51st Wisconsin Legislature

51st Wisconsin Legislature
← 50th 52nd →
Wisconsin State Capitol reconstruction close to completion
Overview
Legislative body	Wisconsin Legislature
Meeting place	Wisconsin State Capitol
Term	January 6, 1913 – January 4, 1915
Election	November 5, 1912
Senate
Members	33
Senate President	Thomas Morris (R)
President pro tempore	Harry C. Martin (R)
Party control	Republican
Assembly
Members	100
Assembly Speaker	Merlin Hull (R)
Party control	Republican
Sessions
1st January 8, 1913 – August 9, 1913

The Fifty-First Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 8, 1913, to August 9, 1913, in regular session. ^[1] During this term, legislative business was largely held in the north wing of the Wisconsin State Capitol, which was the only part of the capitol to remain intact after the 1904 fire. ^[2]

This was the first legislative session after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session.

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 5, 1912. 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 8, 1910. ^[1]

Major events

• March 4, 1913: Inauguration of Woodrow Wilson as the 28th President of the United States
• November 6–11, 1913: The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 resulted in more than 250 deaths and the destruction of 19 ships.
• December 23, 1913: President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law, creating the Federal Reserve System.
• January 7, 1914: First ship to transit the completed Panama Canal.
• April 21, 1914: The United States began an occupation of Veracruz, Mexico, in response to the Tampico Affair, leading to a break in diplomatic relations.
• June 28, 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir-presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary, was assassinated in Sarajevo by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. The Austrian response would initiate the July Crisis.
• July 28, 1914: Austria-Hungary declared war on the Kingdom of Serbia, initiating World War I.
• July 30, 1914: The Russian Empire announced a general mobilization in support of Serbia. This quickly resulted in the general mobilization of Austria-Hungary and their ally the German Empire.
• August 1, 1914: Germany declared war on Russia.
• August 3, 1914: Germany declared war on France.
• August 4, 1914:
  • The German Army began the invasion of Belgium.
  • The United Kingdom declared war on Germany.
• August 20, 1914: Pope Pius X died at the Apostolic Palace after a brief illness.
• September 3, 1914: Giacomo della Chiesa was elected the 258th pope, taking the name Benedict XV.
• September 5–12, 1914: The First Battle of the Marne occurred near Brasles in northern France. A victory for England and France, it halted the German offensive toward Paris. Nearly 2,000,000 men participated in the battle, resulting in almost 500,000 casualties.
• September 26, 1914: President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914.
• October 29, 1914: The Ottoman Empire launched a surprise attack against Russian ports on the Black Sea, resulting in a declaration of war by Russia and its allies France and England.
• November 3, 1914: 1914 U.S. general election:
  • Emanuel L. Philipp elected Governor of Wisconsin.
  • Paul O. Husting was elected U.S. senator from Wisconsin—the first by popular election.
  • Wisconsin voters rejected ten different amendments to the state constitution:
    • to allow petition-initiated referenda to bypass the legislature
    • to increase legislative salary
    • to allow the legislature to decrease the number of judicial circuits
    • to establish state annuity insurance
    • home rule for cities and villages
    • municipal power of condemnation
    • to create a fast track for future constitutional amendments—a 3/5 vote of the legislature in favor of a constitutional amendment would remove the need for a second vote by the subsequent legislature.
    • to allow petition-initiated amendments to the state constitution
    • to allow recall of state officers
• December 17, 1914: President Woodrow Wilson signed the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act.

