Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-01-24
LOOKING IN
ON THE
LEGISLATURE


Madison, Wis.-Indeterminate sen
tence in criminal cases improvement
of our present laws We're urged by
Gov. ]. ]. Blaine in his biennial ad-
dress to the Wisconsin legislature.
4 The governor said that his message
called for practically no new legisla-
tion with the exception Of the portion
RECOMMENDING an indeterminate sen
tence law, giving the board of control
power to determine the length of con
fnement of the prisoner between the
minimum and maximum periods pro
vided by law
There are more than 100 judges
in the state who have power TO i'm
pose sentences in cases of felony" he
said. THE result is a variety of SEN
fences, producing the greatest Unequal
ity: The confirmed criminals are fire.
quentlya given short sentences while
the comparatively innocent or casual
offenders are given long sentences.
with the further result that the first
offenders and habitual criminals GO
in and out of prison together"
Following are other recommends
tons made by the governor:
Enactment of 2 cent gasoline tax.
Ratification of the child labor
amendment to the constitution.
Budgeting of highway revenues and
expenditures for six years, beginning
July l. 1925. =
Adjournment of the legislature by
Ma l.
Equalization of state taxes upon
the principle that those who are best
able to pay should bear their equitable
share of the burdens of government,
and to that end, l recommend an adj
3ustment of income tax rates anu dis
tribudon"
Passage of proposed highway legis-
lation by March l.
Concurrence by the legislature in
the constitutional amendments provld-
ing for the initiative, referendum and
recall
Completion of the home rule pro
grain.
Reduction of state boards and COM
missions.
appointment of an interim legisla-
tive committee to formulate refor-
estation plan for the future.
The the legislature turn is atten-
ton 20 The very serious problem of
school taxation and expenditures
which have reached the enormous sum
of over $53.000,00O per annum."
I'm so far as practical that all emer-
gency. laws and all. indefinite and I'M
limited Appropriation acts be so limited
as to meet unforeseen emergencies
and contingencies. only"
1t became evident soon after the
converting Of the Legislature that the
forces favorable to the policies of Gov.
Blaine are in control of 5otn the
senate and assembly. In the assem-
bly,. Herman w Sachtjen, former state
prohibition commissioner, was elected
speaker on the third ballot The first
two ballots showed a spirited contest
+. between Sachtgen and Charles 3.
Perry, anti-Blaine candidate, the lat
ter receiving 80 votes in each instance,
while Sachtien had As on the first
ballot and IS on the second On the
final ballot the vote was Sachtjen. 81;
Perry, %; scattering, is. Ed Shaffer
was elected chief clerk of the assem-
bly, without contest. For sergeant-at-
arms, Thomas Bartingale, Chippewa
Falls, was elected with So votes.
Other contestants were Sixtus Lin
dahl, 2S: II. G. Cretney. 10. and Al
fred Becker. s.
4 resolution sponsored by Blaine
supporters created a. committee on
committees passed the senate by a
vote of II to Is. This received the
votes of Senators Sauthof, Keppel and
Severson, who had been counted as
insurgents against Blaine domination.
Organization OF the senate. was thus
put under control of friends of the
governor
There was little contest for senate
posts Senator Howard Teasdale was
elected president pro TEN, F. W.
schoenfeld. chief clerk, and c. A
Leicht. sergeant alarms.