53rd Wisconsin Legislature explained

53rd Wisconsin Legislature
Body:	Wisconsin Legislature
Before:	52nd
After:	54th
Chamber1:	Senate
Membership1:	33
Control1:	Republican
Chamber2:	Assembly
Membership2:	100
Control2:	Republican
Session1 Type:	Regular

The Fifty-Third Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session, and re-convened in two special sessions in February and September 1918.^[1]

During this session, the new Wisconsin State Capitol was completed after 13 years of reconstruction following the 1904 fire. The official dedication ceremony was postponed until the end of World War I.^[2]

Senators representing even-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 7, 1916. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 3, 1914.^[1]

Major events

January 11, 1917: The Kingsland explosion destroyed approximately 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
February 1, 1917: The German Empire announced that it would resume unrestricted submarine warfare, rescinding the Sussex pledge.
February 3, 1917: The United States severed diplomatic relations with Germany.
February 24, 1917: British intelligence shared the Zimmermann Telegram with American Ambassador Walter Hines Page, in which the German Empire proposed a military alliance with Mexico if the United States entered the war against Germany.
March 4, 1917: Second inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson.
March 15, 1917: Following the February Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated his throne, bringing an end to the Russian Empire.
April 3, 1917: Walter C. Owen was elected justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating incumbent justice Roujet D. Marshall.
April 6, 1917: The United States declared war on the German Empire, beginning their active participation in World War I.
April 26, 1917: The Wisconsin Senate voted to expel senator Frank Raguse after he refused to affirm his allegiance to the United States. Raguse remains the only member of the Wisconsin State Legislature to have been expelled.
May 18, 1917: U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Selective Service Act of 1917, giving the president the power of conscription.
June 15, 1917: U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Espionage Act of 1917, to prevent interference with U.S. war activities or promoting the interests of U.S. war opponents.
July 18, 1917: Regiments of the Wisconsin National Guard were activated and organized into the 32nd Infantry Division for federal service.
October 6, 1917: The first University of Wisconsin football game to be played at Camp Randall Stadium.
October 21, 1917: Wisconsin's junior United States senator, Paul O. Husting, died in a hunting accident.
November 7, 1917: Amidst the October Revolution in Russia, workers stormed the Winter Palace and destroyed the Russian Provisional Government, triggering the Russian Civil War.
November 24, 1917: A bomb killed 9 members of the Milwaukee Police Department in the most deadly single incident for American police until the September 11 attacks of 2001.
January 1918: First known cases of Spanish flu were observed in Haskell County, Kansas.
March 3, 1918: The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Central Powers, ending Russia's involvement in World War I.
April 2, 1918: Irvine Lenroot was elected United States senator from Wisconsin in a special election.
May 18, 1918: Wisconsin's mobilized regiments in the 32nd Infantry Division arrived at the western front of World War I and continued on the line until the end of the war.
November 5, 1918: Emanuel L. Philipp was re-elected Governor of Wisconsin, his third term.
November 9, 1918: Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated his throne, ending the German Empire. The German Republic was proclaimed as successor state.
November 11, 1918: The German Republic agreed to an armistice with the Entente, effectively ending major combat in World War I.
December 4, 1918: U.S. President Woodrow Wilson departed to attend the Paris Peace Conference, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit Europe.

Major legislation

1917 Joint Resolution 20: Joint Resolution to amend sections 6 and 7, of article VII, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, relating to circuit judges, 1917 Joint Resolution 20. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the constitution to allow the legislature to reduce the number of judicial circuits and assign multiple judges to single circuits.
1917 Joint Resolution 23: Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of article IV of the constitution, relating to compensation of members of the legislature, 1917 Joint Resolution 23. First legislative passage of a proposted amendment to allow legislative salaries to be set by law, rather than fixed by the constitution.
1917 Joint Resolution 24: Joint Resolution to provide for the appointment of a joint committee of the legislature to investigate the subject of "Social Insurance", 1917 Joint Resolution 24.

