58th Wisconsin Legislature
# 58th Wisconsin Legislature

The Fifty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1927, to August 13, 1927, in regular session, and reconvened in two special sessions in 1928.

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 2, 1926. 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 4, 1924.

## Major events

* January 3, 1927: Inauguration of Fred R. Zimmerman as the 25th Governor of Wisconsin.
* January 7, 1927: The first transatlantic telephone call was made via radio from New York City, United States, to London, United Kingdom.
* January 24, 1927: United States marines invaded Nicaragua to bolster the conservative government forces against liberal rebels in the Nicaraguan Civil War.
* February 23, 1927: U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signed the Radio Act of 1927, creating the Federal Radio Commission.
* March 21, 1927: The Orpheum Theatre opened in Madison, Wisconsin.
* April 5, 1927: 1927 Wisconsin Spring general election:
   * Wisconsin voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution to increase legislator pay to $1,000 per session.
   * Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to adjust taxation of forest land.
* May 20–21, 1927: Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight—from New York to Paris—in his single-engine aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis.
* July 2, 1927: The Oriental Theatre opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
* August 2, 1927: U.S. President Calvin Coolidge announced he would not run for re-election in 1928.
* September 13, 1927: The Eagles Club opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
* October 3, 1927: Farmers Mutual Insurance Company—which later became American Family Insurance—was founded in Madison, Wisconsin.
* June 29, 1928: Al Smith accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party for President of the United States, becoming the first Catholic presidential nominee of a major American political party.
* August 27, 1928: The Kellogg–Briand Pact was signed in Paris, becoming the first treaty renouncing the policy of aggressive war.
* September 4, 1928: Incumbent Wisconsin governor Fred R. Zimmerman lost renomination in the Republican primary.
* November 6, 1928: 1928 United States general election:
   * Herbert Hoover elected President of the United States.
   * Walter J. Kohler Sr. elected Governor of Wisconsin.
   * Robert La Follette Jr. re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.

## Major legislation

* 1927 Joint Resolution 12: Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of article IV of the constitution, relating to compensation of members of the legislature and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the April election of 1927. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to increase legislator pay to $1,000 per session. This amendment was defeated by voters in the April 1927 election.
* 1927 Joint Resolution 13: Joint Resolution to amend section 1 of article VIII of the constitution, relating to taxation of forests and minerals and of forest and mineral lands, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the April election of 1927. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to adjust taxation of forest land. This amendment was ratified by voters in the April 1927 election.
* 1927 Joint Resolution 18: Joint Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States to provide for a nation-wide referendum on the question of modifying the Volstead act. Wisconsin made several appeals to amend the alcohol probition law in order to allow the manufacture and sale of beer.
* 1927 Joint Resolution 21: Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of article IV of the constitution, relating to compensation of members of the legislature. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow legislator pay to be set by law rather than fixed by the constitution. This amendment would eventually be ratified by voters in the April 1929 election. This was the sixth attempt in 20 years to amend the constitution to update legislator compensation. The previous attempts were rejected by voters in elections in 1910, 1914, 1920, 1924, and 1927.
* 1927 Joint Resolution 24: Joint Resolution to amend section 4, Article VI, of the constitution, relating to the election of sheriffs. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution allow sheriffs to serve two consecutive terms. This amendment would eventually be ratified by voters at the April 1929 election.
* 1927 Joint Resolution 37: Joint Resolution to amend section 10 of article V of the constitution, relating to the approval of bills by the governor. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to grant the Governor the power of a partial veto on appropriation bills. This amendment would eventually be ratified by voters at the November 1930 election.

## Party summary

### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Dem. | Soc. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 0 | 3 | 30 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 0 | 2 | 31 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 6.06% | 6.06% | 93.94% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 0 | 2 | 31 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Dem. | Soc. | Ind. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 1 | 7 | 0 | 88 | 96 | 4 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 2 | 8 | 1 | 89 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 11% | 11% | 11% | 89% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 5 | 3 | 1 | 91 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 12, 1927 – August 13, 1927
* January 1928 special session: January 24, 1928 – February 4, 1928
* March 1928 special session: March 6, 1928 – March 13, 1928

## Leaders

### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Henry Huber (R)
* President pro tempore: William L. Smith (R–Neillsville)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: John W. Eber (R–Milwaukee)

