St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-22
DEMOCRATIC FOR AYE
Congressman Babbitt Says
Wisconsin Is in the Ranks
to Stay.
How the Bennett Law Was
Used to Prejudice the Out
ep World.
Senator Villas Very Solid With
the Democrats OF the Bad
ger State.
Interesting Talk With a Bene-
fieiary Of the Recent Tidal
Wave.

Hon. Clinton A. Babbitt, congressman
elect from the First Wisconsin district,
came up from his home at Beloit yester
day and spent several hours in the
Merchants lobby while waiting for a
train TO Mortified, where his daughter
is attending Carlton college. During
his short stop he met Congressman-eleet
Havorsen. of the Fifth district of this
state, and spent some time in discussing
general politics with him. Mr.. BabUitt
is very pleasant gentleman with full
gray beard and SnoW-white head, of
medium height, and a countenance that
betokens good humor and frSt-claSS
digestion.
~ isconsin cannot be taken from us
again, said Mr. Babbitt, in speaking of
the political situation i'll the Badger
state. The Democratic state admin
strati0n and legislature are doing eX-
actly what they promised the people
they would do, and are making a splen-
did record that is bound to tell in the
next election. do not believe better
or wiser set Of men were ever gath
cred together in a law-making body
than are now. at Madison. They are
and. while it is carly to speak of the
work of this legislature, l am satisfied
that it will meet the appreciation of all
good citizens"
How about the Bennett law?'
The Bennett law" replied the Bel
oft statesman. sis just where it ought to
be-repealcd. The people OUTSIDE Wis
cOnsin have received a wrong impress
sion in regard to the Bennett law. 1t
had no possible reference to our public
schools and was intended as a slap at
the private schools Of the state. The
Republican papers tried to make the
people believe differently, which they
accomplished outside the state. but as
was demonstrated by the election in
Wisconsin, the people there knew
better.
This reminds me of a story | told
while making my canvass. My oppon-
ent has no children, while L have
twelve; the Republican candidate for
senator was also without chick or a
child in the world, while our can
didate was the happy father of
eight. And SO it ranged OH
the candidates for half dozen offices.
asked the people whether it would
not be better to leave this educational
matter to the men interested, and they
concluded to do SO by large majority"
'Clint' Babbitt. as he is Familiarity
known throughout Wisconsin, is
dyed-in-the- wool Democrat, as all will
concede when they learn that he is a
native Of New Hampshire, where his
father was for many years judge of the
district court. Mr.. Babbitt ten years
ago ran for congress in his district and
was defeated by majority so large. in
fact, that he said he stopped counting
when it reached 1000. This last year
he was again placed III the field by his
party, and here is his story of the cam
palgn:
81 told the boys that if they nomi-
mated me | would go i'll to win, "sai dhe,
land | kept my word. Republicans
would come TO me and say Rabbit,
you're Democrat. but we know where
TO find you anyhow, and we're going to
vote tor YOU in spite Of your politics.
However, | didnOt conduct a personal
Democrat and proposed to stand by that
party all the time, and | didn't want
any votes that we're not given for the
whole ticket. l did run ahead of my
ticket in thirty-One precincts in my
county, | believe, but | made no effort
to do this. | do not believe a man ever
makes anything by trying to do that.
''1here is one incident in connection
with that campaign or rather with its
close that prize above everything else,
and would not Surrender.lt for farm"
said the genial old gentleman, while
tear almost dimmed the twinkle in his
laughing eye. ''When the returns came
in that night, my daughter, the little
girl am going to Mortified to see,
thought was beaten, and she sat down
and wrote ME letter SympathlZing
with me. She thought it was too bad
that so strong a Democrat as l should
be defeated, and-WelI, there are some
things that a daughter can write that
no one else can, and then you know
they are telling you the truth. Another
letter came few days afterwards COLI
graduating me, but the first one IS the
one | prize.
Congressman-elect Babbitt is great
admirer of Gov. Peck. He is like all
good newspaper men-hard to down, and
the men who pick him up for anything
else than an earnest, honest and really
able men are bound to find out that they
are mistaken. lie came right up from
the people, knows their wants and their
aspirations, and is their friend. His
state papers are able and he is making
one of the most popular governors Wis
consin ever had
How will the legislature apportion
the state-it can hardly be arranged to
give the Democrats larger proportion
of the congressman"
IL have not given this matter a
thought, being satisfied to allow the
good men we have at Madison to settle
that. do not believe in gerrymanders.
Indeed, our strength this last fall came
from the unjust treatment the Republic
cans have given us in the past. They
recognized the Democrats only when it
came to paying taxes. This reacted
upon them All ask, and all the Dem
ocratS want, is fair and just appOr-
tionment.
1--WE are, of course, very proud of our
new senator, Col. Villas. He is too well
| known throughout the Northwest to
| need any praise from me, but the people
| of Minnesota do not know what hold
| he has upon the Democrats of Wiscon-
sin. And, by the way, we propose to
! send him a Democratic colleague two
| years later when Senator Sawyer's term
expires
Train time having rolled around, the
active little gentleman who will soon
| represent the people of one of the larg-
| est districts OF Wisconsin in the national
| house of representatives resumed his
| Journey to Northfeld to spend Sunday
with the little girl who is able to write
! a letter worth a farm.