Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-30
\ Beating Ksyes.

In the summer of 1877 Wisconsin
elected State officers. Sometime he
fore the time for holding the Republi-
can State Convention, suggestions as
to who should be candidates were
made by different papers. Gov. Lud-
ington was in his first term. In early
calculations it was nearly universally
expected that he would be renomina-
ted. Tho HERALD, however, was not
well satisfied with him, and in an ar
ticle that carefully guarded against
disrespectful references to him, gave
reasons why he should not be renom-
mated and named Hon. VIM. E. Smith
as one who would probably be more
suitable man for the occasion and one
more likely to be elected if nominated.
The effect of the suggestion was much
greater than anticipated. While it
had been thought Gov. Ludington
would be nominated by reclamation
the difficulties in the way soon doomed
up so great that he announced by
card that he would not be a candi-
date and Mr.. Smith became the nom-
inee. The Reyes class of politicians
had not been in favor of Smith, but
they now laughed in their sleeves, for
they felt that they had run Republic
caG politics into the ground aud the
Republican ticket would be badly de.
feated anyhow. To their great sur
prise. under the intelligent and hon.
orablo leadership of Horace Rublee,
the whole ticket was elected. We
sometimes wonder what would have
happened ii the HERALD or some
other paper had not had the courage
TO suggest the change.
The present year, or rather last
year, the election of United States
Senator was in prospect. There were
Reyes men--s good many of them
in the Legislature last Winter They
often met and grazed in prospective
pastures with their bellweather. Be-
tween him and them arrangements
were made for the caucuses to slyly
tool the people and get Keyes men
nominated in nearly every Legislative
district in the State. The plans were
scarcely laid when we were appraised
OF them. Hence it was that early last
summer we plead with the Repubh-
cans of this county to see that no
mere pets were chosen as our Assem-
bly, candidates; that what we needed
was a man able tor the great ddty of
choosing a United States Senator.
Then it was that our fight against
Reyes began, though we meyer named
the fellow. Mr. Keyes's plans in
many parts of the State were success
full. A month ago he felt almost as
sure he would be Senator as that the
Legislature would come together. He
was quietly at work in places where
he had doubts. A week or two be-
fore the Assembling of the Legislature
he expected the papers of his fifty or
sixty timber agent and Department
clerk editors (?) to drop into the hands
of the Legislators and overwhelm
them with astonishment at the uuan.
unity OF the people In favor of Keyes
for Senator-this to be followed BY
his avalanche of "infiuential men"
pouring into. Madison as the members
would come together. But before be
was ready, the HERALD threw brick
bat into his hornets nest. Our read.
ers know the rest. We will not say
the HERALD saved the State the dis
grace of being called Keyes's State,
in the United States Senate, but the
HERALD began the fight on him, and
if some paper had not done it he
would have slid into that Senatorial
chair as easily as truant Vassar girl
slides down q stair rail.
Do the people like sagaoious, bold,
efficient journalistic work, or does the
cheap, patent, subsidy schoolboy BUSH
ness answer just as well?