Party summary

Senate summary

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)			Total

	Dem.	S.D.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature	9	1		20	30	3

Start of 1st Session	6	3	24	33	0
From April 27, 1917^[3]	6	2	32	1

Final voting share

Beginning of the next Legislature	2	4		27	33	0

Assembly summary

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)			Total

	Dem.	S.D.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature	29	8		63	100	0

Start of 1st Session	13	7		80	100	0
From Feb. 14, 1917^[4]	13		79	99	1
From Apr. 10, 1917^[5]	14		79	100	0
From July 1, 1917^[6]	14		78	99	1
From Dec. 10, 1917^[7]	13		78	98	2
From Dec. 25, 1917^[8]	13		77	97	3
From Jan. 3, 1918^[9]	12		77	96	4
From Feb. 19, 1918^[10]	13	8		79	100	0

Final voting share

Beginning of the next Legislature	6	16		78	100	0

Sessions

Regular session: January 10, 1917July 16, 1917
February 1918 special session: February 19, 1918March 9, 1918
September 1918 special session: September 24, 1918September 25, 1918

Leaders

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: Edward Dithmar (R)
President pro tempore: Timothy Burke (R–Green Bay)

Assembly leadership

Speaker of the Assembly: Lawrence C. Whittet (R–Edgerton)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Fifty-Third Wisconsin Legislature:^[11]

Dist.	Counties	Senator	Residence
01	Door, Kewaunee,		Algoma	Rep.
02			Green Bay	Rep.
03			Racine	Rep.
04			Milwaukee	Rep.
05			Milwaukee	Rep.
06			Milwaukee	Soc.D.
07			Milwaukee	Soc.D.
08			Milwaukee	Soc.D.
08		--Vacant from April 27, 1917--
09			Milwaukee	Dem.
10	Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce,		River Falls	Rep.
11	Burnett, Douglas,		Superior	Rep.
12	Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Rusk,		Bayfield	Rep.
13			Mayville	Dem.
14			Shawano	Rep.
15			Chilton	Dem.
16	Crawford, Grant,		Fennimore	Rep.
17	Green, Iowa,		Highland	Rep.
18			North Fond du Lac	Rep.
19	Winnebago		Oshkosh	Rep.
20			Sheboygan	Rep.
21	Adams, Juneau, Marquette,		Mauston	Rep.
22			Beloit	Rep.
23			Dayton	Rep.
24			Grand Rapids	Rep.
25			Wausau	Dem.
26	Dane		Stoughton	Rep.
27			Caledonia	Dem.
28	Chippewa,		Eau Claire	Rep.
29	Barron, Dunn,		Menomonie	Rep.
30	Florence, Forest, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Taylor,		Rhinelander	Rep.
31	Jackson, Monroe,		Viroqua	Rep.
32			Galesville	Rep.
33				Dem.

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fifty-Third Wisconsin Legislature:^[11]

