River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-07-22
MADISON LETTER.
A Few Observations of a Political
Nature.

! f'c"f t9oto UHvNtoHdStS plunge INTO us IuT-
gid waters, hoping to emerge thence
transformed into full-fledged officials.
Just now the preliminary buildings of
the biennial areation of the Wisconsin
political sanitarium give warning that
those who wish to be in at the final erup-
ton in November must gather around
the edge. and there seems to be no lack
of patients.
L don't propose to attempt, in this let
ter, 10 enumerate and classify the candi-
dates who have been "favoraby men,
toned" by an admiring or interested con
stituency. Such list would necessarily
include every public man, in all parties,
in the state, and would indicate nothing
as to the final makeup of either ticket
\ general survey of the field, or a forecast
of the probable strategy to be attempted
by the opposition may be of interest, and
may also be valuable in determining the
degree of credence to be conceded the
exposition Of the situation as set forth in
the Democratic papers.
To Possmaster-GeneralV Villas is con
coded the honor Of directing the cam
paign in this state. 1t viii be remem-
bered that Wisconsin was claimed as
doubtful in 1884, and the appointment Of
Gen. Villas to a cabinet position was pre-
dicated upon his ability TO take it out of
the doubtful class and place it squarely
in the Democratic pyramid next below
Louisiana where it would properly belong
in orthographical order. In this COM
mendable endeavor the Postmaster-Gen-
eral has met with many disappointments.
While it was easy TO assert that the state
was Republican because of the federal
patronage distributed through the post
offices and other positions of trust and
profit, the attempt to make it Demo
cratic state by the distribution of the
patronage pertaining TO the post-otlice
bureau has been a signal and dismal fail
ure. In the first place the postmasters
comprise but small fraction Of the voting
population in fact, however large the
! term "a hundred thousand federal office
holders" may sound falling from the lips
Of an impassioned partisan orator. In
the next place, every appointment that
has been made has cut the Democratic
party into two or mOre-oftener more
pieces, in whatever locality the appoint
ment has been made. Again, there are
| Democrats i'll Wisconsin who have well
defined impression that they are of equal
or greater mental and political calibre
than Mr.. Villas, and are entitled to be
consulted in the issue of federal rations
to the hungry rank and file in this state
These and other impeliments to plain
sailing have made Mr. Villas wary in his
conduct ofthe campaign in this state, and
forsaking the bludgeon Of power which
he supposed he might WELD to assure
victory in his own bailiwick, he resorts to
the cimeter Of intrigue, and hopes by pre-
tenatural shrewdness to accomplish that
which he has grave doubts of accomplish
ing through the combined power of pub
lie plumber"
In pursuance of his new plan of opera
tons Mr.. Villas has now upon the road a
special agent-ostensibly of the Madison
Democrat, but in reality an agent of the
postofIice department. The duties Of this
agent are manifold, but may be briefly
comprehended in the statement that he
is to do the best he can in every commu-
nifty which he visits, to allay jealousies
and chickering's i'll his own party, and
| foment them in the Republican party. 1t
is probable that his instructions for this
work demand that he shall be as sparing
Of the truth, in every case, as the ext
gency of the occasion may seem to re-
| quire, alike regardless of the feelings of
| the Mugwumps who look upon this adj
ministration as the embodiment of all
truth or virtue, and Of the imminent
danger in which it places the soul Of one
who persistently ignores the injunction Of
| the ninth Commandment. Thus far Mr.
| Villas agent has carried out his instruc-
tons 70 the utmost of his ability. There
have been no appointments Of Democratic
postmasters; but there have been prom
| Uses sown broadcast about the doors Of
every post-ofIice in three congressional
| districts. If he has told the truth about
the political feeling in the counties he
has visited, or about the aspirations or
intentions of Republican candidates, it
has been an oversight for which he hopes
| to be pardoned. His last letter to the
Democrat was written from the Ninth
district, and is worthy Of consideration as
literary curiosity, as showing how to
write up your opponents history so as to
make the best showing for your own
side. In this respect it is a marvel of
suppreSsjo ueri, coupled with shrewd sug-
gestions calculated TO stimulate the ambi-
| ton Of obscure Republicans, and thus
/ oomplicate the situation 10 the advantage
of the moral reform party. This agent
viii visit the Eighth district, and will
/ write the usual letter describing the stu
alton as he processes to see 1t. As Pierce
/ county has man in the present state
| government, and prospective candidate
for another place on the state ticket,
/ River Falls may be favored with visit
and a political notice. There Is also q
p0st-ofiice to be promised not awarded,
as yet,-and that viii furnish him with
the "sinews Of war" for enlisting all the
| able-bodied Democrats, as one man. I'M
der his flag. 1t viii be interesting to
watch the unanimity with which the
Democrats correspondent viii be well
coined by the unteuiied when it be
comes noised abroad hat he represents
not only the Democratic organ, but the
Democratic organs owner as well, and he
the astute inventor Of the offensive par
tisann pretext for ousting Republican
postmasters, and getting around the civil
service rules, upon the platform Of which
his master was elected.
The recent labor convention at la
Crosse resulted as every politician knew