Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-06-04
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Legislature, "a

The Wisconsin legislature will at
once open an investigation into the
conduct of its own members and all
other state officials and employees.
While the probe is in full swing the
activities of lobbyists will also De in
quired into.
This was decided as the climax of
a twelve hour deadlock when by a
vote of II to II the senate adopted
the Seyerson resolution as amended by
the substitute of Senator Carey,
Blaine leader. The Carey resolution
appoints committee of five senator's,
headed by William F. Quick, Milwau-
kee Socialist, to first of all call ION
the carpet" Senator Severson to tell
what he knows about graft, corruption
and other alleged improper acts on
the part of state servants
Members of the committee besides
Senator Quick include Senators John
Chase, Oconto; John Englund, Witten-
berg; Merritt F. White, Winneconne,
and Herman LANCE, Eau Claire.
Blaine senators, charged two years
ago with killing the Severson morals"
resolution, took the bit in their teeth,
so to speak, and voted Solidly for the
investigation. AS Senator Carey ex-
pressed the point during debate in
referring to Senator Severson: 1.-THE
senator from the Twenty-third has
been clamOring for two years for an
investigation. Now let's give it to him,
let's put him under oath and see what
he knows
In his resolution, Senator Severson
demanded that possible graft and cor
ruption be probed. In addition he re-
quested that an inquiry be made as
to whether babies have been born out
of wedlock to women confined to state
penal institutions and whether high
state officials have been responsible
for their condition He also requested
that an investigation be made as to
whether state employees have been in
dicted in other states and have not
been returned there for trial.
With the opening of the legislative
quiz, the time of the legislature will
be taken up largely with investiga-
lions, according to present indications.
After a recess of several days the
special senatorial committee probing
the controversy between Insurance
Commissioner w. Stanley Smith and
Atty. Gen. Herman L. Ekern is about
to resume it's hearings. Smith will be
cross examined by counsel for Ekern
that Ekern's private insurance inter-
ests have interferred with his work as
attorney general on questions involv-
Ing insurance matters
The administration bill to increase
the state highway commission from
FIVE to seven members met defeat in
its first stage In the assembly, being
indefinitely postponed, Soto 81.
Opponents attacked the measure on
the grounds of economy and the desire
to keep the commission out OF politics.
The bill seeks to increase the pay OF
the members from So to $40 a day.
The assembly has passed the Laffey
bill. increasing the compensaticns OF
Milwaukee county board members,
over Gov. Blaine's veto, 90 to 10.
The $1OOOO,OO0 appropriation Tor
support of the state charitable ana
penal institutions was concurred In Dy
the assembly, u to g. The White bill
increasing publication fees OF electlon
notices was defeated, being non-con-
Cured in, Al to 50.
The Schumann joint resolution Tor
the appointment of an interim commit
tee to investigate the state tax sltua-
tion has been killed by the senate,
10 to IL.
AT the same time the upper mousse
laid on the table the ingalls, resolution,
adopted by the assembly, also calhng
for the creation of an interim tax sur
yey body. The ingalls, measure was
held up by agreement. The Heck reso-
luton which provides for a two year
study of the tax problem, has passed
the senate and is now pending In the
assembly. III should pass the lower
house. it was held that there would be
no need Of putting through another
measure.
The Schumann resolution would
have named survey committee COM
prising legislators, tax experts and
representatives of capital, labor and
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