Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-17


trate OF the Nation.
Chairman Taylor read the call Cuder
which the convention had been called,
and then addressed the members as fol
lows:
Gentlemen Of the Contention: As this is
the last opportunity which i shall have
to address you as chairman OF your state
central committee, I am sure you Will
pardon me for detainiag you with very
few remarks. Hnd word personal to
the commits e and myself.
When l was elected chairman, four
years ago, l stood in this place aud
promised you that it should be my earnest
and steadtasG purpose to serve TO the best
Of my ability the interests of the Repub-
lican party; that should never be found
working for any section, faction or in
divIdual Is against the interests of the
party as a 9hUle. I stand here to day to
say TO you that 1 have religiously kept
the pledge. Never has there been, by the
committee or myself, a word uttered, q
letter written, or any act performed, that
could be rightly cons frued as discriminate
iDg between candidates. We have always
tried to secure for the entire ticket,
legislative, congressional, state and
national, the full party strength, and the
election returns will bear witness that
these efforts have met with excellent
success. We have scrupulously avoided
everything that savored of "bosslsm" in
the slightest degree, believing it to be
che duty of party committee not to
dictate nominations, but TO elect the
candidates nominated.
Under the fostering care Of the repub-
Hcan party the state of Wisconsin has
grown from poor, obscure and sparsely
settled territory to one of the wealthiest,
most populous and powerful common
wealths of the nation. Thousands from
other lands have settled in our borders;
villages and cities have been built. Set
tiers have invaded the great forests and
cleared up farms,-they have planted their
gardens in the prairies, and been pro-
vided market for their abundant har-
vests. Every idle stream has been har-
messed TO the busy wheels of labor, and
railroads have carried settlement and civ
ilization to our EXTREMIST limits. Splen-
did public buildings and benevolent in
situations of every kind have been erected.
Agriculture has been promoted, manufac-
turing encouraged, and all business slim
ulate d. Needed reforms have been estab-
lished and all the varied charities libera,ly
maintained. And yet with all the vast
sums collected and expended, TO erect and
maintain these ia s6itutions, extravaganza
has been prevented, the strictest integrity
and economy have prevailed. There have
been no scandals or defalcations, and tax
alton has steadily decreased.
With such a record the republican par
ty has earned the right to ask, and may
we'll ex pect to receive, the confidence and
support of right thinking men.
In the last four years the party has
been through two holly contested cam
paigDs and has won two splendid victories.
In the last one new issue confronted
us-the labor problem-inI diving ques-
tions which never before had arisen to
perplex aud confuse political leadership.
But the party net the issue squarely and
honestly, and so was upheld by large
majority of the people. Do not under
stand me as claiming that these glorious
results were obtained by reason of the
activity o. sagacity of your committee.
They were due to the splendid obedience
to dist eline and devotion so princip pie Of
the republicans of Wisconsin.
1 think l may rightfully congratulate
you, gentlemen of the convention, and
through you the republicans of the state
whom you represent, upon the fact that
the party was never in bett0r fig hting
trim thaa it is to-day. The cam p fires
are already blazing all along the line, and
the air is full of old familiar music.
There are no divisions Or dissensions
anywhere, and there is prophecy of sure
victory in the fact that we enter the
coming contest with solid columns and
courage ous hearts.
But enough of this. The republican
party of Wisconsin has won, and fairly
won, the right to "point with pride" to
its record. It has controlled the state
almost continuously since it's organ
izatIon. There was one accidental and
Unfortunate exception few years since,
the Taylor administration, but l will not
refer TO that. The people know all about
it. The democrats are as ashamed of it
as they can be, and it rather embarasses
me to associate SO excellent name for
governor with such malodorous admins
tration.
We stand to-day upon the skirmish line
of great battle. We are COL fronted b7
an enemy intrenched in power, and hold
ing in his grasp many states beyond re-
covery. You never had more mpor-
tant duty to perform in a party sense,
than faces you this very hour. RepubIi-
car success in the coming cam paign is to
depend largely, I may say is to depend
wholly, upon the right selection of candi-
dates. Party restraints and political
ties bind men very loosely now. There
are no principles sacred enough, no issues
marked enough, no rallying cry potent
enough to ms pire the voters to action as
in the days of slavery and war and recon
struction. The people clamor not alone
for measures but for men. They yield
doubtful and unwilling faith to party
platforms, but scan with keen and jeal-
Gus eyes the records and characters of
party candidates. The party has in its
ranks and must call to its LEADERSHIP
strong, able, honest, bold men-men who
can stand on their feet and look the world
in the eve ana do tn cir duty without fear