47th Wisconsin Legislature
The Forty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session, and re-convened for a special session from, through. 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.
This session saw passage of several signature progressive reforms pushed by Governor Robert M. La Follette. Including the creation of a civil service commission to implement merit-based rules for all state government jobs, creation of new powers and commissions for railroad, public health, and tax regulation, and attempts to eliminate lobbying and corporate-funding of political campaigns. This was also the first of several sessions in which Milwaukee County sent a substantial delegation of socialist democrats to the legislature.
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 8, 1904. 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 4, 1902.
The governor of Wisconsin during both of the legislative sessions of this term was Republican Robert M. La Follette, of Dane County, serving the first year of his third two-year term, having won re-election in the 1904 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. La Follette resigned January 1, 1906, after having been elected United States senator. At that time, the lieutenant governor, Republican James O. Davidson, of Crawford County, then ascended to become governor for the remainder of this legislative term.
Major events
- January 24, 1905: Wisconsin governor was elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session. La Follette, who had just been re-elected as governor, then delayed accepting the office until the end of the year, leaving Wisconsin with only one U.S. senator for most of 1905.
- January 30, 1905: The United States Supreme Court decided the case of Swift & Co. v. United States, determining that the commerce clause of the U.S. constitution allowed the Congress to regulate monopolies.
- March 4, 1905: Second inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt.
- June 30, 1905: Albert Einstein submitted his paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies", establishing his theory of special relativity.
- July 21, 1905: The Taft–Katsura agreement was reached between representatives of the United States and the Empire of Japan, to define separate spheres of influence in east Asia.
- September 5, 1905: The Treaty of Portsmouth was signed at Kittery, Maine, by representatives of the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan, bringing an end to the Russo-Japanese War. U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in the negotiations.
- September 27, 1905: Albert Einstein submitted his paper "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?", in which he postulated mass–energy equivalence.
- January 1, 1906: officially resigned as Governor of Wisconsin and began his term as U.S. senator. Lieutenant Governor James O. Davidson was sworn in as the 21st governor of Wisconsin.
- February 7, 1906: The revolutionary British Navy battleship HMS Dreadnought was launched, kicking off a naval arms race with the Imperial German Navy.
- April 3, 1906: William H. Timlin was elected to a new seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
- April 18, 1906: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake destroyed much of San Francisco, resulting in at least 3,000 deaths and leaving over 200,000 homeless.
- May 14, 1906: The Wisconsin Supreme Court decided the case Nunnemacher v. State in favor of the State of Wisconsin — validating the constitutionality of the new state inheritance tax.
- August 23, 1906: Forces of the United States military arrived in Cuba at the request of embattled president Tomás Estrada Palma, beginning the second occupation of Cuba.
- November 3, 1906: SOS became an internationally recognized signal of distress.
- November 6, 1906: James O. Davidson elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
- April 26, 1905: An Act providing for the location of a state normal school at the city of La Crosse, and making an appropriation therefor, . Origin of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
- May 12, 1905: An Act prescribing the duties of physicians and others relative to infectious diseases, . Mandated reporting of statistics of certain infectious diseases to state health authorities, and setting requirements for quarantining, decontamination, and public information. Also criminalized interfering with public health actions, and mandated reporting of any such interference.
- May 12, 1905: An Act relating to inn-keepers and for the promotion of the public health, . Required innkeepers to deny service to people suffering from communicable diseases.
- June 5, 1905: An Act regulating automobiles, auto-cars and other similar motor vehicles on the public highways within the state, . First law for registration and licensing of automobiles in the state, and establishing speed limits.
- June 13, 1905: An Act to regulate railroads and other common carriers in this state, create a board of railroad commissioners, fix their salaries, define their duties, prevent the imposition of unreasonable rates, prevent unjust discriminations, insure an adequate railway service, prescribe the mode of procedure and the rules of evidence in relation thereto, prescribe penalties for violations, and making an appropriation therefor, . Abolished the statewide elected office of Railroad Commissioner and created a board of commissioners.