Major legislation

• February 18, 1913: Joint Resolution ratifying an amendment to the constitution fo the United States relating to popular election of United States Senators, 1913 Joint Resolution 5. This was Wisconsin's ratification of the seventeenth amendment to the United States Constitution.
• May 7, 1913: An Act to authorize the industrial commission to investigate the subject of old-age pensions, 1913 Act 185. Initial steps toward establishing a state pension system.
• May 14, 1913: An Act ... relating to the law of the road for automobiles, and providing a penalty, 1913 Act 249. Established in law that automobiles and other vehicles should move to their right when encountering oncoming traffic.
• May 27, 1913: An Act ... relating to pecuniary assistance to prisoners and their families, 1913 Act 353. Enabled prisoners to receive payment for participating in state work release programs.
• May 28, 1913: An Act ... relating to infectious diseases, 1913 Act 308. Established that persons suffering from tuberculosis but not abiding by public health directives could be involuntarily committed to a hospital to prevent spread of the disease.
• May 29, 1913: An Act ... to appropriate a certain sum of money to the normal school fund to build a normal school at Eau Claire, 1913 Act 359. Establishing the school that would become University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.
• June 14, 1913: An Act ... relating to the employments of minors and females, 1913 Act 466. Specified a wide range of dangerous job duties for which it would be illegal to employ minors.

Party summary

Senate summary

Senate partisan composition

  Democratic: 7 seats

  Social Dem.: 1 seat

  Republican: 24 seats

  Vacant: 1 seat

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)			Total
	Dem.	S.D.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature	4	2	26	32	1
Start of 1st Session	7	1	25	33	0
From Mar. 4, 1913 [note 1]			24	32	1
Final voting share	25%		75%
Beginning of the next Legislature	9	1	23	33	0

Assembly summary

Assembly partisan composition

  Democratic: 35 seats

  Social Dem.: 6 seats

  Independent: 1 seat

  Republican: 58 seats

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)				Total
	Dem.	S.D.	Ind.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature	29	12	0	59	100	0
Start of 1st Session	35	6	0	59	100	0
From Jan. 19, 1913 [note 2]				58	99	1
From Feb. 25, 1913 [note 3]			1		100	0
Final voting share	42%			58%
Beginning of the next Legislature	29	8	0	63	100	0

Sessions

• 1st Regular session: January 8, 1913 –August 9, 1913

Leaders

Senate leadership

• President of the Senate: Thomas Morris (R)
• President pro tempore: Harry C. Martin (R–Darlington)

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: Merlin Hull (R–Black River Falls)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Fifty-First Wisconsin Legislature: ^[3]

Senate partisan representation

  Democratic: 7 seats

  Social Dem.: 1 seat

  Republican: 25 seats

Dist.	Counties	Senator	Residence	Party
01	Door, Kewaunee, & Marinette	M. W. Perry	Algoma	Rep.
02	Brown & Oconto	Timothy Burke	Green Bay	Rep.
03	Kenosha & Racine	Isaac T. Bishop	Somers	Rep.
04	Milwaukee (Northern Part)	William L. Richards	Milwaukee	Rep.
05	Milwaukee (Middle-West County& Central-Western City)	George J. Weigle	Milwaukee	Rep.
06	Milwaukee (Northern City)	George Weissleder	Milwaukee	Dem.
07	Milwaukee (Southern County)	Gabriel Zophy	Milwaukee	Soc.D.
08	Milwaukee (City South)	Alexander E. Martin	Milwaukee	Rep.
09	Milwaukee (City Downtown)	Edward F. Kileen	Wautoma	Rep.
10	Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, & St. Croix	George B. Skogmo	River Falls	Rep.
11	Burnett, Douglas, & Washburn	Victor Linley	Superior	Rep.
12	Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Rusk, & Sawyer	A. Pearce Tomkins	Ashland	Rep.
13	Dodge & Washington	Paul O. Husting	Mayville	Dem.
14	Outagamie & Shawano	Henry N. Culbertson		Rep.
15	Calumet & Manitowoc	Samuel W. Randolph	Manitowoc	Dem.
16	Crawford, Grant, & Richland	Robert Glenn	Wyalusing	Rep.
17	Green, Iowa, & Lafayette	Harry C. Martin	Darlington	Rep.
18	Fond du Lac & Green Lake	Lewis G. Kellogg	Ripon	Dem.
19	Winnebago	Merritt F. White	Winneconne	Rep.
20	Ozaukee & Sheboygan	William J. Bichler	Belgium	Dem.
21	Adams, Juneau, Marquette, & Waushara	Edward E. Browne (res. March 4, 1913)	Waupaca	Rep.
		--Vacant from Mar. 4, 1913--
22	Rock & Walworth	Lawrence E. Cunningham	Beloit	Rep.
23	Portage & Waupaca	Charles A. Snover	Fort Atkinson	Dem.
24	Clark & Wood	Robert W. Monk	Neillsville	Rep.
25	Langlade & Marathon	W. W. Albers	Wausau	Dem.
26	Dane	Henry Huber	Stoughton	Rep.
27	Columbia & Sauk	John M. True	Baraboo	Rep.
28	Chippewa, & Eau Claire	Edward Ackley	Chippewa Falls	Rep.
29	Barron, Dunn, & Polk	George E. Scott	Prairie Farm	Rep.
30	Florence, Forest, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Taylor, & Vilas	Willard T. Stevens		Rep.
31	Jackson, Monroe, & Vernon	Howard Teasdale	Sparta	Rep.
32	La Crosse & Trempealeau	Otto Bosshard	La Crosse	Rep.
33	Jefferson & Waukesha	George E. Hoyt	Menomonee Falls	Rep.

