The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-05-02
RlGUSE EXPELLED
FROM THE SENATE
Socialist Member From Mi!Wau-
kee Unseated for Refusing
to Retract Speech.
ONLY 3 SOCIALIST NAY VOTES
Senators Take Summary Action and
Purge the Body From Disgrace of
Disloyalty-ExpeIIed Member
Says He viii Run Again.

Madison.-The state senate has
found Frank Raguse Milwaukee So
cialfst, representing the Eighth district
Of Wisconsin, guilty Of contempt, dis
orderly behavior and conduct unbe-
coming a senator" and, by a vote of
80 to has expelled him, the negative
voters being Senators Raguse, Arnold
and Zumach, the Socialist members
from Milwaukee.
Expulsion was based on the stare
inent made by Mr. Raguse that pa
triotism can be created only in two
ways: first, you must destroy people,
pr, second, you must destroy proper
ty."
Just before the roll was called, RAJ
guse reiterated that his words had
been misunderstood, and that he had
no intention of committing an act of
disioyalty.
my people at home do not misun-
derstand me-" said he. 81 want to say
before you expel me from this body
that when the special election is held
to fill the vacancy am going to be re-
elected. / am coming back stronger
than ever"
Resolution of Expulsion.
The resolution expelling Senator
Frank Raguse, Milwaukee Socialist,
follows:
"a resolution expelling Frank RAJ
guse, q senator from the Eighth dis
trict of Wisconsin, from membership
In tho canafo NJ wisconsin
Whereas, The senate on the TWEEN
ty-sixth day of April, 1917, passed SEN
ate resolution No. 10; and
Whereas, In accordance Herewith
Senator Frank Raguse was brought
before the bar Of said senate for the
purposes therein specified; and
"Whereas He then and there in
open session of the senate, contuma-
eiously and wlllfully refused to comply
with the provisions of said resolution
no. Is, by failing and refusing to sign
or file the retractiOn and apology
therein contained;
''Now, therefore, 1t is found and ad-
Judged by the senate that the said
senator, Frank Raguse, is guilty of
contempt, disorderly behavior, and
conduct unbecOming senator of Wis
cOnsin within the provisions of section
4 of article of the Wisconsin consti-
tuition; and be 1t further resolved,
That he is hereby expelled from mem
bership In the senate of Wisconsin.
Resolved, further, That the ser
geant at arms forthwith serve upon
the said Frank Raguse and the secre-
tary of state certified copy of this
resolution and file proof of service
thereof with the chief clerk of the
senate"
Close Fight Predicted.
The fight on the Evjue referendum
bill promises to be closer in the SEN
ate than in the house. 1t is said that
the contest may be decided by one
vote in the senate. and that this sena
ter Is undecided. The principal argu-
ment that Is now being made against
the bill is that the war Is on and
vote on this subject will still further
engender strained feelings. Two men,
who three weeks ago were rated as be-
ing with the dryS. are now said to be
wavering.
Senator w T. Stevens, chairman of
the committee which heard the bill,
said that the measure would be re-
ported out for action In the senate.
That both sides to the contest realize
that 1t Is a neck-to-neck race is indi-
Gated by the regular avalanche of pc
ltitions that are being received on the
measure Over half an hour a day is
occupied In reading the titles to petit
lions on this subject presented in the
upper house.
Realizing that stiff fight is now be-
ing presented TO defeat the referendum
bill in the upper house, where the
measure was supposed to be safe, lead
iers from all sections of the state rep
resenting the dry movement are com
ing to the capitol. John Strange, Nee
nah, formerly lieutenant governor OF
the state. mingled among the members,
talking In the interest of the Evjue
bill.
The interests of the bill in the SEN
late will be handled by Senator George
IL. Skogmo, River Falls. He has SIM
lifNr measure pending before the SEN
die and will take charge of the Eviue
bill when it comes out of the commit
tee.
New Divorce Law Bill.
The most important change proposed
I'm the divorce laws of Wisconsin for
many years is offered in the bill which
has been reported for passage by the
senate judiciary committee. The
measure provides that no divorce ac-
tion shall be begun in Wisconsin I'M
hess the written consent of the divorce
counsel for bringing the action Is OBJ
tained. A limitation states, of course,
that the statutes shall only apply when
both parties TO the action are in the
state. The idea of the bill is that many
rccanciliations viii be effected and
divorces prevented if law is passed.
prison Farm Assured.
Impetus to the plan for the establish
ment Of large prison farm In north
tern Wisconsin to raise food to supply
Hhe other charitable and penal institu-
tions has been given by reason Of the
WAR This measure proposes the es-
Establishment OF a farm of from 5000 TO
5000 acres, or several farms whose ag-