## Members

### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Fifty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 01 | Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc | John E. Cashman | Denmark | Rep. |
| 02 | Brown & Oconto | John B. Chase | Oconto | 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) | Alex C. Ruffing | Milwaukee | Soc. |
| 07 | Milwaukee (Southeast County & Southeast City) | Herbert H. Smith | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 08 | Milwaukee (Western County) | Harry Daggett | West 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 | John Englund | Wittenberg | 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 | William A. Titus | 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 | George W. Hull | Whitewater | Rep. |
| 23 | Portage & Waupaca | Herman J. Severson | Iola | Rep. |
| 24 | Clark, Taylor, & Wood | William L. Smith | Neillsville | Rep. |
| 25 | Lincoln & Marathon | Otto Mueller | Wausau | Rep. |
| 26 | Dane | Harry Sauthoff | Madison | Rep. |
| 27 | Columbia, Richland, & Sauk | Robert Caldwell | Lodi | Rep. |
| 28 | Chippewa & Eau Claire | Herman Lange | 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-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

| Senate Dist. | County | Dist. | Representative | Party | Residence |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 31 | Adams & Marquette | Adams & Marquette | Robert B. Wood | Rep. | Adams |
| 12 | Ashland | Ashland | Bernard J. Gehrmann | Rep. | Mellen |
| 29 | Barron | Barron | Charles A. Beggs | Rep. | Rice Lake |
| 11 | Bayfield | Bayfield | Paul Ungrodt | Rep. | Washburn |
| 02 | Brown | 1 | Malcolm A. Sellers | Rep. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown | 2 | Gustav J. Zittlow | Rep. | West De Pere |
| 10 | Buffalo & Pepin | Buffalo & Pepin | Arthur A. Hitt | Rep. | Alma |
| 11 | Burnett & Washburn | Burnett & Washburn | Louis Thayer | Rep. | Birchwood |
| 19 | Calumet | Calumet | Carl Hillmann | Rep. | Brillion |
| 28 | Chippewa | Chippewa | Gustave Rheingans | Prog.Rep. | Chippewa Falls |
| 24 | Clark | Clark | Arlo Huckstead | Rep. | Neillsville |
| 27 | Columbia | Columbia | E. Myrwyn Rowlands | Rep. | Cambria |
| 16 | Crawford | Crawford | Archie J. McDowell | Rep. | Soldiers Grove |
| 26 | Dane | 1 | Alvin C. Reis | Rep. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 2 | James C. Hanson | Rep. | Deerfield |
| 26 | Dane | 3 | Albert J. Baker | Rep. | Mount Horeb |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | John M. Dihring | Rep. | Brownsville |
| 13 | Dodge | 2 | Philip J. Zink | Dem. | Beaver Dam |
| 01 | Door | Door | Bernard Hahn | Rep. | Gibraltar |
| 11 | Douglas | 1 | Walter W. Lang | Rep. | Superior |
| 11 | Douglas | 2 | Philip E. Nelson | Rep. | Maple |
| 29 | Dunn | Dunn | James D. Millar | Rep. | Menomonie |
| 28 | Eau Claire | Eau Claire | C. N. Saugen | Rep. | Pleasant Valley |
| 30 | Florence, Forest, & Oneida | Florence, Forest, & Oneida | Joseph D. Grandine | Rep. | Argonne |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Math Koenigs | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Thomas Dieringer | Prog.Rep. | Campbellsport |
| 16 | Grant | 1 | Harry E. Stephens | Rep. | Platteville |
| 16 | Grant | 2 | Leroy D. Eastman | Rep. | Boscobel |
| 17 | Green | Green | Ernst J. Hoesly | Prog.Rep. | New Glarus |
| 18 | Green Lake & Waushara | Green Lake & Waushara | George M. O'Connor | Rep. | Hancock |
| 17 | Iowa | Iowa | John S. Jackson | Rep. | Mineral Point |
| 12 | Iron & Vilas | Iron & Vilas | Richard C. Trembath | Rep. | Hurley |
| 32 | Jackson | Jackson | Emil G. Gilbertson | Rep. | Black River Falls |
| 33 | Jefferson | Jefferson | Don V. Smith | Rep. | Lake Mills |
| 31 | Juneau | Juneau | A. A. Telfer | Rep. | Elroy |
| 22 | Kenosha | 1 | Conrad Shearer | Rep. | Kenosha |
| 22 | Kenosha | 2 | Don J. Vincent | Rep. | Genoa City |
| 01 | Kewaunee | Kewaunee | Anton G. Schauer | Rep. | Kewaunee |
| 32 | La Crosse | 1 | Gardner R. Withrow | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 32 | La Crosse | 2 | John Larson | Rep. | West Salem |
| 17 | Lafayette | Lafayette | S. Dell Penniston | Rep. | Argyle |
| 30 | Langlade | Langlade | John R. Fronek | Rep. | Antigo |
| 25 | Lincoln | Lincoln | Richard Kamke | Rep. | Merrill |
| 01 | Manitowoc | 1 | Charles Schuette | Rep. | Manitowoc |
| 01 | Manitowoc | 2 | Herman Roethel | Rep. | Kiel |
| 25 | Marathon | 1 | Mathias J. Berres | Rep. | Edgar |
| 25 | Marathon | 2 | Henry Ellenbecker | Rep. | Wausau |
| 30 | Marinette | Marinette | Charles A. Budlong | Rep. | Marinette |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 1 | Thomas H. Conway | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 2 | Michael Laffey | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 3 | Albert F. Woller | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 4 | Thomas Duncan | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 5 | George L. Tews | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 6 | Frederick Petersen | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 7 | Philip Wenz | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 8 | Louis Polewczynski | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 9 | Julius Kiesner | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 10 | John W. Eber | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 11 | Elmer Baumann | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 12 | Henry A. Staab | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 13 | Barney F. Spott | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 14 | George Gauer | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 15 | Theodore Engel | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 16 | Arthur J. Miller | Rep. | Wauwatosa |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 17 | Clarence C. Krause | Rep. | Lake |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 18 | Frank L. Prescott | Rep. | Whitefish Bay |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 19 | George C. Hinkley | Rep. | West Allis |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 20 | William Coleman | Soc. | Milwaukee |
| 31 | Monroe | Monroe | Earl D. Hall | Rep. | Greenfield |
| 02 | Oconto | Oconto | Carl Schoenebeck | Rep. | Lena |
| 14 | Outagamie | 1 | Oscar J. Schmiege | Rep. | Appleton |
| 14 | Outagamie | 2 | Anton M. Miller | Rep. | Kaukauna |
| 20 | Ozaukee | Ozaukee | John J. Jungers | Rep. | Grafton |
| 10 | Pierce | Pierce | Theodore Swanson | Rep. | Ellsworth |
| 29 | Polk | Polk | E. E. Husband | Rep. | Balsam Lake |
| 23 | Portage | Portage | Michael J. Mersch | Dem. | Stevens Point |
| 12 | Price | Price | Helen F. Thompson | Rep. | Park Falls |
| 21 | Racine | 1 | Wallace Ingalls | Rep. | Racine |
| 21 | Racine | 2 | Edward F. Hilker | Rep. | Racine |
| 21 | Racine | 3 | John H. Kamper | Rep. | Raymond |
| 27 | Richland | Richland | Harley A. Martin | Ind. | Richland Center |
| 15 | Rock | 1 | John S. Baker | Rep. | Evansville |
| 15 | Rock | 2 | Erastus G. Smith | Rep. | Beloit |
| 12 | Rusk & Sawyer | Rusk & Sawyer | A. C. Schultz | Rep. | Bruce |
| 27 | Sauk | Sauk | Carl Koenig | Rep. | Loganville |
| 14 | Shawano | Shawano | Paul T. Fuhrman | Rep. | Bowler |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 1 | Ernst A. Sonnemann | Rep. | Sheboygan |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 2 | John Mentink | Rep. | Cedar Grove |
| 10 | St. Croix | St. Croix | Robert M. Graham | Rep. | Roberts |
| 24 | Taylor | Taylor | John Gamper | Rep. | Medford |
| 32 | Trempealeau | Trempealeau | George Schmidt | Rep. | Arcadia |
| 16 | Vernon | Vernon | August E. Smith | Rep. | Viroqua |
| 22 | Walworth | Walworth | Frank E. Lawson | Rep. | Walworth |
| 13 | Washington | Washington | Joseph J. Huber | Rep. | West Bend |
| 33 | Waukesha | 1 | Evan G. Davies | Rep. | Wales |
| 33 | Waukesha | 2 | W. H. Edwards | Rep. | Sussex |
| 23 | Waupaca | Waupaca | Adam A. Schider | Rep. | Manawa |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | Chester D. Seftenberg | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Nels Larson | Rep. | Neenah |
| 24 | Wood | Wood | Peter Ebbe | Rep. | Marshfield |