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fifty-First Wisconsin Legislature: ^[3]

Assembly partisan composition

  Democratic: 35 seats

  Social Dem.: 6 seats

  Independent: 1 seat

  Republican: 58 seats

Milwaukee County districts

Senate District	County	Dist.	Representative	Party	Residence
21	Adams & Marquette		George W. Bingham	Rep.	Friendship
12	Ashland		D. E. Bowe	Rep.	Mellen
29	Barron		Andrew Gulickson	Rep.	Stanley
12	Bayfield		Hubert H. Peavey	Rep.	Washburn
02	Brown	1	Archie McComb	Rep.	Green Bay
		2	John L. Schnitzler	Rep.	De Pere
10	Buffalo & Pepin		James Allison	Rep.	Maxville
11	Burnett & Washburn		Hans M. Laursen	Rep.	Shell Lake
15	Calumet		August T. Dorn	Dem.	Harrison
28	Chippewa		Thomas W. Bartingale	Rep.
24	Clark		Arnt O. Rhea	Rep.	Thorp
27	Columbia		K. A. Johnson	Rep.	Portage
16	Crawford		T. Frank Clancy	Rep.	Soldiers Grove
26	Dane	1	Fred L. Holmes	Rep.	Madison
		2	Edward C. Meland	Rep.	DeForest
		3	Thomas A. Stewart	Dem.	Verona
13	Dodge	1	Charles Lentz	Dem.	Herman
		2	Henry E. Krueger	Dem.	Beaver Dam
01	Door		Lewis L. Johnson	Rep.	Clay Banks
11	Douglas	1	Philip Gannon	Rep.	Superior
		2	Ray J. Nye	Rep.	Superior
29	Dunn		James D. Millar	Rep.	Menomonie
28	Eau Claire		Henry Laycock	Rep.	Eau Claire
30	Florence, Forest, & Oneida		Douglas Anderson	Rep.	Rhinelander
18	Fond du Lac	1	Christian Pickart	Dem.	Marshfield
		2	William F. Sommerfield	Rep.	Oakfield
16	Grant	1	James Dolan	Dem.	Platteville
		2	Henry E. Roethe	Rep.	Fennimore
17	Green		S. A. Schindler	Rep.	New Glarus
18	Green Lake		Newcomb Spoor	Rep.	Berlin
17	Iowa		Albert D. Richardson	Rep.	Wyoming
30	Iron & Vilas		William Whiteside	Rep.
31	Jackson		Merlin Hull	Rep.	Black River Falls
33	Jefferson	1	C. F. Viebahn	Dem.	Watertown
		2	Oscar F. Roessler	Dem.	Jefferson
21	Juneau		A. A. Telfer	Rep.	Elroy
03	Kenosha		Charles H. Pfennig	Rep.	Kenosha
01	Kewaunee		Paul Hoverson	Rep.	Franklin
32	La Crosse	1	Clark L. Hood	Dem.	La Crosse
		2	E. J. Kneen	Dem.	Bangor
17	Lafayette		Julius M. Engebretson	Rep.	Wiota
25	Langlade		Edward Nordman	Dem.	Polar
30	Lincoln		John O'Day	Dem.	Merrill
15	Manitowoc	1	Carl Hansen	Dem.	Manitowoc
		2	Peter J. Murphy	Dem.	Cato
25	Marathon	1	Francis X. Schilling	Rep.	Cassel
		2	Oscar Ringle	Dem.	Wausau
