Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-25
WORLD WAITING FOR A HERO.
He May Come From Wisconsin and
Have the Homely Face ana Honest
Heart Of a Lincoln.
Glorious Mission That Has Fallen
to the Lot Of the Badger
State.
THAT the Hour Brings Forth the
Man" is Finely Illustrated in the
Case Of Gov. Hoard.

case Of GOV. HOdfu.
Do the people of Wisconsin understand
the full significance of the political con-
test IN which they are now actively en-
gagged? Upon them mas fallen the distin-
guished privilege of being pioneers in the
work of fixing the relations of the state
to the cause of better education, and of
giving to our common schools a distinc-
lively American character. The zeal and
energy with which they enter upon this
work, the courage and patriotic devotion
with which 1T is carried on will enable one
to fairly judge of the fitness of the WiscOn-
sin people to accomplish in a creditable
manner what they have undertaken. With
the privilege of standing in the foremost
ranks, fighting battle In which every
American citizen is concerned, there
should be a recognized obligation to make
all needed sacrifice and to leave no duty
unperformed. All must confess the salts
faction felt in the denomination of Cover
nor Hoard. Nothing could have been
more appropriate. This action on the
part of the republican party expresses the
strength of public conviction and signifies
the general appreciation of the value of his
leadership.
The advent of great men in large ma
Jorlty of cases has occas1oned surprise,
and it has been seldom that they have re-
ceived prompt recognition. They have
not often come following trumpets or at
tended with circumstances Of power and
glory. At their approach the earth has
not trembled, nor have the heavens given
signs of unusual events. One came alone
from the desert, another laid aside the
tools OF a shoemaker, arose from the bench
OF humble toll and entered upon the per-
Torrance of divine mission; then there
was one who left his p!Ow In the furrow.
Later there were two men, wholly unknown
to fame until they had reached the ma
turity of manhood. Both were lowly born;
one was a rail splitter, and the other a
tanner. Neither of these men ever edited
funny paper. each had been taught
the need of effort and the value of dis
cipline which alone comes from a hard ex-
perience. Some eXigency had arisen that
brought these men from their seclusion,
End the lives of each mark an important
epoch in human affairs. The world just
now is
WAITING FOR 4 HERO,
il man whose head is above the clouds. and
whose heart beats in warm pulsations.
He may come from Wisconsin, and like
Abraham Lincoln may have a homely,
angular face, plain speech, but a clear,
discerning and mind, purpose to do the
right which no opposing forces can turn
aside. Stranger things have happned
For Il long time the American people have
been studying the interests of commerce.
they have discussed finance, labor reform
and tariff reform. Little has recently
occurred to disturb the serenity of business
and social life. Abundance tas come
from many fruitful fields, everywhere is
found good cheer and a stagnation of
peaceful conditions. Meanwhile. there
has been silently terminating IN the fer
tile soils of Wisconsin the seeds of new
and vigorous movement in favor of popu-
lar education. Exactly how or when
this awakening began. no one has told the
tale. Perhaps it was accident opened
this door Of fate" However this
may have been. an unusual impulse
was discovered some months ago in Wis
consin and Immediately the interested at
tention of the whole American people
was directed thitherward There was the
dawn of a new day, the hope of better
civilization. Then came on the municipal
election in Milwaukee. The Bennett Law
was put in issue, and to secure an ex-
preston of popular dissent the bummers
and the blackgnards united with the ma
chine politicians and the bigots in eecting
a clown for mayor.
The result of this contest, although
not unexpected, caused a degree of demon
aization among Governor Hoard's friends
and supporters for which there is no salts
factory explanation. There had unmiStak-
ably been a stampede of republican voters,
and those who remained appeared to be
overcome with a feeling of abandonment
and looked upon themselves as victims of
a stupendous political blunder-the mis-
guided adherents of ''lost cause Here
was Il crisis, and had the governor followed
the counsel of his too prudent friends and
partisans, who saw nothing but disaster in
the championship of the Bennett law,
there would have been a shameful sur
render and the new departure entered up
on with hope would certainly have been
abandoned. At this critical moment Gov
ernor .Hoard's manhood and independence
of character saved his party from dis
grace.
HIS INFLENIBLE ADHERENCE
to a cause which he believed to be right
and his uncompromising determination to
persist in a contest that, at that time,
promised only defeat, proved his mselfsh
devotion to a noble purpose which he
placed above all considerations of person