Wisconsin: Democrats back bill to take down painting of governor who ordered shooting

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/labor-supporters-want-portrait-of-former-governor-removed-from-capitol-131183458.html



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Assembly Democrats are sponsoring legislation to pull down the Capitol portrait of long-dead Republican Gov. Jeremiah Rusk, who ordered the state militia to keep the peace during labor strikes in Milwaukee in 1886. The militia ended up killing at least five in the crowd, including one boy.

So now, one and one-quarter centuries later, Democrats hope to right that wrong by taking down the large portrait of the white-bearded Rusk that hangs in the Assembly parlor, just off the chamber, and sending it off in disgrace to some dusty storeroom or at least a museum.

The move recalls in reverse the action taken in March by Republican Gov. Paul LePage of Maine, who ordered the removal of a 36-foot mural depicting the state's labor history from the lobby of that state's Department of Labor headquarters.

Rusk is "the person who gave the order to fire on people who were demonstrating for the eight-hour day. Surely we could do better," said Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), who represents the district where the shootings occurred.

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