01	Marinette		Albert E. Schwittay (died Jan. 19, 1913)	Rep.	Marinette
			James Larson (from Feb. 25, 1913)	Ind.	Marinette
09	Milwaukee	1	Edwin Hinkel	Dem.	Milwaukee
		2	Thomas A. Manning	Dem.	Milwaukee
		3	David V. Jennings	Dem.	Milwaukee
05		4	Carl Minkley	Soc.D.	Milwaukee
08		5	Charles J. Stemper	Dem.	Milwaukee
05		6	A. J. Hedding	Dem.	Milwaukee
		7	Edward Zinn	Soc.D.	Milwaukee
08		8	Jacob J. Litza Jr.	Dem.	Milwaukee
06		9	W. E. Walsh	Dem.	Milwaukee
04		10	Edward H. Kiefer	Soc.D.	Milwaukee
08		11	James Vint	Soc.D.	Milwaukee
		12	William L. Smith	Soc.D.	Milwaukee
04		13	Charles E. Estabrook	Rep.	Milwaukee
07		14	Martin Gorecki	Soc.D.	Milwaukee
05		15	August Dietrich	Rep.	Milwaukee
		16	Edward J. Burke	Dem.	Milwaukee
07		17	John Paulu	Dem.	Milwaukee
04		18	Joseph F. Smart	Dem.	Milwaukee
07		19	Luke Scanlan	Dem.	Oak Creek
31	Monroe		A. E. Frederick	Rep.	Kendall
02	Oconto		Robert G. Sharp	Rep.	Oconto
14	Outagamie	1	Isaac N. Stewart	Dem.
		2	Charles H. Mory	Rep.	Cicero
20	Ozaukee		Jacob Dietrich	Dem.	Cedarburg
10	Pierce		Cassius D. Hawn	Rep.	Rock Elm
29	Polk		Axel Johnson	Rep.	Apple River
23	Portage		Don C. Hall	Rep.	Stevens Point
12	Price		August Heden	Rep.	Ogema
03	Racine	1	Charles H. Everett	Rep.	Racine
		2	Joseph C. Hamata	Dem.	Racine
28	Richland		J. B. Jenson	Rep.	Westford
22	Rock	1	Alexander Paul	Dem.	Milton
		2	Charles D. Rosa	Rep.	Beloit
12	Rusk & Sawyer		Dell H. Richards	Rep.	Ladysmith
27	Sauk		George Carpenter	Rep.	Baraboo
14	Shawano		Thomas J. Mahon	Rep.	Birnamwood
20	Sheboygan	1	Carl Zillier	Dem.	Sheboygan
		2	Henry Ott	Rep.	Plymouth
10	St. Croix		John A. Chinnock	Rep.	Hudson
30	Taylor		Elias L. Urquhart	Rep.	Medford
32	Trempealeau		L. L. Grinde	Rep.	Gale
31	Vernon		Lawrence Grimsrud	Rep.	Westby
23	Walworth		S. Clayton Goff	Rep.	Elkhorn
13	Washington		Joseph Giudice	Dem.	Slinger
33	Waukesha	1	Percy Sawyer	Rep.	Waukesha
		2	Judson Hall	Dem.	Merton
23	Waupaca		Andrew R. Potts	Rep.	Dayton
21	Waushara		Michael O'Connor	Rep.	Hancock
19	Winnebago	1	Martin T. Battis	Rep.	Oshkosh
		2	Charles Schultz	Dem.	Neenah
		3	Wilbur E. Hurlbut	Rep.	Oshkosh
24	Wood		D. D. Conway	Dem.	Grand Rapids

Changes from the 50th Legislature

New districts for the 51st Legislature were defined in 1911 Wisconsin Act 661, passed into law in the 50th Wisconsin Legislature.

