59th Wisconsin Legislature

The Fifty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 9, 1929, to September 20, 1929, in regular session.[1]

59th Wisconsin Legislature
58th 60th
Wisconsin State Capitol ca.1915
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 7, 1929 January 5, 1931
ElectionNovember 6, 1928
Senate
Members33
Senate PresidentHenry Huber (R)
President pro temporeOscar Morris (R)
Party controlRepublican
Assembly
Members100
Assembly SpeakerCharles B. Perry (R)
Party controlRepublican
Sessions
RegularJanuary 9, 1929 September 20, 1929

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 6, 1928. 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 2, 1926.[1]

Major events

  • January 7, 1929: Inauguration of Walter J. Kohler Sr. as the 26th Governor of Wisconsin.
  • March 4, 1929: Inauguration of Herbert Hoover as the 31st President of the United States
  • March 23, 1929: Wisconsin chief justice Aad J. Vinje died in office. Justice Marvin B. Rosenberry immediately succeeded to the position of chief justice due to the rule of seniority.
  • April 2, 1929: 1929 Wisconsin Spring general election:
    • Wisconsin voters approved two amendments to the state constitution:
      • Allowing legislators to set their own salary by law rather than fixing the salary in the constitution. This was the sixth attempt in 20 years to amend the constitution to allow some adjustment to legislator salary, all the previous attempts failed.
      • Sheriffs were allowed to serve two consecutive terms in office.
    • Wisconsin voters approved an advisory (non-binding) referendum calling for modification of the federal prohibition law.
  • April 12, 1929: Governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. appointed Chester A. Fowler to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Aad J. Vinje.
  • May 1, 1929: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Christian Doerfler resigned due to poor health.
  • June 3, 1929: Governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. appointed Oscar M. Fritz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the retired justice Christian Doerfler.
  • July 27, 1929: The Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War was signed by 37 nations, including the United States.
  • October 2429, 1929: The Wall Street Crash of 1929 wiped out more than $30 Billion worth of value from the New York Stock Exchange (over $530 Billion adjusted for inflation), one of the inciting events of the Great Depression.
  • October 25, 1929: Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall was convicted of bribery for his role in the Teapot Dome scandal, becoming the first Presidential cabinet member to go to prison for actions in office.
  • November 14, 1929: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Franz C. Eschweiler died in office.
  • December 15, 1929: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1929 NFL season.
  • April 4, 1930: Governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. appointed Edward T. Fairchild to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Franz C. Eschweiler.
  • May 2, 1930: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Charles H. Crownhart died in office.
  • June 17, 1930: U.S. President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, enacting some of the highest tariffs in U.S. history.
  • July 13, 1930: Wisconsin congressman Florian Lampert (WI-06) died in office.
  • August 25, 1930: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice E. Ray Stevens died in office.
  • September 16, 1930: Incumbent Wisconsin governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. lost renomination in the Republican primary (in the ongoing intra-party feud, the progressive Philip La Follette defeated the stalwart Kohler).
  • September 25, 1930: Governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. appointed John D. Wickhem to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Charles H. Crownhart.
  • September 26, 1930: Governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. appointed George B. Nelson to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice E. Ray Stevens.
  • November 4, 1930: 1930 United States general election:
  • December 14, 1930: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1930 NFL season.