Senate Dist.	County	Dist.	Representative	Party	Residence
21	text-align="left" colspan="2"				Rep.	Friendship
12	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Ashland			Rep.	Ashland
29	Barron			Rep.	Rice Lake
29	Barron			Dem.	Rice Lake
12	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Bayfield			Rep.
02	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Brown	1			Dem.	Green Bay
02	2			Dem.	De Pere
10	text-align="left" colspan="2"				Rep.	Mondovi
11	text-align="left" colspan="2"				Rep.	Grantsburg
15	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Calumet			Rep.	Charlestown
28	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Chippewa			Rep.	Bloomer
24	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Clark			Rep.	Neillsville
27	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Columbia			Rep.	Leeds
16	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Crawford			Rep.	Wauzeka
26	text-align="left" rowspan="3"	Dane	1			Rep.	Madison
	2			Rep.	Christiana
	3			Rep.	Fitchburg
13	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Dodge	1			Rep.	Neosho
13	2			Rep.	Elba
01	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Door			Rep.
11	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Douglas	1			Rep.	Superior
11	2			Rep.
29	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Dunn			Rep.	Menomonie
28	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Eau Claire			Rep.	Pleasant Valley
30	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Florence, Forest,			Rep.	Ross
18	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Fond du Lac	1			Rep.	Empire
18	2			Rep.	Brandon
16	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Grant	1			Rep.	Platteville
16	2			Rep.	Boscobel
17	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Green			Rep.	New Glarus
18	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Green Lake			Rep.	Berlin
17	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Iowa			Rep.	Dodgeville
30				Rep.	Eagle River
30				Rep.	Hurley
31	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Jackson			Rep.	Alma
33	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Jefferson	1			Rep.	Johnson Creek
33	2			Dem.	Lake Mills
21	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Juneau			Rep.	Camp Douglas
03	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Kenosha			Rep.
01	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Kewaunee			Dem.	Franklin
32	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	La Crosse	1			Rep.	La Crosse
32	2			Rep.	Greenfield
17	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Lafayette			Rep.	Wiota
25	text-align="left" colspan="2"				Dem.	Polar
30	text-align="left" colspan="2"				Rep.	Corning
15	text-align="left" rowspan="3"	Manitowoc	1			Dem.	Manitowoc
			1	Dem.	Manitowoc
	2			Dem.	Rockland
25	text-align="left" rowspan="3"	Marathon	1			Rep.	Holton
	2			Rep.
	2			Soc.	Wausau
01	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Marinette			Rep.
09	text-align="left" rowspan="19"	Milwaukee	1			Rep.	Milwaukee
	2			Rep.	Milwaukee
	3			Dem.	Milwaukee
05	4			Soc.	Milwaukee
08	5			Soc.	Milwaukee
05	6			Rep.	Milwaukee
05	7			Rep.	Milwaukee
08	8			Dem.	Milwaukee
06	9			Soc.	Milwaukee
04	10			Soc.	Milwaukee
08	11			Soc.	Milwaukee
08	12			Soc.	Milwaukee
04	13			Rep.	Milwaukee
07	14			Dem.	Milwaukee
05	15			Rep.	Milwaukee
05	16			Rep.	Wauwatosa
07	17			Soc.	Milwaukee
04	18			Rep.	Milwaukee
07	19			Rep.	West Allis
31	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Monroe			Rep.	Tomah
02	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Oconto			Rep.
14	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Outagamie	1			Dem.
14	2			Rep.	Kaukauna
20	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Ozaukee			Dem.	Cedarburg
10	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Pierce			Rep.	River Falls
29	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Polk			Rep.	Laketown
23	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Portage			Rep.	Plover
12	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Price			Rep.	Kennan
03	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Racine	1			Rep.	Racine
03	2			Rep.	Racine
28	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Richland			Rep.	Cazenovia
22	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Rock	1			Rep.	Edgerton
22	2			Rep.	Beloit
12	text-align="left" colspan="2"				Rep.	Grant
27	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Sauk			Rep.	Baraboo
14	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Shawano			Rep.	Birnamwood
20	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Sheboygan	1			Rep.	Sheboygan
20	2			Rep.
10	text-align="left" colspan="2"	St. Croix			Rep.	Hudson
30	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Taylor			Rep.	Medford
32	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Trempealeau			Rep.	Whitehall
31	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Vernon			Rep.
23	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Walworth			Rep.	Darien
13	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Washington			Rep.	Richfield
33	text-align="left" rowspan="2"	Waukesha	1			Rep.	Waukesha
33	2			Rep.	Sussex
23	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Waupaca			Rep.	Clintonville
21	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Waushara			Rep.	Wild Rose
19	text-align="left" rowspan="4"	Winnebago	1			Rep.	Oshkosh
	2			Dem.	Neenah
	2			Rep.	Menasha
	3			Rep.	Oshkosh
24	text-align="left" colspan="2"	Wood			Rep.	Arpin

Committees

Senate committees

Senate Standing Committee on CommitteesM. W. Perry, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresC. H. Everett, chair
Senate Standing Committee on CorporationsW. M. Bray, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public WelfareM. W. Perry, chair
Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryJ. H. Bennett, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Legislative ProcedureT. Burke, chair
Senate Standing Committee on State AffairsW. T. Stevens, chair
Senate Special Committee on Conservation F. H. Hanson, chair
Senate Special Committee on HighwaysL. E. Cunningham, chair

Assembly committees

Assembly Standing Committee on AgricultureH. J. Grell, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and ManufacturesC. F. Hart, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresR. B. Melvin, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on EducationS. A. Schindler, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on ElectionsG. Carpenter, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed BillsW. R. Chipman, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled BillsH. Freehoff, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and FeesJ. M. Engebretson, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Fish and GameJ. A. Chinnock, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and BankingJ. C. Chapple, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on the JudiciaryA. C. Otto, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on LaborD. J. Vincent, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on MunicipalitiesJ. Dixon, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on PrintingC. Pieper, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Public WelfareG. D. Whiteside, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on RevisionC. S. Schiewitz, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on RulesE. A. Everett, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on State AffairsJ. Gamper, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on TaxationW. H. Edwards, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on Third ReadingJ. J. Aulenbacher, chair
Assembly Standing Committee on TransportationB. Webster, chair

Joint committees

Joint Standing Committee on FinanceP. Whitman (Sen.) & E. A. Everett (Asm.), co-chairs