Senate redistricting

Summary of changes

• 11 districts were left unchanged
• Dodge County went from having its own district to sharing with Washington County (13).
• Milwaukee County went from having 5 districts to 6 (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).
• Rock County went from having its own district to sharing again with Walworth County (22).
• Only two single-county districts remain (19, 26).

Senate districts

Dist.	50th Legislature	51st Legislature
1	Door, Kewaunee, Marinette counties	Door, Kewaunee, Marinette counties
2	Brown, Oconto counties	Brown, Oconto counties
3	Kenosha, Racine counties	Kenosha, Racine counties
4	Milwaukee County (northern quarter)	Milwaukee County (northern quarter)
5	Milwaukee County (city center)	Milwaukee County (central-west)
6	Milwaukee County (city northwest)	Milwaukee County (city north)
7	Milwaukee County (southern & west)	Milwaukee County (southern)
8	Milwaukee County (city south)	Milwaukee County (city south)
9	Adams, Marquette, Waushara, Wood counties	Milwaukee County (city center)
10	Pierce, St. Croix counties	Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix counties
11	Burnett, Douglas, Polk counties	Burnett, Douglas, Washburn counties
12	Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Sawyer, Taylor, Washburn counties	Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Rusk, Sawyer counties
13	Dodge County	Dodge, Washington counties
14	Outagamie, Shawano counties	Outagamie, Shawano counties
15	Calumet, Manitowoc counties	Calumet, Manitowoc counties
16	Crawford, Grant counties	Crawford, Grant, Richland counties
17	Green, Iowa, Lafayette counties	Green, Iowa, Lafayette counties
18	Fond du Lac, Green Lake	Fond du Lac, Green Lake
19	Winnebago County	Winnebago County
20	Ozaukee, Sheboygan county	Ozaukee, Sheboygan county
21	Portage, Waupaca counties	Adams, Juneau, Marquette, Waushara counties
22	Rock County	Rock, Walworth counties
23	Jefferson, Walworth counties	Portage, Waupaca counties
24	Chippewa, Eau Claire, Rusk counties	Clark, Wood counties
25	Clark, Marathon counties	Langlade, Marathon counties
26	Dane County	Dane County
27	Columbia, Sauk counties	Columbia, Sauk counties
28	Richland, Vernon counties	Chippewa, Eau Claire counties
29	Barron, Buffalo, Dunn, Pepin counties	Barron, Dunn, Polk counties
30	Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas counties	Florence, Forest, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Taylor, Vilas counties
31	Jackson, Juneau, Monroe counties	Jackson, Monroe, Vernon counties
32	La Crosse, Trempealeau counties	La Crosse, Trempealeau counties
33	Washington, Waukesha counties	Jefferson, Waukesha counties

Assembly redistricting

Summary of changes

• Bayfield County became its own district after previously having been in a shared district with Sawyer and Washburn counties.
• Eau Claire County went from having 2 districts to 1.
• Langlade County became its own district after previously having been in a shared district with Florence and Forest counties.
• Marinette County went from having 2 districts to 1.
• Milwaukee County went from having 16 districts to 19.
• Polk County became its own district after previously having been in a shared district with Burnett County.
• Price and Taylor counties both became independent districts after previously having been in a shared district.
• Rock County went from having 3 districts to 2.
• Sauk County went from having 2 districts to 1.
• Waupaca County went from having 2 districts to 1.

