The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-03-02

powers, which could not be done un-
der the present law.
The present substitute amend
ment, he said, was the product of
ten years of discussion of this SUBJ
iect.
Senator Tomkins asked Mr.. Bra
zeau what parts of the present law
he objected to. He filed with the
committee list of his objections.
Senator Bray thought the section of
the bill giving holders of water
power franchises "interminable rights
conficted with another clause which
provided the state could repeal.
Sabbath Day Bill Killed.
The assembly re-referred one bill
and killed another. The first, intro
duced by Mr.. Dixon, relating to the
construction of courthouses, for
which a substitute amendment was
presented. On motion of Axel John
son, chairman of the committee on
state affairs, the bill was re-referred
to his committee.
The second bill was the Budlong
bill authorizing, county boards to
prohibit on Sunday any labor or
work Of necessity or charity. This
was recommended for indefinite post
ponement. The assembly killed it,
The senate confirmed the appoint
ment of DR.. J. M. Furstman of La
Crosse as member of the board of
health and vital statistics by a unani-
nous vote
Senator Saudemayer introduced
resolution calling on the attorney
general for an opinion on the ques-
ton of whether the board of regents
of the normal school could direct or
permit professors or instructors to
appear before committees of the leg
islature in relation to the passage or
report of bills and whether the board
could pay the salary of such profess
sors or instructors when so engaged,
BichIer Bills Given Hearing.
The senate committee on education
and public welfare held hearing on
the Bich1er bills providing for state
party platform conventions in May,
for abolishing second choice voting in
all elections and for empowering coun-
ty chairmen of political parties to fill
vacancies in positions of officers con-
Quoting elections in towns.
Senator Bichler made a long argu-
ment in favor of all three bills. He
said that he believed that it would
be wise to amend the primary election
law SO as to provide for party state
conventions to be held on the second
Tuesday of May. Delegates to the
conventions are, according to his bill,
to be chosen at the April election.
To Gust Second Choice.
Mr.. Bichler said that nearly every
one has agreed that the law providing
for second choice voting should be
abolished. 1t was complex and con-
fusing and experience had shown that
not more than one-fifth of the voters
availed themselves of their right to
record their second choice.
The bill authorizing county party
chairmen to fill vacancies in town
not as important as the other two
bills, but he believed in justice to all
political parties that such a measure
should be passed.
Harry w. Bolens of Port Washing
ton said that he believed some provi-
sion should be placed in the statutes
that would tend to reduce the cam
paign expenses of the candidates for
public office.
Would Bar FIoaters' Vote.
AT his request the committee de
cided to withhold action on the state
party convention bill until he could
draft substitute measure that
would provide for alternate delegates
and make some other material changes
in the bill
]. E. Jones of Portage and A. C.
Hoppmann of Madison urged the COM
mittee to recommend for passage the
otaudenmayer bill prohibiting, float
ers" from voting at special elections.
The speakers told the committee that
at special election l., Portage to de-
termine whether the city should buy
the local electric light and gas plant,
sixty-seven laborers engaged in lay
ing pavements and whose homes were
not in Portage, were permitted to vote.
The election resulted in favor of buy
ing the property, the majority being
seventeen. Since that time twenty
five of the men who voted illegally
had been found guilty and fined, the
speakers said.
Assembly Kills Five Bills.
The assembly killed five bills out
right and another after a short debate.
The Donnelly resolution providing
for certification of election laws final
ly was laid over until the next caIen-
dar day on motion of Mr. Vint. Much
opposition was shown to the PROPOSE
ton to have any outside commission
or committee, such as is provided for
in the resolution, assist the legislature.
Mr.. Donnelly said the election laws
of the state were a crazy quilt, one
provision being in conflict with an
other, and they needed experts to
work out new plan of election laws.
Julius Hanson said they had had
enough of experts.
The assembly ordered engrossed
the Johnson bill prohibiting hunting