Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
The Campaign in Wisconsin,

In reviewing the political sit nation in
Wisconsin the Inter Ocean ssys:
The Wisconsin Republicans have deter
mined upon waging an aggressive war.
Apparently certain of victory by reason
of the popularity of General Rusk, thew
have resolved that the victory shall be
unusual In its magnitude. They have been
moved to vigorous exertion by the dema-
gogue's plea to which the Democratic
leaders have resOrjsd, that General Rusk
has no right to claim reelection as re-
ward for doing his duty in suppressing
the last riot.
The Republicans reply to this by a bold
ss-- Urro------1- = E, -
cuts no figure in the coming election. BE
has been nominated by Republican cob
ventlon because he was Republican with
a record. The State is asked to indorse
that record, not for the purpose of re-
warding faithful servant, but by way of
expressing its approval of vigorous
measures for the suppression of anarchy.
decisive majority for Rusk ii Wiscon-
sin will not be without effect upon the
communists and anarchists of all other
States. It will be notice to them that it is
not only the executive but the people
of States that they have to contend
with.
The gentlemen who propose the aIiena-
ton of the labor vote from the RepubIi-
can party as the result of loud pretensions
of Democratic affection for the labOring
man are welcomed to debate as to the
validity of their claim by the Wisconsin
Republican committee, the chairman very
aptly remarking that eff the best politi-
cal party in the world will lie still it can
be slandered out of existence in few
years by demagogues who live off the
laboring men, whom they Systematically
mislead and deceive" No more impu-
dent falsehoOd was ever cast into the
political arena than that which claims
Democratic affected for and Republican
hatred of labor. The Wisconsin RepubIi-
cans propose to call up the labor ques-
ton, and to give it the fullest measure of
discussion. 1t IS an example of which
other States might well take note The
history of the Republican party's reIa-
tionship to the labor interests OF the
country is not to be ashamed of; nor
are its promises for future amelioration
of its condition to be doubted.
It is past controversy that after nearly
twenty-five years of republican admins
tration the present condition of the Araer-
lean workingman is not only better than
that of the workingman of any other
country, but it is also better than at any
other time in the history of the country,
the war period and the years Immediately
succeeding it, when the price of labor was
phenomenally high, of course, being ex-
cepted. Nor is it likely that such Iegisla-
ton as is demanded by labor will be
either so wisely framed or so effectively
enforced by democrats as by republicans.
It has been the unvarying practice of the
republican party to make its presidential
nominee out Of men who have spent their
lives in direct contact with the people.
It has never gone to railroad or banking
Offices in search of a candidate. The
democratic party has never nominated a
presidential quantity, from Buchanan to
Cleveland, without direct calculation of
the measure of support which
great corporations and mighty
capitalists might grant to him. For six
Presidential contests the Republican
party took Western men of humble origin
and placed them before the people as re-
representatives. of the people. In every
case it was successful while pursuing this
policy. "Still hunts" and ''barrel and
Doodle campaigns" and foreign to Re
publican sympathies, and this the Wis
consin committee clearly discern. It re-
members that the largest majority ever
gained in that State involved no greater
outlay than 81, 500 for rental OF com
mittee rooms, transportation of speakers,
and distribution of documents, and IL,
proposes to conduct the campaign IN
like spirit of Impoverished energy. We
believe that the result will testify to the
sagacity of the committee. Republican
ism has been most successful when it ap-
pealed most directly to the conscience
and intelligence of the people; least so
when it employed the most complicated
machinery for political adjustments.