The Thirty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session.

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, 1886. 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, 1884.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Jeremiah M. Rusk, of Vernon County, serving his third two-year term, having won re-election in the 1886 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events January 26, 1887: Philetus Sawyer was re-elected as United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session. February 4, 1887: U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which was designed to regulate the railroad monopolies. February 8, 1887: U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the Dawes Act, which allowed the federal government to designate private ownership within Native American tribal land. April 4, 1887: Susanna M. Salter was elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas, the first female mayor in the United States. July 6, 1887: King Kalākaua of Hawaii was forced to sign the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which stripped the monarchy of much of its power and disenfranchised native Hawaiians, Asians, and the poor. November 13, 1887: Police in London clashed with Irish nationalist protesters in an incident known as Bloody Sunday. January 16, 1888: Wisconsinite William Freeman Vilas became United States Secretary of the Interior. March 25, 1888: Opening day of an international Congress for Women's Rights organized by Susan B. Anthony in Washington, D.C. The congress led to formation of the International Council of Women. June 15, 1888: German Emperor Frederick III died of cancer after a brief reign. He was succeeded by his son, Wilhelm II. November 6, 1888: 1888 United States general election: Benjamin Harrison elected President of the United States, despite losing the popular vote. William D. Hoard elected Governor of Wisconsin. The referendum on a proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution, relating to education, was defeated.

Major legislation April 12, 1887: An Act to apportion the state into senate and assembly districts, 1887 Act 461. Joint Resolution agreeing to a proposed amendment to section 1, of article 10, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, relating to education, 1887 Joint Resolution 4. This was the required second legislative passage of the proposed amendment to the state constitution to update language relating to state education officers. The amendment was put to a referendum in the November 1888 general election, but was defeated by voters. Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution, 1887 Joint Resolution 5. Proposed a new amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution to abolish the separate offices of "chief justice" and "associate justices" of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and instead define all members of the court as "justices" with the most senior justice acting as "chief justice".

Party summary Senate summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Peo. Ind. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 12 0 0 20 32 1 1st Session 6 1 1 25 33 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 6 2 1 24 33 0

Assembly summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Peo. Ind. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 39 0 0 61 100 0 1st Session 34 5 4 57 100 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 29 0 0 71 100 0

Sessions 1st Regular session: January 12, 1887April 15, 1887

Leaders Senate leadership President of the Senate: George W. Ryland (R) President pro tempore: Charles K. Erwin (R)

Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Thomas B. Mills (R)

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

Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party 01 Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto Rep. 02 Brown De Pere Rep. 03 Racine Racine Rep. 04 Crawford & Vernon Chaseburg Rep. 05 Milwaukee Milwaukee Peo. 06 Milwaukee Milwaukee Rep. 07 Milwaukee Milwaukee Rep. 08 Kenosha & Walworth SomersRep. 09 Green Lake, Portage, BerlinRep. 10 Waukesha EagleRep. 11 Ashland, Clark, Lincoln, Price, Oneida, Sawyer, Taylor, AshlandRep. 12 Green & Lafayette ArgyleRep. 13 Dodge JuneauInd. 14 Juneau & Sauk LoganvilleRep. 15 Manitowoc MeemeDem. 16 Grant MillvilleRep. 17 Rock JanesvilleRep. 18 Fond du LacRep. 19 Winnebago OshkoshRep. 20 Sheboygan Eden Dem. 21 Marathon, Shawano, WausauRep. 22 Calumet & Outagamie Appleton Dem. 23 Jefferson Fort Atkinson Dem. 24 Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, , St. Croix Falls Rep. 25 Eau Claire, Pepin, Eau Claire Rep. 26 Dane Madison Dem. 27 Adams, Columbia Westfield Rep. 28 Iowa & Richland Richland Center Rep. 29 Buffalo Alma Rep. 30 Chippewa Rep. 31 La Crosse La Crosse Rep. 32 Jackson Tomah Rep. 33 Ozaukee & Washington Dem.

Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

SenateDistrict County Dist. Representative Party Residence 27 Adams Rep. New Chester 11 Ashland, Lincoln, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Rep. Merrill 24 Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Rep. Barron 02 Brown 1 Rep. Green Bay 2 Dem. Wrightstown 29 Buffalo Rep. Urne 22 Calumet 1 Dem. Appleton 2 Rep. Seymour 3 Dem. Kaukauna 4 Dem. Brillion 30 Chippewa Dem. Chippewa Falls 11 Clark Ind. Neillsville 27 Columbia 1 Rep. Portage 2 Rep. Randolph 04 Crawford Rep. Seneca 26 Dane 1 Dem. Madison 2 Rep. Deforest 3 Rep. Blooming Grove 4 Rep. Mazomanie 5 Dem. Dane 13 Dodge 1 Dem. Shields 2 Rep. Waupun 3 Ind.D. Mayville 4 Ind.D. Lowell 01 Door Rep. Sturgeon Bay 30 Dunn Rep. Rusk 25 Eau Claire Rep. Eau Claire 01 Florence Rep. Marinette 18 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Lamartine 2 Rep. Fond du Lac 20 3 Dem. Marshfield 01 Forest, Langlade, Rep. Oconto 16 Grant 1 Rep. Platteville 2 Rep. Lancaster 3 Rep. Mount Hope 12 Green 1 Rep. New Glarus 2 Rep. Monroe 09 Green Lake Rep. Brooklyn 28 Iowa 1 Rep. Mineral Point 2 Rep. Clyde 32 Jackson Rep. Millston 23 Jefferson 1 Dem. Watertown 2 Rep. Jefferson 14 Juneau Dem. Elroy 08 Kenosha Dem. Randall 01 Kewaunee Dem. Ahnapee 31 La Crosse Rep. Burns 12 Lafayette 1 Rep. Darlington 2 Rep. Shullsburg 15 Manitowoc 1 Dem. Liberty 2 Dem. Mishicot 3 Dem. Manitowoc 21 Marathon Dem. Wausau 05 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 07 2 Peo. Milwaukee 3 Dem. Milwaukee 4 Rep. Milwaukee 06 5 Peo. Milwaukee 05 6 Peo. Milwaukee 07 7 Rep. Milwaukee 06 8 Peo. Milwaukee 05 9 Peo. Milwaukee 10 Peo. Milwaukee 11 Rep. Milwaukee 06 12 Dem. Lake 32 Monroe 1 Rep. Sparta 2 Rep. Tomah 33 Ozaukee Ind.D. Cedarburg 25 Pepin Rep. Pepin Pierce Rep. Ellsworth 24 Polk Rep. St. Croix Falls 09 Portage Rep. Nelsonville 03 Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Dem. Norway 28 Richland Dem. Viola 17 Rock 1 Rep. Beloit 2 Dem. Janesville 3 Rep. Milton 14 Sauk 1 Dem. Spring Green 2 Rep. Baraboo 21 Shawano Rep. Shawano 20 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Rep. Sheboygan Falls 3 Dem. Adell 24 St. Croix Rep. Hudson 29 Trempealeau Rep. Whitehall 04 Vernon 1 Rep. Chaseburg 2 Rep. Whitestown 08 Walworth 1 Rep. Richmond 2 Rep. Lake Geneva 33 Washington 1 Ind.D. Erin 2 Dem. Farmington 10 Waukesha Dem. Waukesha 21 Waupaca 1 Rep. Weyauwega 2 Rep. Marion 09 Waushara Rep. Plainfield 19 Winnebago 1 Ind. Oshkosh 2 Ind. Neenah 3 Rep. Omro 11 Wood Dem. Marshfield

Committees Senate committees Senate Committee on Agriculture Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes Senate Committee on Education Senate Committee on Enrolled Bills Senate Committee on Engrossed Bills Senate Committee on Federal Relations Senate Committee on Finance, Banks, and Insurance Senate Committee on Incorporations Senate Committee on the Judiciary Senate Committee on Legislative Expenditures Senate Committee on Manufacturing and Commerce Senate Committee on Military Affairs Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections Senate Committee on Public Lands Senate Committee on Railroads Senate Committee on Roads and Bridges Senate Committee on State Affairs Senate Committee on Town and County Organizations