Major legislation

  • August 30, 1929: An Act ... relating to a children's code for Wisconsin and providing penalties, 1929 Act 439. Wisconsin's Children's Code, created a comprehensive set of state laws around child welfare and juvenile justice.
  • September 12, 1929: An Act ... relating to the consolidation of the departments of agriculture, the dairy and food commissioner, the department of markets, the state treasury agent, the state supervisor of inspectors of illuminating oils and the state humane agent in a new department of agriculture tind markets, and making appropriations, 1929 Act 479. Consolidated several state agencies and commissions into the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Markets.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 6: Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of Article IV of the constitution, relating to the compensation of members of the legislature, so as to in effect repeal such section, and the submission of this amendment to a vote of the people at the April election of 1929. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove the constitution's prescriptive section on legislator pay and instead allow legislator pay to be set by the normal legislative process. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1929 election.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 13: Joint Resolution to amend section 4 of Article VI of the constitution, relating to the election of sheriffs and to submit this amendment to a vote of the people at the April election of 1929. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow sheriffs to serve two consecutive terms. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1929 election.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 43: Joint Resolution to amend section 10 of article V of the constitution, relating to the approval of bills by the governor, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the general election in November, 1930. Second legislative passaged of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to grant the Governor the power of a partial veto on appropriation bills. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1930 election.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 69: Joint Resolution to amend section 5 of Article V of the constitution, relating to the compensation of the governor, so as to in effect repeal the said section. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove the constitution's prescriptive section on gubernatorial salary and instead allow the Governor's salary to be set through the normal legislative process. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 70: Joint Resolution to amend section 9 of Article V of the constitution, relating to the compensation of the lieutenant governor, so as to in effect repeal this section. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove the constitution's prescriptive section on Lieutenant Governor's salary and instead allow the Lieutenant Governor's salary to be set through the normal legislative process. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 72: Joint Resolution to amend Section 1 of Article VII of the constitution, relating to impeachments. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution making technical corrections to the impeachment section of the constitution. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.
  • 1929 Joint Resolution 74: Joint Resolution to amend section 3 of article XI of the constitution, relating to indebtedness secured by public utility and other income producing property of municipalities. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution making additional allowances for municipal indebtedness. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.

Party summary

Senate summary

Senate partisan composition
  Socialist: 2 seats
  Republican: 31 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. Soc. Rep. Vacant
End of previous Legislature 0 2 31 33 0
Start of Reg. Session 0 2 31 33 0
Final voting share 6.06% 93.94%
Beginning of the next Legislature 1 2 30 33 0

Assembly summary

Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 5 seats
  Socialist: 3 seats
  Independent: 1 seat
  Republican: 91 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. Soc. Ind. Rep. Vacant
End of previous Legislature 2 8 1 89 100 0
Start of Reg. Session 5 3 1 91 100 0
From July 28, 1930[note 1] 90 99 1
Final voting share 9.09% 90.91%
Beginning of the next Legislature 3 9 0 88 100 0

Sessions

  • Regular session: January 9, 1929  September 20, 1929

Leaders

Senate leadership

Assembly leadership

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Fifty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

Senate partisan representation
  Socialist: 2 seats
  Republican: 31 seats
Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party
01 Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc John E. Cashman Denmark Rep.
02 Brown & Oconto Elmer Hall Green Bay Rep.
03 Milwaukee (South City) Walter Polakowski Milwaukee Soc.
04 Milwaukee (Northeast County & Northeast City) Oscar Morris Milwaukee Rep.
05 Milwaukee (Northwest City) Bernhard Gettelman Milwaukee Rep.
06 Milwaukee (North-Central City) Thomas M. Duncan Milwaukee Soc.
07 Milwaukee (Southeast County & Southeast City) Herbert H. Smith Milwaukee Rep.
08 Milwaukee (Western County) Harry Daggett Milwaukee Rep.
09 Milwaukee (City Downtown) Irving P. Mehigan Milwaukee Rep.
10 Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, & St. Croix Walter H. Hunt River Falls Rep.
11 Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, & Washburn R. Bruce Johnson Superior Rep.
12 Ashland, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, & Vilas James H. Carroll Glidden Rep.
13 Dodge & Washington William H. Markham Horicon Rep.
14 Outagamie & Shawano Anton M. Miller Kaukauna Rep.
15 Rock George W. Blanchard Edgerton Rep.
16 Crawford, Grant, & Vernon Edward J. Roethe Fennimore Rep.
17 Green, Iowa, & Lafayette Charles W. Hutchison Mineral Point Rep.
18 Fond du Lac, Green Lake & Waushara L. J. Fellenz Fond du Lac Rep.
19 Calumet & Winnebago Merritt F. White Winneconne Rep.
20 Ozaukee & Sheboygan Herman E. Boldt Sheboygan Falls Rep.
21 Racine Walter S. Goodland Racine Rep.
22 Kenosha & Walworth Conrad Shearer Kenosha Rep.
23 Portage & Waupaca Herman J. Severson Iola Prog.Rep.
24 Clark, Taylor, & Wood Walter J. Rush Neillsville Rep.
25 Lincoln & Marathon Otto Mueller Wausau Rep.
26 Dane Glenn D. Roberts Madison Rep.
27 Columbia, Richland, & Sauk Robert Caldwell Lodi Rep.
28 Chippewa & Eau Claire Peter J. Smith Eau Claire Rep.
29 Barron, Dunn, & Polk Carl B. Casperson Frederic Rep.
30 Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, & Oneida James A. Barker Antigo Rep.
31 Adams, Juneau, Monroe, & Marquette Howard Teasdale Sparta Rep.
32 Jackson, La Crosse, & Trempealeau V. S. Keppel Holmen Rep.
33 Jefferson & Waukesha John C. Schumann Watertown Rep.