Employees

Senate employees

Chief Clerk: Oliver G. Munson^[12]
- Assistant Chief Clerk: C. E. Mullen
- Journal Clerk: James B. Ackley
- Bookkeeper: Carle E. Dietze
- Index Clerk: Don E. Mowry
- Enrolling Clerk: J. K. Kidder
- Revision Clerk: D. J. Hotchkiss
- Clerk of the Committee on Corporations: A. C. Miller
- Clerk of the Committee on Education and Public Welfare: R. H. Hillyer
- Clerk of the Committee on Finance: Arthur F. Steffen
- Clerk of the Committee on the Judiciary: L. G. Vogt
- Clerk of the Committee on State Affairs: A. A. Heinrich
- Stenographers:
  - L. Schwartz
  - J. W. Leonard
- Typists:
  - C. L. Cass
  - R. L. Jacobson
- Mailing Clerk: E. G. Cooper
Sergeant-at-Arms: F. E. Andrews
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: John J. Knudsen
- Document Clerk: Emil Hartman
- Day Police: Albert Daley
- Night Police: Arlie M. Mucks
- Gallery Police: Herman A. Degner
- Night Laborers:
  - Thomas R. Foulkes
  - Ernest W. Rehnstrand
Postmaster: Frank E. Riley
- Messengers:
  - Paul W. Dietz
  - Robert Kilgust
  - Earl L. Marsh
  - Robert A. Cobban
  - John Lorigan
  - Ivan P. Donaghey
  - Glen A. Buerke
  - Lloyd B. Cain

Assembly employees

Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer^[12]
- Journal Clerk: W. W. Jones
  - Assistant Journal Clerk: J. S. Miller
- Bookkeeper: W. J. Goldschmidt
  - Assistant Bookkeeper: J. C. Hawker
- General Clerks:
  - W. F. Bart
  - L. J. Federer
- Index Clerk: Edwin M. Johnson
- Proofreaders and Enrolling Clerks:
  - Geo. F. Sharpe
  - Edward Oakey
- Mailing Clerk: Edwin L. Shaffer
- Stenographers:
  - Alvah V. Gruhn
  - L. M. Mielke
  - Emil Lusthaus
  - H. J. Campaign
  - N. E. Lummerding
  - P. J. Knippel
  - Victor Gilbertson
  - William L. Wollin
  - O. B. Lovell
  - Earl L. Dole
  - Joseph Entringer Jr.
  - Warren H. Schwartz
- Typists:
  - L. L. Oeland
  - H. S. Belowsky
Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas Grant Cretney
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Ernest F. Wright
- Document Room Custodian: Helmer O. Femrite
  - Assistant Document Room Custodian: John D. Morner
- Floor Police: Peter Duex
- Cloak Room Attendant: John Holm
- Gallery Police:
  - C. H. Sanderson
  - A. H. Emerson
- Night Laborer: Hilding E. Anderson
- Night Watch: Elmer R. Meacham
Postmaster: Clarence O. Livermore
- Post Office Messenger: Marshall M. Arnold
- Messengers:
  - Helmer Hembre
  - Burr C. Wilcox
  - B. J. Glass
  - William Crapser
  - Austin Johnson
  - Leo Levenick
  - Isadore Perstein
  - Casper Jaquish
  - Orville Radke
  - Henry Royce
  - C. H. Meister
  - Carl Isaacson
  - Arthur Thorpe Jones
  - Ray J. Carey

External links

1917: Related Documents from Wisconsin Legislature

Notes and References

State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 . 2021 . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . 978-1-7333817-1-0 . Barish . Lawrence S. . Lemanski . Lynn . https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2021_2022/160_historical_lists.pdf . Historical Lists . 467, 471, 475, 479–480 . March 11, 2023 .
News: Cost of New Capitol is Fixed at $7,044,000; Building Now Complete . . August 12, 1917 . 2 . April 28, 2023 . .
Socialist Frank Raguse (District 8) was expelled after refusing to sign a statement affirming his allegiance to the United States.
Republican Isaac J. Kvam (Barron County) died February 14, 1917.
Democrat Charles A. Beggs (Barron County) was sworn in to replace Isaac J. Kvam on April 10, 1917.
Republican Edward A. Everett (Iron & Vilas counties) resigned.
Democrat William Arnemann (Winnebago County) died.
Republican D. S. Burnett (Marathon County) resigned.
Democrat Carl Hansen (Manitowoc County) died.
Democrat Walter Wittman (Manitowoc County), Socialist Herman Marth (Marathon County), and Republicans Griffith Thomas (Iron & Vilas counties) and Publius Lawson (Winnebago County), were sworn in to fill vacancies.
The Wisconsin Blue Book 1917 . Industrial Commission of Wisconsin . 1917 . Biographical Sketches . 495–557 . April 28, 2023 .
The Wisconsin Blue Book 1917 . Industrial Commission of Wisconsin . 1917 . Organization of Legislature of 1917 . 490–493 . April 28, 2023 .