42nd Wisconsin Legislature
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The 42nd Wisconsin Legislature' convened from January 9, 1895, to April 20, 1895, in regular session. They convened again in special session in February 1896 to pass a legislative redistricting law.
Senators representing odd-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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 6, 1894. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 8, 1892.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican William H. Upham, of Wood County, serving a two-year term, having won election in the 1894 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.
Major events
- January 7, 1895: Inauguration of William H. Upham as 18th Governor of Wisconsin.
- February 25, 1895: The first rebellions of the Cuban War of Independence began.
- May 27, 1895: The United States Supreme Court, in the case In re Debs, ruled that the United States government had the authority to regulate interstate commerce.
- July 14, 1895: Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice Harlow S. Orton died in office. He was succeeded as chief justice by John B. Cassoday by rule of seniority.
- August 5, 1895: Roujet D. Marshall was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Harlow S. Orton.
- January 4, 1896: Utah was admitted as the 45th U.S. state.
- May 18, 1896: The United States Supreme Court, in the case Plessy v. Ferguson, ruled that racial segregation was legal as long as facilities were "equal", later referred to as the "separate but equal" doctrine.
- May 25, 1896: Former three-term Wisconsin Governor and Union Army general Lucius Fairchild died in Madison.
- June 6, 1896: U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the "Filled Cheese Act", which established a prohibitive tax on cheese products that had been enhanced with vegetable oil or other fats. This law was proposed by Wisconsin congressman Samuel A. Cook, and was part of a decades-long effort by Wisconsin's congressional delegation to prohibit selling margarine or other alternatives to dairy products.
- July 9, 1896: William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous Cross of Gold speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention.
- August 23, 1896: The Cry of Pugad Lawin initiated the Philippine Revolution.
- November 3, 1896: 1896 United States general election: William McKinley elected President of the United States. Edward Scofield elected Governor of Wisconsin. Wisconsin voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the Legislature to set the salary of the state superintendent of public instruction.
Major legislation
- Joint Resolution agreeing to a proposed amendment to section 1, article 10, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, .
- Joint Resolution that section 7, article 7, constitution of Wisconsin, relating to circuit courts be amended so as to read as follows, . Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to allow counties with large populations to have more than one circuit judge.
- 1896 Wisc. Special Session Act 1, a legislative redistricting law based on Wisconsin's mid-decade state census.
Summary
Senate summary
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 25 | 7 | 32 | 1 |
| Start of 1st Session | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 39.39% | 60.61% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 4 | 29 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Pop. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 56 | 0 | 44 | 100 | 0 |
| Start of 1st Session | 19 | 0 | 81 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 19% | 81% | |||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 9 | 1 | 90 | 100 | 0 |
Sessions
- 1st Regular session: January 9, 1895 – April 20, 1895
- February 1896 Special session: February 18, 1896 – February 28, 1896
Leaders
Senate leadership
- President of the Senate: Emil Baensch (R)
- President pro tempore: Thompson Weeks (R)
Assembly leadership
Members
Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Forty-Second Wisconsin Legislature:
Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Forty-Second Wisconsin Legislature:
Committees
Senate committees
- Senate Committee on Agriculture – Peirce, chair
- Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes – Woodworth, chair
- Senate Committee on Banking – Davis, chair
- Senate Committee on Dairy and Food – McGillivray, chair
- Senate Committee on Education – Stout, chair
- Senate Committee on Enrolled Bills – Phillips, chair
- Senate Committee on Engrossed Bills – Conger, chair
- Senate Committee on Federal Relations – Austin, chair
- Senate Committee on Incorporations – Mills, chair
- Senate Committee on the Judiciary – Spensley, chair
- Senate Committee on Legislative Expenditures – McGillivray, chair
- Senate Committee on Manufacturing and Commerce – Thayer, chair
- Senate Committee on Military Affairs – Weeks, chair
- Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections – Stebbins, chair
- Senate Committee on Public Lands – Timme, chair
- Senate Committee on Railroads – Withee, chair
- Senate Committee on Roads and Bridges – Youmans, chair
- Senate Committee on State Affairs – Putnam, chair
- Senate Committee on Town and County Organizations – Fisher, chair
Assembly committees
- Assembly Committee on Agriculture – Thomas H. Grier, chair
- Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes – N. B. Treat, chair
- Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third Reading – Charles F. Hanke, chair
- Assembly Committee on Cities – Frank Anson, chair
- Assembly Committee on Dairy and Food – George H. Blake, chair
