Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-02-13
SENATE VOTES To /
INDICATE EKERN
UPPER HOUSE OF LEGISLATURE
BRANDS GOV. M'GOVERNrS
CUSTER UNWARRANTED
ACTION CALLED ARBITRARY
Refuses to Confirm Appointment of
L. A. Anderson as Insurance Com
missioner Governor Immediately
Renews Fight.

Madison.-By a vote of % to 4
the Wisconsin senate indicated In
surance Commissioner Herman l.
Ekern of charges OF political activ-
ity in violation of the law under
which he was appointed, refusing to
confirm Gov McGovern's appoint
ment of Lewis A. Anderson of Madi-
son as commissioner, and sharply
criticized the governors action in dis
missing Ekern. This action came as
elimination OF a two days hearing
before the upper house
The six senators who voted against
the adoption of the majority report
are: Hoyt, Killeen, A. E Martin,
Shower, Tomkins, Stevens. Senators
Browne and Burke were not in the
chamber when the vote was taken
The majority report was to the eff
feet:
That the charges preferred by the
governors executive clerk were I'M
true
That the order for Ekern's re-
moval was prepared in advance of
any hearing.
That Ekern had not had a fair and
impartial hearing; that the hearing
was arbitrary and not conducted in
good faith
That while Ekern engagef d aocei
room for Johnson's speakership
headquarters, he had no control of
them; that he did not request the
support of any member for Johnson
and did not manage Johnson's cam
paign.
That at no time had he been guilty
of any wilful or official misconduct or
neglect of duty.
Two minority reports, averring
that the question was judicial and
not within the senate's Jurisdiction,
were submitted by Senators Browne
and Killeen, and both were rejected.
That what has now become a great
political battle has only just begun,
was made clear when Gov. Mccoy
ern Immediately after the senate's
action again appointed l.. A. Ander-
son as commissioner of insurance.
Gov. McGovern had no comment to
make, but his prompt renewal of his
appointment of Anderson was suffi-
cient notice that now it is a fight
to the finish.
Ekern Case May Go to People.
The McKovern-Ekern controversy
may be submitted to the people for
decision at the judicial election in |
April. Announcement was made |
from authentic sources that another |
elective insurance bill is being |
drawn, which will either be submit |
ted to the legislature as a separate |
bill or as a substitute for the Han |
son bill already before the assembly |
on the subject, the new bill will pro- |
vide for again making the Office of
insurance commissioner elective after
May l. Provision is made that the
term of the Office shall be four years
and that an election shall be held
at the time of the April judicial cleo
ton to fill the office. This means. il
is said, that if the bill is passed Mr..
Ekern will make q run before the
people for the Office which he now
holds but against which occupation
there is an order for removal pend
ing, signed by Gov. McGovern. 1t is
said the plan of the friends of Mr..
Extern is that this bill shall be pass
ed no matter what the court decis-
ion in regard to the Ekern case may
be. Action on the bill proposed will
have to be taken very soon if it is
to be made effective for an April
election. The general opinion is that
the measure if passed will be vetoed
by the governor and thus if it should
become a law it would have to be
by second passage over the veto
by a two-thirds vote of both houses.
Initiative and Referendum Passed.
The assembly has followed the ex-
ample of the Legislature of two years
ago and went on record overwhelm-
lngly in favor of the initiative and
referendum. The vote by which the
amendment resolution
was advanced through the assembly
IN its course through a second legis-
Iature was 50 to IL. After the meas
are passes the senate, which it I'M
doubtedly will, it will be ready for
submission to the people
Other important calendar work |
lone in the assembly included the
Indefinite postponement of the Rosa
dill to give owners of cattle slaugh-
cred for supposed tuberculin ten I
lencies, but found not to be diseased, ]
,ull compensation for the animals.