SENATE
Body viii Examine into MCGOV-
ern-Ekern Row.
HEARING WILL MAKE HISTORY


in the controversy-Sena Holds
Up Appointment of Glenn P. Host
AS State Fire Marshal.
Madison, Wis, Feb. 4.-(Special.)-
The senate of the Wisconsin legisla-
ture is going to take the law in its
own hands and, acting as committee
Of the whole, will go into the merits
of the McGovern-Ekern controversy.
Regardless of whether Mr.. Ekern
may ultimately lose his position as
state insurance commissioner the
fight which extends to the control. of
the Republican party organization
now assumes the political Importance
and significance that was suggested
in these columns subsequent to Elk
ern's dismissal b. McGovern. AS al
so suggested at that time, the sem
ate, which is La Toilette in complex
ion, is not disposed to confirm the
appointment of Lewis A. Anderson,
the choice of McGovern for insurance
com missioner, until it is satisfied that
Ekern has been given fair trial and
that the legislature is in full posses
sion of ali the facts in the case.
Those Cited to Appear. 80,
Late last Thursday afternoon, Sen
ator Bosshard, one Of the strongest
La Toilette men in the senate, intro
duced resolution which provides that
the upper house, acting as a commit
tee of the whole, shall on Feb. 5 con-
duct hearing in the McGovern-Ek-
ern controversy. The resolution cites
Governor McGovern, Executive Clerk
Wilbur, Lewis A. Anderson and Mr.
Ekern to appear at that time. 1t is
suggested that they may bring with
them their personal counsel. The
secretary Of state is summoned to ap-
pear with whatever records he may
have which have bearing on the
case.
This hearing, from a political stand
point, will make history. If Govern
or McGoyern, for instance, makes
good and is able to produce sufficient
evidence to prove that Extern violated
the act relating to his Office and is
guilty of political activity, the hear
ing may result in political capital for
the chief executive. If McGovern,
sharply grilled by La Toilette men,
is unable to deliver evidence of such
character, it will result in the com
plete reading out of the La Toilette
wing of the Republican party of Nc
Govern, who is ambitious to go to
the United States senate.
Await Courts Decision.
Showing only a half-hearted inter
est in the real work of the legislature,
members of the assembly and the SEN
ate await with intense interest the
decision of Judge E. Ray Stevens of
the circuit court here in the Meow
ern-Ekern controversy. Harry l..
Butler, special counsel for the state,
and John A. Awkward and M. B. Oh
brich, representing Insurance Com
missioner Ekern, have presented
their arguments to the court. All Of
the late affidavits and briefs have
been filed, and the entire state now
awaits the decision of the court
The arguments were legal and per-
haps somewhat political in their ma
ture. There was plenty of color as
we'll as law presented to the court,
and the decision will be of interest
not only to the politicians, the gen
eral public, but TO the bar of the
state, as the point involved is one of
wide interest.
Delegates to Conventions.
Assemblyman Everett of Racine
has introduced bill relating to the
naming of delegates to national poll
tical conventions which is of special
interest because, without any great
stretch of Imagination, it touches up
on the situation which developed in
Chicago at the Republican national
convention when Governor McGovern
pulled away from the La Toilette
forces. The Everett bill morally
binds a delegate to a national conven-
ton to act in accordance with the
wishes as expressed by a majority Of
his constituents.
OF particular interest in the privi-
sions of the bill is the oath, which
follows
"That he (the delegate) will up
hold the constitution and laws of the
United States and the state OF Wis
consin, and that he will to the
best judgment and ability, faithfully
carry out the wishes of his political
party as expressed by its voters at
the time Of his election"
The measure extends the primary
election system to the nomination OF
presidential electors. 1t is drawn
along the lines Of a law now in effect
in the state of Oregon. One feature of
the bill provides that the state shall
furnish delegates to national conven-
lions with travelling expenses. Under
The present law delegates pay their
Dwn travelling expenses.
Postpones Action on Host.
That thu senate is not disposed to
aot f9VOTaD1V 1D0n anv aOnoiptroop+