- Assembly Committee on Education – D. O. Mahoney, chair
- Assembly Committee on Engrossed Bills – J. O. Davidson, chair
- Assembly Committee on Enrolled Bills – A. H. De Groff, chair
- Assembly Committee on Federal Relations – G. J. Jeske, chair
- Assembly Committee on Forestry and Horticulture – Charles Hirschinger, chair
- Assembly Committee on Incorporations – O. J. Williams, chair
- Assembly Committee on Insurance, Banks, and Banking – William A. Jones, chair
- Assembly Committee on the Judiciary – H. P. Burdick, chair
- Assembly Committee on Labor and Manufactures – E. R. Stillman, chair
- Assembly Committee on Legislative Expenditures – A. L. Utt, chair
- Assembly Committee on Lumber and Mining – A. R. Hall, chair
- Assembly Committee on Medical Societies – C. C. Harris, chair
- Assembly Committee on Militia – Marshall Cousins, chair
- Assembly Committee on Privileges and Elections – H. C. Sloan, chair
- Assembly Committee on Public Improvements – J. B. Miller, chair
- Assembly Committee on Public Lands – C. A. Stanley, chair
- Assembly Committee on Railroads – E. D. Hoyt, chair
- Assembly Committee on Roads and Bridges – L. B. Cox, chair
- Assembly Committee on State Affairs – J. G. Lamberson, chair
- Assembly Committee on Town and County Organization – William O'Neil, chair
- Assembly Committee on Ways and Means – James Freeman, chair
Joint committees
- Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal Institutions – Officer (Sen.) & Fenner Kimball (Asm.), co-chairs
- Joint Committee on Claims – Baxter(Sen.) & Frank L. Fraser (Asm.), co-chairs
- Joint Committee on Fish and Game – Timme (Sen.) & Henry L. Besse (Asm.), co-chairs
- Joint Committee on Printing – Peirce (Sen.) & James T. Ellarson (Asm.), co-chairs
Employees
Senate employees
- Chief Clerk: Walter Houser Assistant Chief Clerk: Fred W. Coon Journal Clerk: William M. Fogo Bookkeeper: E. S. Hotchkiss Assistant Bookkepper: I. S. Griffin Engrossing Clerk: Francis Stirn Assistant Engrossing Clerk: Helena Heyd Enrolling Clerk: L. J. Burlingame Assistant Enrolling Clerk: George L. Kingsley Jr. Proofreader: H. F. Poland Index Clerk: F. L. Perrin Assistant Index Clerk: Charles Jewell Copy Holder: E. A. Charlton Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: C. S. Spensley Clerk for the Committee on Incorporations: M. P. Schmitt Clerk for the Committee on Claims: James M. Hayden Clerk for the Committee on Town and County Organization: Fisher Clerk for the Committee on Railroads: W. E. Miner Clerk for the Committee on State Affairs: Fred Gilman Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: S. A. Pelton Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Hattie M. Phillips Document Clerk: Arton T. Sutton Comparing Clerks: Caroline Lawson S. N. Hartwell C. L. Fellows Edwin French General Clerks: C. P. Northrup LeRoy Thomas Horace G. Cole A. W. James Ruling Clerk: Eddie Sherman Printing Page: B. Staunchfield
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles A. Pettibone Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Hans J. Jacobson
- Postmaster: Harvey R. Rawson Assistant Postmaster: Charles W. Stewart
- Gallery Attendants: Henry Grapengleser
- General Attendants: Iver Torkelson George S. Sutherland
- Document Room Attendant: Thomas R. McLean
- Doorkeepers: Robert McCalvy Daniel E. Catlin John Keller Charles D. Nelson
- Night Watch: George J. Walters
- Custodian: Edwin Culver
- Night Laborer: William Gillett
- Messengers: Hugh W. Whitcomb James E. Calmso Walter E. Grams James S. Bartels Arthur Schempp Alfred Johnson Anton Kempter Eldon D. Woodworth Jacob G. Childs
Assembly employees
- Chief Clerk: N. A. Nowell Assistant Chief Clerk: Oliver G. Munson Journal Clerks: Charles M. Durkee B. H. Sanford Bookkeepers: C. E. Brightman Robert A. Gillett Engrossing Clerk: Julius Ewald Enrolling Clerk: John W. Hare Index Clerk: C. K. Pettingill Stationary Clerk: Frank S. Horner Proof Reader: John H. Frazier Printing Clerk: Samuel J. Williams Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: W. C. Reilly Stenographer for the Judiciary Committee: Ella K. Smith Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Andrew Rohrscheib Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: Joseph Smethurst Clerk for the Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes: Harvey Clark Clerk for the Committee on State Affairs: W. C. Thomas Clerk for the Committee on Railroads: Dan B. Starkey Clerk for the Committee on Insurance, Banks, and Banking: Ole Steensland Clerk for the Committee on Town and County Organization: Jery Palmer Clerk for the Committee on Bills on Third Reading: N. Marte Document Clerk: K. W. Jensen
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Benjamin Franklin Millard Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph B. Johnson
- Postmaster: O. B. Moon Assistant Postmaster: C. H. Underhill
- Doorkeepers: Edward Emerson Daniel Stromstad R. J. Jeskie William Disch
- Document Room Attendant: A. C. Lymon
- Gallery Attendants: Edwin Davis John Campbell
- Day Attendant: T. F. Monty
- Committee Room Attendants: F. G. Dahlberg Max Booth Wallace Hegelmire Henry Kessler S. H. Sorinson M. Nelson
- Porter: Aretus Bond
- Flagman: Harvey Allen
- Night Watch: I. O. Hilmoe
- Custodian of the Enrolling Room: Albert Glander
- Custodian of the Engrossing Room: R. A. Vedder
- Committee Room Custodians: C. E. Foot S. Teasdeal
- Wash Room Attendants: Louis Donald Herman Miller
- Coat Room Attendants: Frank Gaus Sam Debrozzo
- Janitor: Jacob Dischler
- Pages: Frank Howard Paul Sumers Claude Blake Alford Wilkey William Hoskosh Eddie Beebie Arthur Nichols Clyde Varley George Cary John Millard Kurt Pressentin George Thompson