## Committees

### Senate committees

* Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Labor – G. W. Hull, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Committees – H. Daggett, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – H. E. Boldt, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Corporations and Taxation – H. T. Lange, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public Welfare – W. A. Titus, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Highways – C. B. Casperson, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – I. P. Mehigan, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government – M. F. White, chair

### Assembly committees

* Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – J. C. Hanson, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures – F. J. Petersen, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – A. A. Huckstead, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Education – J. D. Millar, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – J. Gamper, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills – H. F. Thompson, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills – T. Swanson, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – M. Koenigs, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Fish and Game – R. Kamke, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – C. N. Saugen, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – M. Laffey, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – A. C. Reis, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – A. M. Miller, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – F. L. Prescott, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – G. Zittlow, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – H. A. Staab, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Revision – C. Hillman, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Rules – A. C. Reis, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – J. H. Kamper, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – G. W. Schmidt, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading – M. A. Sellers, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – E. D. Hall, chair

### Joint committees

* Joint Standing Committee on Finance – W. L. Smith (Sen.) & H. Ellenbecker (Asm.), co-chairs

## Employees

### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Oliver Munson
   * Assistant Chief Clerk: A. J. Nelson
* Sergeant-at-Arms: George W. Rickeman
   * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: E. A. Hartman
* Postmaster: Arthur Dehring

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer
   * Journal Clerk: Max H. Albertz
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles F. Moulton
   * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Lincoln Neprud
* Postmaster: William Kasiska
