The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-15
WOULD BLOCK APPOINTMENTS
Senate to Insist on Recess Rather
than an Adjournment to Prevent the
Governor Filling Places at Madison
Assembly May Balk on Program.

prevent any final adjournment Of this
| legislature and thus block any interim
appointments which may be made by
Gov. McGovern from becoming effec
tive, will Occupy serious discussion in
the legislature before the end Of the
coming week, at least informally. It
is possible that it will be two weeks
yet before any measure comes in on
the subject, but prominent members
and discuss the proposition during the
coming ten days. The movement is
well defined and it would seem as if
the LaFollette members of the legis-
lature, who are undoubtedly backing
the movement, were in a position to
carry out their plans if they so desir-
ed. There is no question but that they
control a majority in the senate and
| it is also a fact beyond dispute that
neither house can adjourn for more
than three days without the consent
Of the other.
Thus if a majority Of the senate de
clfnes to adjourn it places the assem-
blymen in position where, if they
desire to go home, they will have to
| come to some determination with the
ntOp n, bo
! The LaFollette senators seem deter
mined not to permit a final adjourn
ment of the legislature. They do not
desire that any loophole shall be left
| Gov. McGovern whereby he can place
in charge Of departments executive
officers Of his own selection. There is
| just enough bitterness still left over
| the Ekern-M cGovern controversy to
hold a senate majority for this plan,
and therefore there would seem to be
some well founded basis for the dec
laration Of leading LaFollette senators
that this legislature will never get
away from Madison as long as there
is any chance that such step might
give Gov. McGovern an opportunity
to make interim appointments.
The assembly might be willing to
allow the governor to make interim
selections. There is more friendly
e,pip;+ ~ +Lo sroxornor ~ +ha oeeoY, XIV,
than there is in the senate and it is
probable that on close vote final
adjournment resolution might be
pressed through the assembly. Sever
al test votes have recently shown that
the governor has considerable power
in the assembly, although the vote
which indefinitely postponed the bill
| for the consolidation of the oil inspec-
tor Is department and the Office Of the
fire marshal was by no means an indi-
cation of the relative strength of the
ultra LaFollette men and the COVER
nor in the assembly for the reason
/ that personal work on the part Of
| friends of Louis Meyers, the present
oil inspector, had considerable to do
with the result on this BILL
| Still, the result showed that the gov
ernor was by no means without in
fiuence in the assembly. In a way
there was quite a gathering of the fac
| tions. to his rescue and there is no ques-
! ton that number of members who
are at heart friendly to neither Gov.
McGovern nor Senator LaFollette OPP
posed the bill on the ground that it's
defeat just added fuel to the already
well burning confagration which is go
| ING on between the ultra LaFollette
and McGovern halfbreed factions.
The defeat of the consolidation bill
could by no means be called bull
moose victory, as LaFollette republi-
cans, stalwart republicans and demo-
Gratis all assisted in the fight against
! the bill.
| The exact machinery which shall be
| proposed as the plan for keeping the
! legislature in constructive session has
not yet been decided upon. 1t is be-
| lieved by many of the senators that
the most effective plan would be to
have the adjournment from month to
month with an idea that most Of the
senators will return to Madison on
| the days when the legislative sessions
are held and be on hand to vote on
any appointments which the governor
may send to the senate for conirma-
/ ton. 1t is not expected that more
than one or two assemblymen will be
/ here, and they will come only as a
! mere formality to assist in the pas
sage Of joint resolution which shall
fix the next converting day for the leg
islature. The greatest objection that
lies to this plan is the fact that there
are some of the senator's who really
do not relish a proposition which will
call them to Madison some eighteen
times during the coming months
which will intervene between now and