Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-02-28
SALARY DISPUTE
BLOCKS SESSION
House Members Insist on Get
ting More Pay.
WOULD IGNORE CONSTITUTION

itS OSISat-SeSSlon Beng FfoioH9So
Skogmo Precipitates Bread Discus
sion-European War Perils Basic
Law Plan.
Madison, Wis. Especial AT the
close of the sixth week of the session
the Wisconsin legislature finds it.
self in the very midst Of zone of
legislative submarines A blockade
that threatens to seriously delay work
has been established because of a
desire on the part of members of the
house to increase their salaries $500
by lacking an amendment onto re-
vision bill s, which relates to appro.
pirate measures that have no bearing
on salaries
The compensation provision was
made part of the bill in the assem-.
bly,, the senate refusing to concur in
the amendment. The bill was then
returned to the house which refused
to o. X. it as acted upon by the SEN
ate. Now it will be necessary for
leaders of both branches to take the
matter up in a conference committee
with the hope of bringing the rival
factions to some understanding. I'm.
less the assembly is willing TO recede
from its position, 2 S Will probably be
thrown out, which means that practi-
cally all of the early work of the
finance committee will have been dis
counted, and the session may run along
as late as the record breaking SEES
sion of two@years ago.
To close observers of the situation
here the blockade is the biggest crisis
that has developed thus far and it
will require not a little diplomacy on
the part of administration leaders to
unravel a perplexing situation. In
fact, it looks very much like a hope
less task, and the men who have been
fighting the hardest for a short ses-
sion are discouraged over the outlook
Had 2 S been favOrably acted upon
in the house, practically all appropria-
ton measures, which constitute the
bulk of work, would be acted upon
early and messaged to the governor
at a much earlier date than two years
ago. As the matter stands, the whole
financial program hangs in the bal
ance, and the finance committee finds
itself stalled.
The only possible relief is the com
mittee on conference, and there is
little hope that this committee will
succeed in bringing the two houses
together.
The principal argument against the
salary amendment was advanced by
administration men who took the posi-
ton that the provision amounted to a
violation of the constitution. They
stated, however, that they would well
come consideration of the matter if It
were presented in a separate bill
Rider Would XIII Whole Bill.
There is a feeling in some, quarters
that leaders in the salary boost move
ment wanted to tack the amendment
to Q S, because they feel that the ad-
minisration might be willing to accept
the amended measure than let the
whole proposition go down to defeat:
It is known, however. that the admin
istration forces will not accept 2 S I'M
less the salary provision is taken out
Constitution or no constitution, not
a few members of he assembly will
stand their ground for more pay, E.
]. Vincent said that some of the law.
makers are so hardup that they buy
five cents worth of doughnuts and
eat their lunch out of a paper sack
D. S. Burnett read resolutions adopted
by the chamber of commerce of Wau-
sau, indorsing "a suitable compensa
ton for our representative in the leg
islature."
One member raised the point that
it would be no more unconstitutional
for the members to increase their sal
aries than it is for the legislature to
pay an additional $500 to the speaker
of the house because of the extra work
he is called upon to do. They said
that this violation of the constitution
never has been questioned because the
people regard it as a sensible position.
The assembly has taken formal ac-
ton to break another blockade, not
of its own making, growing out of The
work that the legislative reference
library can not turn out. A steering
committee of seven, of which Speaker
Whi.tet is a member, has been ap-
pointed to arrange work so that action
on the more important bills will not
be delayed. The committee will group
up bills which deal with the same sub
ject so that they can be acted upon
at about the same time. 1t was re
ported that the library cannot draft
bills as rapidly as requests come in
from the members. Carl Pieper de-
clared that if the lawyers would prom
Use not to raise so many constitutional
questions that the members would be
able to draw their own measures.
Wisconsin lawmakers, however. have
accepted the reference library as the
last word in bill drafting and the legis-
lature is disposed to aid and assist
that department rather than to turn
the work over the individual mem
bers.
A lively fight was staged over the
Skogmo bill which would have Fixed
the standard weight of loaf Of bread
at sixteen ounces or one pound Sen
ator George B. Skogmo talked three