The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-29
POLITICS HOT At MADISON
Spanking of the Governor" by Means
of Adjourned Session of Legislature
Fails to Get the Support That Had
Been Expected by LaFollette Men.

HltCIy III regard 10 1GSlSldblFc lo-
cess. From present indications there
will be no recess. Of course it is hard
as yet to tell how far the senate will
be willing to force the situation. The
senate is LaFollette controlled and
there is no question but that the La
Toilette people feel that the big issues
before this legislature, the waterpower
question, the marketing commission
question and the mothers pension,
could be better worked out if special
session were held They do not like
the idea Of attempting legislation in
hurry on these propositions. At least
that is the way they put it, and there
is no question there is some show of
logic in their statements. No one can
deny that any legislation which is OBJ
tanned at this session on these subjects
must to some extent be hastily drawn.
The McGovern men, however, claim
that the state board of public affairs
has given a great deal Of attention to
this marketing question and that the
marketing bill proposed by the COVER
nor is in fairly correct form. They
say if the LaFollette people have OBJ
jections to it they can propose them
now and not wait for a special ses-
sion ond of courSa dacIara that tho
only ground that could possibly be
given for a special session would be
the ground of politics. However, this
may be, there can be no question that
the senate, if it should desire, could
hold the key to the situation. Wheth-
er the senators who desire recess
would dare go to the length Of dead
locking the Legislature on the subject
is another question.
There is no doubt that if the sena-
tors wanted to- take the bit in their
teeth and say to the assembly that
there should be no legislation on the
issue question before this legislature
and declare they would not adjourn
except on a recess resolution the as
semblymen would be in rather bad
predicament so far as the recess ques-
tion is concerned The law is that
neither legislative house can adjourn
for more than three days time with
out the consent Of the other Thus if
the senators said 1--WE will not adj
journ,' the assembly could whistle,
but it would have to remain in ses-
sion. The assemblymen do not believe
the senators would dare go to the
length Of making a fight of this kind
to secure their desire.
They say such move would place
the senate in a bad position before the
state and would place the responsible
ty. for a special session where it be-
longs and create a political condition
which the LaFollette people who de-
sire the special session would not be
able to defend. Whether this is SO or
not, of course, no one can say. There
are many of the LaFollette leaders
who by no means believe the position
outlined in their plan is indefensible.
They say if the state is plainly told
that the marketing commission bill is
no+ x,o+ i, narfoc+oa Form, and +ba+ ~
waterpowers question has not been
worked out to the satisfaction Of any
one the public will support strong
measures to keep the legislature in ses-
sion and will support the position of
the senators who say an extra session
is the only solution of the situation.
The conferences the coming week
will have much to do with the recess
situation. The assembly is by no
means a unit against the recess idea.
men in the assembly who would sup
port the senators who are really de-
SlluuS MOHdI d IecGSS. shall Idh6 pace.
Whether they are strong enough to
make any formidable display in the
assembly in case of a test is another
question. They are, however, good
fighters and the debate on the floor
over the recess question will be of in
terest should the question really come
to climax. The men in the assembly
who are favorlng a recess, however,
are not in a position to control the
house. The majority Of the assembly
men, and in this majority are many
good LaFollette men, who merely will
not follow the leaders to the extent
of a recess idea, are against legis-
lative recess.
1t is more than probable the ques-
ton will never be forced to a climax.
One reason that there has been delay
about bringing the legislative recess
question up on the floor has been the
hope that the question could be settled
without an open rupture between the
houses. The cool leaders Of the SEN
ate are trying to bling a majority of
the assembly around to their idea
without the forcing Of legislative