The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-02-13
ASSEMBl YN1N Peavey
WRITES FROM MADISON

Madison, WIS.,, REQ. III, 1910.
Mr.. William Robinson.
Washburn, Wis.
Dear Bill
AS [ promised you the
other day [ am going to write
you of a matter which [ think
will be of considerable interest
to you and our people.
This seems to be matter of
the greatest Importance at
least to the press, at this time,
but I do not believe that the
people Of this state want or
like to see a political scrap
whether it be between L.aFol-
lette, Ekern & company against
McGovern or any other com bin
notwithstanding with their
business of legislation. lido not
know whether you have been in
formed as to the facts in the
case or not. but l will give them
to you as near as l can. l want
you to understand before I do
this that have no interests in
the political future of either of
these com batants.
| have been elected, as you
know, to represent the people of
my district, and particularly
Northern Wisconsin. to the end
that I may, if possible, secure
the passage of legislation which
will be CT great benefit to the
people of the north. And, while
the Senate has been fussing over
this matter or controversy, the
Assent bly, and Assembly menu
bers, on the other hand, have
been working hard to the end
that a good legislative program
be carried out.
Two years ago Mr.. Ekern pre-.
scented to both houses of the leg.
lature a bill which provided that
the office of insurance com mis-
sioner be made appointive. The
principal argument which he ad-
vanced in favor of the passage
o this, was that the office Of in
surance commissioner should be
taken out of politics. Despite
various promises to the Assem-
bly,. the house in the beginning
definitely postponed the bill.
Later, this bill changed a little
in character and was introduced
to the Senate at which time the
mem bers in charge of it insisted
that the bill itself should speci
fically state that the occupant of
the office of insurance commiss-
Toner refrain from any political
activity. and despite all the ef-
forts of those interested on the
Extern side it was clearly shown
during the Senate investigation
that Mr.. Ekern had not lived up
to the letter of the law.
do not wish to be considered
as IN any way tying myself with
the political future of Governor
McGovern. However, he has
clearly shown that his am bition
at this time is to put through a
Legislative program in the inter
ests of the people of the state,
and one that is very favorable to
the people of northern Wiscon-
sin, and regardless of any fut.
ure ambition that he may have
| do not see how anyone, es-
pecially from the north, can do
anything else than support him
on this Legislative program and
[ think that our people should
and will feel the same. Then
too, there is something myster-
ions about this inv estigation
which I do not feel I have had
experience to Pantheon. In this
several senator's, who voted to
exonerate Mr.. Ekern on, the
charges made against him, have
told me in private that they
Knew that he, Ekern, had been
mixed up m ,re or less politically
for some time, and that while
they appreciated the Governors
position, this was not made
clear to them at this hearing.
which all leads to make me be-
leve that the Investigation was
nothing more or less than a poll
tical skirmish. the best of which
will appear later. Of course we