Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-04-25
WILCOX DENIES
Phillip CHARGE
Senator Declares That No At
tempt Was Made to Coerce
the Governor.
HANSON BILL IS VETOED
Failure 10 Approve Measure Which
Gives Legislature Power to Recall
Officials Delays Confirmation
of jackson.

OF JdCkSOn.
Madison.-As the result of the veto
by Governor Phillip of the G. e. Han
son bill giving the legislature power
to recall appointive officials, the con-
firmation of the appointment OF Carl
ID. Jackson as member of the state
railroad commission has been deferred
to April "a. Statements made by
Governor Philip in his veto message
were challenged by Senator Wilcox,
who claimed that reference to the eff
feet that the senate was attempting to
cOerce the governor to sign the bill IS
without foundation. Delay in the ac-
ton On Jackson's appointment was by
a vote of .16 to II.
The house will take up the veto mes
sage this week.
In his veto of the G. e. Hanson bill
giving the legislature power to recall
appointive officials Governor Phillip
takes sharp issue with the legislature
and the veto presages a fight in the
lower house when, led by Assembly
man G. G. Coe, Barron county, an eff
fort will be made to put the bill over
the veto. In his message the governor
declares that such bill exposes the
entire administrative force ito politi-
cal influence" He reminds the legis-
Iature that the people in 1914 defeated
constitutional amendment provid-
ing for the recall.
"The objections I have stated for
bids me to give this bill my approval"
says Governor Phillip. However.
if / were in accord with it's provisions
/ would not approve of it because of
the conditions that have been pre-
scribed for me by certain senator's. 1t
has been openly stated upon the floor
of the senate that if would approve
this bill my appointment of Carl
d. Jackson as railroad commissioner
would be confirmed. Consideration Of
this confirmation has twice been post
poned awaiting my action upon this
bill. / beg to state to the senator's
who have attempted to impose this
the appointment of Mr.. Jackson for
confirmation because / know him to
be an efficient officer who has rem
dered faithful service to the people
and that he is, therefore, entitled to
confirmation. That question, however,
must stand by itself, and shall not
permit myself to be coerced into the
approval of this or any other bill for
the sake of securing legislation, no
matter how much / may desire it."
In opening his argument on the pol
icy of the G. 3. Hanson BILL Governor
Philip says that in delegating power
to these administrative commissions it
has been matter Of deep concern to
the legislature and the people that
they be placed out Of the reach Of po-
litica1 influence.
saThe bill in question may accomplish
Indirectly what the legislature and the
people sought to avoid at the time
that the railroad commission was Gre
ated," says Governor Philip. eff it is
within the power of the legislature to
remove any member of that commits
sion at will without proving unftness
of the Office, we will then have provid-
ed method by which private inter-
ests which may have a grievance
against a commissioner because he
has refused to yield to their demands
may bring about his removal by enter
ing the legislative campaigns and,
with the use Of money and influence,
send men to- the legislature committed
to the proposition of the removal Of
such commissioner. In other words,
we will expose the entire, administra-
tive force who hold Office by reason Of
appointment to political influence, and
no commissioner or officer will be safe
in his position unless he has at all
times his ear to the ground and is will
ing to barter the public interest for po-
litical influence"
Governor Philip then declares that
the legislative recall is departure
from the form of government estab-
lished by our constitution, both state
and national.
An effort will be made at later
date to pass the bill over the veto Of
the executive. When the bill was read
in the lower house, where it original
ed, it was apparent that one of the
hardest political fights of this session
is now before the legislature. The bill
went through the lower house unani-
mously and had only one vote against
it in the senate. Now that the COVER
nor has vetoed the measure the lines
are being drawn and a big fight will
be staged to put the bill over.
Conditions at State Institutions.