Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-04-26
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THAT MADISON CONGRESSIONAL RING.
The fact that Republican county |
convention is to be held soon (May 81 |
for the purpose Of eiecting delegates to
attend the congressional convention as
well as others to attend the state con-
yentlon, seems to your correspondent to
make this fitting time to offer
some observations on the political
affairs of the Third District The OBJ
ject in view being to put the people on
guard against ring dominion" and to
aid if possible in making the coming
political gathering essentially repre-
sentative peoples convention. Some of
the adherents of Mr.. Treat having en-
deavored to create the impression that
Congressman LaFollette was being
pushed forward for q denomination by
the old Dane county ring, it might be
interesting to unearth the facts in order
to ascertain whether or not the Treat
manipulators are trying to delude the
people by the old cry of 'stop thief in
order to cover up their own methods
MS well as to misrepresent Mr.. LaFol-
lette's position. A brief political retro
spect will develop the fact that in 1882
ring politics in the third district reached
disgraceful eliminating point in the
notorious Hazelton-Key's contest in
which two rings grappled in a death
struggle, and it is well known that the
KeyesTr ring came off victorious to
the extent of demolishing the other
ring though it was so badly shattered
itself as to be obliged to lay up for re-
pairs. The ''repairs" came in due
course Of time in the shape of the
scattered remnants of the defunct
Hazelton ring. But in the meantime the
people demonstrated their ability to
conveniently dispense with rings by
twice electing an able and upright con
gresham whose purity of character and
independence of manly spirit puts him
entirely beyond the influence of political
marplots and spoils-seeking manipula-
tors Now then in the present cam
paign we are confronted by the old
Dane county Madison Keys ring, re-
cruited with the remains of the Hazel
ton ring. This combination, led by
that arch-ringster Boss Reyes, of Madi-
son, including lieutenants worthy of
their chief, in various parts of the dis
trict, is at present time putting forth
strenuous efforts to defeat Congressman
LaFollette for denomination and at
the same time working with might and
main to secure delegates favorable to
the nomination of Mr.. Treat, whose
identity with the Reyes ring is well
known to those acquainted with the
facts. Prominent politicians of Grant
county in and out of Office
who have political debts to pay
or have in view selfish considerations of
personal political successr though APP
pointment influences, might be men
toned as being among the chief pro-
moters Of this scheme.
Your correspondent is anxious for
the success of the republican party in
the coming campaign, but he is also
DESTROYS for what is of much greater
intrinsic value and what is also ineiden-
tally necessary for complete and honor
able success, namely, the fact that ''ring
politics should not dominate and that
the rank and file of the party should see
that the nominating conventions repre-
sent not the political manipulators, but
the people There is no doubt but
that our present congressman is popular
with the masses and thar no change is
desired except for the most part, by
those influenced entirely by personal
ambition and those who have discovered
that Mr. LaFollette cannot be influenced
Ito deviatc from what he considers his
line of duty to his constituents as
whole) for the purpose of furthing the
avariclous and selfish interests of those
perniciously active politicians who look
upon politics solely with an eye to the
spoils. Let the Republican voters at
tend the primaries en- masse and see
that they are fairly represented at the
conventions and thus rcbuko and defeat
any attempt of the "local fxers' to
carry out the schemes of the ring com
bination. BOETHIUs.
April p, 1888.