Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-02-27
LEGISLATIVE LETTER

Madison, Wis, Feb. 26.-That spirit
of unrest which may be typical of war
times has made the present special
session of the Wisconsin legislature
one of the most turbulent in the his
tory of the state PrecedentS have
gone by the board, party lines wiped
out, and, in several instances, good
judgment has suffered With a list of
important subjects to be considered,
the legislature has INDUCED in a siren
uOus week of hasty action on many of
them. One of the important thoughts
uppermost in the minds of the legis-
latOrs was to get home. With that
class the welfare of the state has been
6 second matter.
This letter is not intended as a crit
icaI analysis of the legislature from
partisan standpoint. 1t is a mere
stating of the facts, as any impartial
spectator would state them. The &C
| counts in the daily papers have not
revealed the true situation. The cor
/ respondents have been rushed and
have had but little time to indulge in
| character studies.
Most of the program has been com
pleted and the session will close this
week, from present indications. When
time goes by, the record will not be
| to the credit of some members, who
| have played politics while America
was at war much as Nero fddled while
Rome was burning.
One of the examples of the mob
rule which governed this session was
the visit of thirty-five members of the
assembly to the Offices of the super
intendent of public property, demand
ing copies of the new Wisconsin stat
utes. The law says plainly that the
members are not entitled to these
| books, especially at a special session.
Yet, when Superintendent Blumen-
field, with the authority of the attorney
general and many lawyers in the SEN
ate, explained that he could not vio-
| late the law, the assemblymen de-
manded that he do so, and threatened
him with personal violence if he re-
fused. Leaders in this mob were AS
semblyman Rosa, Assemblyman Turn
er and other socialists, Assemblyman
| Pieper, Assemblyman Otto and Others
Politics played part in the bond
bill fight. The bill introduced by Sen
ator Whitman, carefully thought out
to raise $1,O0O,OO0 in bonds to be paid
! in ten years after 1923, when it is ex-
pected that the national government
will begin the payment of it's debt to
the state, provided a general tax levy
! only because the bonds could not be
| sold without the provision. AS it
would work out no citizen of Wiscon-
sin would be taxed, unless the govern
ment repudiated it's debts, and, in
spite Of the statement Of Assemblyman
Rosa that this might happen, no one
| believes it will
1t seemed to be politically popular,
/ however, for members to decry the
rich, and Senator Wilcox introduced
a bill which provided an income tax
Feature on incomes over $4,000 to
pay the bonds. The argument was
/ that the rich should pay for the war,
The members who favored this bill
forgot that one Of the requisites of
patriotism at this time Is confidence
/ III the national vernment. The fact
that the national government is charg-
ed with the duty of distributing the
cost of the war and the raising of war
| revenues was forgotten That the
| state of Wisconsin has no part in this,
| except to pay it's share, was forgotten
IN the senate the Wilcox bill passed
! by small majority. It was in the
| assembly, however, that the protest
! against the governments war taxes
was made. There the Wilcox bill was
passed by almost unanimous vote,
The bill has gone to the governor.
The senatorial situation was hand
| led by the politicians, also. Gov. Phil
ipp asked for the appointing power
| and said he would appoint Congress-
man Lenroot. The assembly was ready
to give him the power when the senate
served notice that it would not stand
for Lenroot. The governor then urged
| the Otto resolution for special cleo
| ton. 1t passed the assembly 81 to 10.
| The senate then killed it. The poIiti-
! Clans were determined to DENY the
people any action. Gov. Philip mott
fed the senate that unless they gave
him the right to place Congressman
Lenroot in the senate he would call
special election, and he made good
his word. It is now up to the advo-
Gates of a special election.
The following measures were pass
ed:
Joint resolution, by Assemblyman
Schiewitz, asking congress to extend
Thanking privileges to letters from
soldiers
Bill by Assemblyman Whitesfde to
extend fight against venereol dis
eases.
Bill by Assemblyman Webster Of
Dodge county giving automobile man
ufac-urers right to run automobiles
across state from factory t0 deaIar