Assembly districts

County	Districts in 50th Legislature	Districts in 51st Legislature	Change
Adams	Shared with Marquette	Shared with Marquette
Ashland	1 District	1 District
Barron	1 District	1 District
Bayfield	Shared with Sawyer, & Washburn	1 District
Brown	2 Districts	2 Districts
Buffalo	Shared with Pepin	Shared with Pepin
Burnett	Shared with Polk	Shared with Washburn
Calumet	1 District	1 District
Chippewa	2 Districts	1 District
Clark	1 District	1 District
Columbia	2 Districts	1 District
Crawford	1 District	1 District
Dane	3 Districts	3 Districts
Dodge	2 Districts	2 Districts
Door	1 District	1 District
Douglas	2 Districts	2 Districts
Dunn	1 District	1 District
Eau Claire	2 Districts	1 District
Florence	Shared with Forest & Langlade	Shared with Forest & Oneida
Fond du Lac	2 Districts	2 Districts
Forest	Shared with Florence & Langlade	Shared with Florence & Oneida
Grant	2 Districts	2 Districts
Green	1 District	1 District
Green Lake	1 District	1 District
Iowa	1 District	1 District
Iron	Shared with Oneida, Vilas	Shared with Vilas
Jackson	1 District	1 District
Jefferson	2 Districts	2 Districts
Juneau	1 District	1 District
Kenosha	1 District	1 District
Kewaunee	1 District	1 District
La Crosse	2 Districts	2 Districts
Lafayette	1 District	1 District
Langlade	Shared with Florence & Forest	1 District
Lincoln	1 District	1 District
Manitowoc	2 Districts	2 Districts
Marathon	2 Districts	2 Districts
Marinette	2 Districts	1 District
Marquette	Shared with Adams	Shared with Adams
Milwaukee	16 Districts	19 Districts
Monroe	1 District	1 District
Oconto	1 District	1 District
Oneida	Shared with Iron, Vilas	Shared with Florence, Forest
Outagamie	2 Districts	2 Districts
Ozaukee	1 District	1 District
Pepin	Shared with Buffalo	Shared with Buffalo
Pierce	1 District	1 District
Polk	Shared with Burnett	1 District
Portage	1 District	1 District
Price	Shared with Taylor	1 District
Racine	2 Districts	2 Districts
Richland	1 District	1 District
Rock	3 Districts	2 Districts
Rusk	Shared with Chippewa	Shared with Sawyer
Sauk	2 Districts	1 District
Sawyer	Shared with Bayfield & Washburn	Shared with Rusk
Shawano	1 District	1 District
Sheboygan	2 Districts	2 Districts
St. Croix	1 District	1 District
Taylor	Shared with Price	1 District
Trempealeau	1 District	1 District
Vernon	1 District	1 District
Vilas	Shared with Iron, Oneida	Shared with Iron
Walworth	1 District	1 District
Washburn	Shared with Bayfield & Sawyer	Shared with Burnett
Washington	1 District	1 District
Waukesha	2 Districts	2 Districts
Waupaca	2 Districts	1 District
Waushara	1 District	1 District
Winnebago	3 Districts	3 Districts
Wood	1 District	1 District

Notes

1. Republican Edward E. Browne (21st District) resigned March 4, 1913, due to his election to the United States House of Representatives.
2. Republican Albert E. Schwittay (Marinette District) died January 19, 1913.
3. Independent James Larson (Marinette District) replaced Albert Schittay.

References

1. Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2021). "Historical Lists" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 467, 471, 474, 479–480. ISBN   978-1-7333817-1-0 . Retrieved March 11, 2023.
2. Janik, Erika (February 27, 2017). "1904 Fire Gutted Capitol, Nearly Cost Madison State Capitol". Wisconsin Public Radio . Retrieved December 29, 2022.
3. "Biographical Sketches". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1913 (Report). Wisconsin Industrial Commission. 1913. pp. 629–690. Retrieved February 7, 2023.

External links

• 1913: Related Documents from Wisconsin Legislature