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fifty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 5 seats
  Socialist: 3 seats
  Independent: 1 seat
  Republican: 91 seats
Milwaukee County districts
Senate
Dist.
County Dist. Representative Party Residence
31 Adams & Marquette George W. Bingham Rep. Friendship
12 Ashland Lawrence A. Lamoreux Rep. Ashland
29 Barron Charles A. Beggs Rep. Rice Lake
11 Bayfield Robert A. Nixon Rep. Washburn
02 Brown 1 Harold C. Malchow Rep. Green Bay
2 E. F. Brunette Dem. Howard
10 Buffalo & Pepin Arthur A. Hitt Rep. Alma
11 Burnett & Washburn Louis Thayer Rep. Birchwood
19 Calumet Charles A. Barnard Rep. Brillion
28 Chippewa Gustave Rheingans Prog.Rep. Chippewa Falls
24 Clark Arlo Huckstead Rep. Neillsville
27 Columbia E. Myrwyn Rowlands Rep. Cambria
16 Crawford Archie J. McDowell Rep. Soldiers Grove
26 Dane 1 Alvin C. Reis Rep. Madison
2 James C. Hanson Rep. Deerfield
3 Albert J. Baker Rep. Mount Horeb
13 Dodge 1 John M. Dihring Rep. Brownsville
2 Fred E. Moul Rep. Burnett
01 Door Moulton Goff Rep. Sturgeon Bay
11 Douglas 1 Roy L. Pinn Prog.Rep. Superior
2 Philip E. Nelson Rep. Maple
29 Dunn James D. Millar Rep. Menomonie
28 Eau Claire C. N. Saugen Rep. Pleasant Valley
30 Florence, Forest, & Oneida Joseph D. Grandine Rep. Argonne
18 Fond du Lac 1 Carlton W. Mauthe Rep. Fond du Lac
2 Walter N. Beck Rep. Campbellsport
16 Grant 1 Harry E. Stephens Rep. Platteville
2 Leroy D. Eastman Rep. Lancaster
17 Green Ernst J. Hoesly Prog.Rep. New Glarus
18 Green Lake & Waushara George M. O'Connor Rep. Hancock
17 Iowa John S. Jackson Rep. Mineral Point
12 Iron & Vilas Charles L. Lacy Rep. Mercer
32 Jackson Emil G. Gilbertson Rep. Black River Falls
33 Jefferson Don V. Smith Rep. Lake Mills
31 Juneau Orland S. Loomis Rep. Mauston
22 Kenosha 1 C. Ernest Dewey Rep. Kenosha
2 August J. Piper Rep. Somers
01 Kewaunee Anton G. Schauer Rep. Kewaunee
32 La Crosse 1 John Mulder Rep. La Crosse
2 William F. Miller Rep. West Salem
17 Lafayette S. Dell Penniston Rep. Argyle
30 Langlade John R. Fronek Rep. Antigo
25 Lincoln Paul Gebert Sr. Rep. Merrill
01 Manitowoc 1 John Lorfeld Rep. Cleveland
2 Thomas A. Sullivan Rep. Reedsville
25 Marathon 1 Joseph L. Barber Rep. Marathon
2 Henry Ellenbecker Rep. Wausau
30 Marinette Charles A. Budlong Rep. Marinette
09 Milwaukee 1 Thomas H. Conway Rep. Milwaukee
2 Michael Laffey Rep. Milwaukee
04 3 Albert F. Woller Soc. Milwaukee
4 Fred W. Springer Rep. Milwaukee
07 5 Joseph Przybylski Rep. Milwaukee
06 6 Frederick W. Cords Jr. Rep. Milwaukee
7 Philip Wenz Soc. Milwaukee
03 8 Mary O. Kryszak Dem. Milwaukee
06 9 Otto Kehrein Soc. Milwaukee
08 10 John W. Eber Rep. Milwaukee
03 11 Alex Chmurski Rep. Milwaukee
05 12 Harry G. Slater Rep. Milwaukee
04 13 Ernst Pahl Rep. Milwaukee
07 14 Alfred Buntin Rep. Milwaukee
05 15 Theodore Engel Rep. Milwaukee
08 16 Charles B. Perry Rep. Wauwatosa
07 17 John W. Grobschmidt Rep. Lake
04 18 Frank L. Prescott Rep. Whitefish Bay
08 19 Eugene A. Phalen Rep. West Allis
05 20 Norman R. Klug Rep. Milwaukee
31 Monroe Earl D. Hall Rep. Greenfield
02 Oconto Carl Schoenebeck Rep. Lena
14 Outagamie 1 Oscar J. Schmiege Rep. Appleton
2 John E. Rohan Dem. Kaukauna
20 Ozaukee Louis G. Kieker Dem. Thiensville
10 Pierce Charles E. Hanson Rep. River Falls
29 Polk E. E. Husband Rep. Balsam Lake
23 Portage Michael J. Mersch Dem. Stevens Point
12 Price L. S. Shauger Rep. Ogema
21 Racine 1 Wallace Ingalls Rep. Racine
2 Edward F. Hilker Rep. Racine
3 John H. Kamper Rep. Raymond
27 Richland Harley A. Martin Ind. Richland Center
15 Rock 1 Stanley Slagg Rep. Edgerton
2 Erastus G. Smith Rep. Beloit
12 Rusk & Sawyer J. W. Carow Rep. Ladysmith
27 Sauk Robert J. Keller Rep. Sauk City
14 Shawano Paul T. Fuhrman Rep. Bowler
20 Sheboygan 1 Curt W. Janke Rep. Sheboygan
2 John Mentink Rep. Cedar Grove
10 St. Croix Lynn H. Ashley Rep. Hudson
24 Taylor John Gamper Rep. Medford
32 Trempealeau Thomas Hunter Rep. Galesville
16 Vernon Dedrick M. Langve Rep. Westby
22 Walworth Daniel E. LaBar Rep. Delavan
13 Washington Joseph J. Huber Rep. West Bend
33 Waukesha 1 Evan G. Davies Rep. Wales
2 W. H. Edwards Rep. Sussex
23 Waupaca Daniel F. Burnham Rep. Waupaca
19 Winnebago 1 William Meyer Rep. Oshkosh
2 Nels Larson Rep. Neenah
24 Wood Peter Ebbe Rep. Marshfield