Assembly committees Assembly Committee on AgricultureG. G. Cox, chair Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of TaxesG. A. Dreutzer, chair Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third ReadingFrank Challoner, chair Assembly Committee on CitiesJ. R. Brigham, chair Assembly Committee on EducationJ. C. Bartholf, chair Assembly Committee on Engrossed BillsC. E. Hooker, chair Assembly Committee on Enrolled BillsGeorge Spratt, chair Assembly Committee on Federal RelationsHugh Porter, chair Assembly Committee on IncorporationsCharles M. Hall, chair Assembly Committee on Insurance, Banks, and BankingG. A. Knapp, chair Assembly Committee on the JudiciaryH. L. Humphrey, chair Assembly Committee on Legislative ExpendituresSam S. Miller, chair Assembly Committee on Labor and ManufacturesFrank Avery, chair Assembly Committee on Lumber and MiningA. S. McDonald, chair Assembly Committee on Medical SocietiesH. Powell, chair Assembly Committee on MilitiaJ. B. McCoy, chair Assembly Committee on Privileges and ElectionsW. B. La Selle, chair Assembly Committee on Public ImprovementsSamuel Sloggy, chair Assembly Committee on RailroadsJ. C. Reynolds, chair Assembly Committee on Roads and BridgesR. M. Day, chair Assembly Committee on State LandsC. F. Mohr, chair Assembly Committee on State AffairsW. J. McElroy, chair Assembly Committee on Town and County OrganizationH. C. Hetzel, chair Assembly Committee on Ways and MeansR. W. Jackson, chair

Joint committees Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal Institutions Joint Committee on Claims Joint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Apportionment of the State

Employees Senate employees Chief Clerk: Charles E. Bross Assistant Clerk: J. O. Warriner Bookkeeper: Oliver Munson Engrossing Clerk: L. W. Jacobs Enrolling Clerk: E. R. Smith Transcribing Clerk: C. E. Webster Proofreader: M. A. Hoyt Index Clerk: H. S. Ball Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: Thomas Norton Clerk for the Committee on Incorporations: W. E. Webster Clerk for the Committee on Claims: George B. Blair Document Clerk: M. M. Conant Sergeant-at-Arms: T. J. George Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: W. W. Baker Postmaster: H. Stone Richardson Assistant Postmaster: John R. Smyth Gallery Attendant: Mark W. Baker Document Room Attendant: Samuel Chase Committee Room Attendants: H. L. Westenhaven J. H. Holcomb Doorkeepers: S. N. Knudson Nelson Darling John Dishmaker H. C. Fulton Porter: John Malone Night Watch: Marcus H. Barnum Janitor: F. D. Johnson Messengers: Prentice Flint Dexter Baker Julius Seresse Harvey Hulburt Joseph Rupp Ernest Micklist Louis Hammond Frank Bancroft

Assembly employees Chief Clerk: Edwin Coe 1st Assistant Clerk: C. A. Coon 2nd Assistant Clerk: Walter L. Houser Bookkeeper: J. T. Huntington Engrossing Clerk: Egbert Wyman Assistant Engrossing Clerk: Archie McMillan Enrolling Clerk: L. J. Burlingame Assistant Enrolling Clerk: Jos. Albrecht Transcribing Clerk: George W. Currier Assistant Transcribing Clerk: W. J. Egbert Index Clerk: George P. Smith Comparing Clerk: E. A. Charlton Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: S. J. Morse Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: G. S. Putnam Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: J. M. Hayden Clerk for the Committee on State Affairs: Robert W. Chapin Clerk for the Committee on Third Reading: C. J. Hicks Document Clerk: E. A. Hanks Custodian of the Engrossing and Enrolling Rooms: J. J. Marshall Sergeant-at-Arms: William A. Adamson Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: M. C. Matson Postmaster: C. W. McMillan Assistant Postmaster: G. R. Hall