River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-05-03
Socialist Member From MilWau-
kee Unseated for Refusing
to RetraCt Speech.
ONLY 3 SOCIALIST NAY VOTES
Senators Take Summary Action and
Purge the Body From Disgrace OF
DisloyaIty-Expelled Member
SAYS He Will Run Again.


of Wisconsin, guilty Of contempt, dis
orderly behavior and conduct unDe-
coming a senator" and, by vote or
80 to 3 has expelled him, the negative
voters being Senators Raguse, Arnold
and Zumach, the Socialist members
from Milwaukee.
Expulsion was based on the state
ment made by Mr.. Raguse that pa
triotism can be created only in two
ways: first, you must destroy people,
or, second, you must destroy proper
ty."
Just before the roll was called, Ra-
guse reiterated that his words mad
been misunderstood, and that he had
no intention Of committing an act OF
disloyalty.
my people at home do not misun-
derstand me-" said he. So 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. I am coming back stronger
than ever"
Resolution of Expulsion.
The resolution expelling Senator
Frank Raguse, Milwaukee Socialist
follows:
"A resolution expelling Frank RAJ
guse, senator from the Eighth dis
trict Of Wisconsin, from membership
in the senate of Wisconsin.
Whereas, The senate on the twen-
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
oDen session of the senate, cOntuma-
ciously and willfully 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 a senator of Wis
consin within the provisions of section
8 of article 4 of the Wisconsin cOnsti-
tuition; and We it further resolved,
that he is hereby expelled from men,
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 a certified copy of this
resolution and file proof of service
thereof with the chief clerk of the
senate"
To End Session May 20.
A determined effort is being made
by the members of the legislature to
dispose of all the important pieces OF
legislation and unless there arises
some unlooked-for circumstance it is
expected that the actual work of the
assembly will have been completed by
the goth day of May. The big appro-
priation bills for the charitable and
penal institutions of the state will be
rushed.
increase in Taxes.
Upwards of $4,000 people in Wiscon-
sin may be called upon TO pay an in
creased tax to sustain the war. The
assembly passed a war resolution de-
claring that the cost Of the war shall
be paid out of the income taxes.
Speaking for the bill, Assemblyman
William t. Evjue of Dane county de-
clared that the resolution would be fol-
lowed by a bill providing for an in
creased income tax on all incomes in
excess of $4,000.
The report Of the tax commission just
issued shows that during the past
year there were 1000 people in Wis
consin who had an income between 3d.
600 and 5000: 973 people who had an
income between $4,000 and $4,000 |;
1,545 people who had an income be-
tween $4,000 and $1,000; 345 people
who had an income between $4,000
anw $14,999; PA people who had an in
come between $4,000 and $24, 500; and
10 people who had an income between
$4,000 and $4,000 81 people who had
an income between $4,000 and $74,-
900; IL people who had an income be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, and IA
people who had an income of over
100000 annually.
New Divorce Law Bill.
The most important change proposed
in 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 &C.
ton shall be begun in Wisconsin I'M
less the written consent of the divorce
counsel for bringing the action is OBJ
tanned. 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
reconciliations win be effected and
divorces prevented If law is passed.