- June 14, 1905: An Act in relation to the civil service of the state of Wisconsin and making an appropriation, . Established a civil service commission and mandated that all future government appointments must follow merit-based rules defined by the civil service commission.
- June 19, 1905: An Act to amend chapter 569 of the laws of 1901 entitled "An Act to detach certain territory from the county of Chippewa and to create the county of Gates," . Renamed Gates County to Rusk County.
- June 20, 1905: An Act prohibiting legislative counsel and agents from attempting to influence members of the legislature other than by appearance before the committees therof, . Attempted to ban lobbying.
- June 21, 1905: An Act relating to the use of money by corporations in elections, . Attempted to ban corporations from spending money on political campaigns or candidates.
- Joint Resolution granting return of confederate flags to state of Alabama, . Returned several regimental flags captured by Wisconsin regiments during the American Civil War.
- Joint Resolution providing for an amendment to section 10, article 8 of the constitution, relating to internal improvement, . First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to authorize appropriations for highway construction.
- . Proposing an amendment to the state constitution to allow an income tax. This amendment had different language from a similar 1903 proposed amendment, and therefore was the first legislative passage of the amendment.
- Joint Resolution to amend section 10 article 5 of the constitution relating to the approval of bills by the governor, . First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to put a time limit on gubernatorial vetos.
- Joint Resolution providing for an amemlnient to section 1 of article 3 of the constitution, relating to electors, . First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to remove voting rights from non-citizens.
Sessions
1st Regular session: January 11, 1905June 21, 1905December 1905 Special session: December 4, 1905December 19, 1905Leaders
Senate leadership
- President of the Senate: James O. Davidson
- President pro tempore: James J. McGillivray
Assembly leadership
Members
Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Forty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Door, Kewaunee, | Wausaukee | Rep. | |
| 02 | Brown | Green Bay | Rep. | |
| 03 | Kenosha | Racine | Rep. | |
| 04 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Rep. | |
| 05 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Rep. | |
| 06 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Soc.D. | |
| 07 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Rep. | |
| 08 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Rep. | |
| 09 | Adams, Marquette, Waushara, | Grand Rapids | Rep. | |
| 10 | Pierce | Hudson | Rep. | |
| 11 | Burnett, Douglas, | Superior | Rep. | |
| 12 | Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Sawyer, Taylor, | Ashland | Rep. | |
| 13 | Dodge | Fox Lake | Dem. | |
| 14 | Outagamie | Appleton | Rep. | |
| 15 | Calumet | Manitowoc | Dem. | |
| 16 | Crawford | Platteville | Rep. | |
| 17 | Green, Iowa, | Darlington | Rep. | |
| 18 | Markesan | Dem. | ||
| 19 | Winnebago | Oshkosh | Rep. | |
| 20 | Ozaukee | Rhine | Rep. | |
| 21 | Portage | New London | Rep. | |
| 22 | Rock | Janesville | Rep. | |
| 23 | Jefferson | Whitewater | Rep. | |
| 24 | Chippewa,, | Eau Claire | Rep. | |
| 25 | Clark | Wausau | Rep. | |
| 26 | Dane | Madison | Rep. | |
| 27 | Columbia | Leeds | Rep. | |
| 28 | Richland, | Viroqua | Rep. | |
| 29 | Barron, Buffalo, Dunn, | Menomonie | Rep. | |
| 30 | Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, | Merrill | Rep. | |
| 31 | Jackson, Juneau, | Black River Falls | Rep. | |
| 32 | La Crosse | La Crosse | Rep. | |
| 33 | Washington | Dem. |
Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Forty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:Committees
Senate committees
- Senate Committee on AgricultureG. Wylie, chair
- Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of TaxesHudnall, chair
- Senate Committee on CorporationsBeach, chair
- Senate Committee on EducationJ. H. Stout, chair
- Senate Committee on Enrolled BillsMerton, chair
- Senate Committee on Engrossed BillsWilcox, chair
- Senate Committee on Federal RelationsFroemming, chair
- Senate Committee on Finance, Banks, and InsuranceJ. E. Roehr, chair
- Senate Committee on the JudiciaryA. L. Kreutzer, chair
- Senate Committee on Legislative ExpensesStevens, chair
- Senate Committee on Manufactures and LaborRummel, chair
- Senate Committee on Military AffairsFrear, chair
- Senate Committee on Privileges and ElectionsMartin, chair
- Senate Committee on Public HealthNoble, chair
- Senate Committee on Public LandsC. C. Rogers, chair
- Senate Committee on RailroadsHatton, chair
- Senate Committee on Roads and BridgesG. W. Wolff, chair
- Senate Committee on State AffairsMunson, chair
- Senate Committee on Town and County OrganizationsSanborn, chair
Assembly committees
- Assembly Committee on AgricultureJ. A. Fridd, chair
- Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of TaxesA. H. Dahl, chair
- Assembly Committee on CitiesW. W. Andrew, chair
- Assembly Committee on CorporationsF. J. Carpenter, chair
- Assembly Committee on Dairy and FoodJ. S. Donald, chair
- Assembly Committee on EducationD. McGregor, chair
- Assembly Committee on Enrolled BillsF. J. Bohri, chair
- Assembly Committee on Engrossed BillsJ. S. Bletcher, chair
- Assembly Committee on Federal RelationsA. J. Jerdee, chair
- Assembly Committee on Finance, Banks, and InsuranceR. E. Tarrell, chair
- Assembly Committee on the JudiciaryH. L. Ekern, chair
- Assembly Committee on Legislative ExpendituresR. C. Smelker, chair
- Assembly Committee on Lumber and MiningG. E. Beedle, chair
- Assembly Committee on ManufacturesP. H. Hamm, chair
- Assembly Committee on Military AffairsJ. A. Henry, chair
- Assembly Committee on Privileges and ElectionsE. W. LeRoy, chair
- Assembly Committee on Public Health and SanitationJ. Dinsdale, chair
- Assembly Committee on Public ImprovementsJ. P. Chandler, chair
- Assembly Committee on Public LandsG. P. Stevens, chair
- Assembly Committee on RailroadsW. S. Braddock, chair
- Assembly Committee on Roads and BridgesT. Johnson, chair
- Assembly Committee on State AffairsO. G. Kinney, chair
- Assembly Committee on Town and County OrganizationW. S. Irvine, chair
- Assembly Committee on Ways and MeansF. Hartung, chair
Joint committees
- Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal InstitutionsHagemeister & H. Johnson, co-chairs
- Joint Committee on ClaimsBurns & R. Ainsworth, co-chairs
- Joint Committee on Fish and GameWipperman & J. Swenholt, co-chairs
- Joint Committee on Forestry and LumberBird & E. E. Winch, co-chairs
- Joint Committee on PrintingMorris & J. B. Hagarty, co-chairs
- Joint Committee on Revision of BillsWhitehead & R. C. Smelker, co-chairs
- Special Joint Committee on Capitol and GroundsStout & I. L. Lenroot, co-chairs
- Special Joint Committee on RulesJohnson & H. L. Ekern, co-chairs
Employees
Senate employees
- Chief Clerk: Leo K. Eaton
- * Journal Clerk: A. R. Emerson
- * Bookkeeper: J. D. O'Brien
- * General Clerk: Ralph Pomeroy
- * Engrossing Clerk: H. Wipperman Jr.
- * Enrolling Clerk: O. G. Briggs
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Russell C. Falconer
- * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles Good
- * Document Clerk: Thomas Walby
- Postmaster: Christoph Paulus
Assembly employees
- Chief Clerk: C. O. Marsh
- * Journal Clerk: Chas. A. Leicht
- * Bookkeeper: C. E. Shaffer
- * General Clerk: Ralph E. Smith
- ** 2nd General Clerk: L. B. Nagler
- * Enrolling Clerk: A. W. Pott
- * Engrossing Clerk: J. E. Noyes
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Nicholas Streveler
- * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: C. H. Collins
- ** 2nd Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Walter Eagan
- * Document Clerk: Burne Pollock
- Postmaster: John Harris