Committees

Senate committees

  • Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Labor  J. C. Schumann, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Committees  E. J. Roethe, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures  W. H. Markham, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Corporations and Taxation  H. Daggett, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public Welfare  W. S. Goodland, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Highways  C. B. Casperson, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary  I. P. Mehigan, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Legislative Procedure  O. Morris, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government  M. F. White, chair

Assembly committees

  • Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture  D. V. Smith, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures  C. E. Hanson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation  L. L. Thayer, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures  J. C. Hanson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Education  E. G. Smith, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Elections  C. A. Budlong, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills  C. N. Saugen, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills  J. W. Carow, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees  C. L. Lacy, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Highways  G. M. O'Connor, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking  F. L. Prescott, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary  A. C. Reis, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Labor  M. Laffey, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities  T. Engel, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Printing  E. E. Husband, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare  H. E. Stephens, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Revision  F. E. Moul, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Rules  W. H. Edwards, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs  P. E. Nelson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation  W. H. Edwards, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading  L. D. Eastman, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation  T. H. Conway, chair

Joint committees

  • Joint Standing Committee on Finance  H. E. Boldt (Sen.) & E. F. Hilker (Asm.), co-chairs

Employees

Senate employees

  • Chief Clerk: Oliver Munson[2]
    • Assistant Chief Clerk: R. A. Cobban
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: George W. Rickeman
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: E. A. Hartman
  • Postmaster: Joseph Kernler

Assembly employees

  • Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer[2]
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles F. Moulton
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Lincoln Neprud
  • Postmaster: Arthur Dihring

Notes

  1. Republican C. N. Saugen (Eau Claire County) died.

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. 468, 471, 475, 479–480. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  2. Anderson, William J.; Anderson, William A., eds. (1929). "State Government: Legislative Branch". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1929 (Report). Wisconsin State Printing Board. pp. 499–596. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
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