Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-02-17
Friday. February II, 1888.
OUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS-

hiSLiitt III tlt my -ih5I tohSICoo, anu
whether Hon. Robert NJ. La Toilette
should be renominated for third term
or not. The only points raised in the
discussion are: ability, availability,
and place of residence; while the great
question of political principles has
been left entirely untouched. In regard
TO the first two points, few, if any,
republicans in the district have the
advantage of the present incumbent
He is an able young lawyer, and at the
end of his present term will have the
advantage Of four years of congress
sonal life, while he is quite popular
and has many warm friends through
out the district. And the narrow,
sectional question, Of whether a con
gresham resides in this or that partic-
ular locality Of the district is scarcely
worth the thoughtful consideration of
grown men. While The Democrat is
free to say al! this of Mr.. La Toilette,
he should in nowise be returned to the
next congress. His record upon the
most important of live political ques-
ton ought to settle that point. He has
allowed himself to become the plant
tool Of the high tariff barons, and by
his voice and vote has helped to sustain
their policy of sp0liation. Through
this policy the district which he rep
resents is made to bear most grieyous
burden of high taxation. To this fact
he cannot be blind. He is too intelli-
gent man for that; and his conduct
in this regard is, therefore, the more in
excusable. Every voter in the district
should read the following article from
the Milwaukee Daily Journal, which
gives review Of Mr.. La Follette's
record and shows conclusiyely that it
is blind folly for the people of south
western Wisconsin to send him or any
other high protectionist to represent
them in congress:
AS Mr.. La Toilette is no longer
"a ran without record" let us look
a little at that record. He graduated
ut the state university, and was there
taught as science that beyond gov
eminent revenue, freedom of trade
was right Of man. His party had
t1ln 1,I,r ~, N
people TO reform the inequalities of
the tariff and aid III a reduction of
taxation no longer needful to any
pubic interest. Mr.. Morrison's com
mittee prepared bill to reduce rev.
enues 20 per cent on all articles alike.
Mr. La Toilette voted against it. Mr.
Carlisle and others presented similar
bills to reduce taxes on certain specific
articles and to greatly extend the free
list. Mr.. La Toilette voted against
them. Efforts were then made to cut
off a surplus of $l00,00OO00 annual
taxation above all possible needs of
revenue. Mr.. La Toilette voted against
them. Indeed, his vote on every pro
position to relieve the farms, mechanic
shops and labors of the district from
the cruel burden of ~ per cent taxa
ton was uniformly in the negative;
and If since his work in congress be-
gan he has on any occasion voted on
the side of the people and against mo-
noply abuse III all its varied forms, his
record fails to show it. No slave ever
more implicitly obeyed the orders of
master.
r. 4 n EAlt 70 To, ~, 4 ,.,f
exclusively agricultural district, SO
much SO that other interests make but
little figure In what manner and on
what articles has he voted to protect
the labor of the district? Is it in a
tax of $3.50 per 1000 feet on lumber?
How much does that profit the indus
try of the district? Is il n duty of 81
per ton On hay2 How much hay did
the district ever import from Canada
or Manitoba? Is it on wool? Was
the price of wool ever lower in recent
years than under the present tariff?
These three articles comprise all that
even imprudenCe ever pretended were
taxed to protect industry in WiScon-
sin. And for this what have the
farmers and workmen paid? \ tax
from 20 to 100 per cent on wooden
clothings and fabrics; 30 per cent on
cotton cloths; 40 ON linen; Is on
every pound of iron and steel used; 20
per cent on imported horses not used
for breeding purposes; 30 on boots.
shoes and leather; Is to 80 per cent on
carpets; 81 per cent on carriages; SIS to
60 on chinaware; IS cents per ton on
bituminous coal; IS per cent on furni-
ture; 30 on furs; 30 on hats and bon
nets; IS on saddles and harness; and
SO on through list of l,4O0 articles in
common use, including sugar at about
100 per cent. That is the way Mr.
Ia Toilette has voted to protect the
industry Of his district He has "made
arecord" beyond question, and is likely
to wish it We're not SD uniform
Time was when Grant county, La
fayette, Iowa and Green cut some fig
ure in state politics. The latter alone
has never had a representative in con-
gress, and never will have while il
dances to some other sections tiddling
Old Grant and Iowa were parent
counties in the territory, but no one of
them has been heard of in late wears.
Their stock of great men seem to be
exhausted. They used to oppose exor-
bitant taxation on constituents to be
given rs bounty to eastern capital,
but 1t is now claimed they enjoy it.
Protection influence has worked in
down that way and is known BY
its 5 mark. Candidates no longer ex-
pect to pay election bills. Monopoly
attends to all that. But what about
the peopleg What are they gaining by
such representations Have they not
sense enough to combine to protect
labor and wages in the district by
cheapening the price of necessary sup
plies? Can that be done by sending a
representative to congress pledged to
vote against any reform or reductionl
1t is time genuine industry thought of
these things. If you want to be mis-
represented keep right on voting as
you have been doing and you will not
be disappointed. If you want a change
you must vote distinctly for it or you
won't get it.
The voters Of the third district should
not allow glib tongued campaigners to
dwarf their attention from the great