Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-11-18
NUMBER 40
The Wisconsin Tammany.

Democrats control of the State
government with George w, Peck,
of Milwaukee As governor, Hardly
had the Peck administration begun
before the ruling Clique set about
organizing a State rammany Bank
ers here and there were solicited to
put in bids for State deposits, and a
newspaper started to be an organ of
the powers that be. Then when
the people reelected Governor Peck
the ring became bolder and more
brazen. The United States Senator
ship, instead of being conceded to
a leader Of the party VINO had
fought its battle for many years and
had fairly won the honor, was
awarded to a mau whose only claim
to distinction was his inherited
millions. 1t takes money to lubri-
cate a big machine aud supply it
with motive power.
Other outoroppings attracting less
general attention, but susceptible of
only one Interpretation, came from
time TO time, until one week ago
to-day Governor Peck aud his
former private secretary, and At
torncy General O'Councr and his
assistant were made defendants in
a suit a, law which has already pro-
duced great scandal and promises
to be the beginning Of the end of the
Wisconsin rammauy.
Reluctant 10 believe that the
allegations of the papers served in
the cases were true, we have waited
for some denial, or nj least explana-
tory statement, but so far nothing
has come TO light in mitigation of
the charge preferred 1t is not
necessary to reooun. the details.
They were given in The Inter Ocean
or Tuesday and nothing nas -noe
come to light tending to discredit
tha; story Of State crime.
As long ago rs 1887 the Legisla-
, ture authorized the Goyernorto cause
to be printed and bound volumes OF
the roster Of the Wisconsin soldiers
Of the war for the Union in sufficient
number to supply each surviving
veteran who might request it with
copy free Of charge. That would
involve large cXpeuce, however
economically done, aud between the
constitution and the law itself every
possible safeguard was thrown
around the matter to prevent boodi-
ing. Bat the ring conceived "A plan
for using the printing and binding
of the roster TO raise a large sam
of money without doing any actual
work At first 1t was proposed TO
let the contract at good figure TO
the Governors private secretary,
who was the head Of the organ re-
ferred to, but that would have been
little too rank for the Governor,
and so another man connected with
the paper was made the nominal
head Of il and the contract made
out in his name, This contract
Governor Peck signed The con
d tractor had no facilities for really
doing the work, and he sold his
contract to a concern which could
, do it, Tracy q Gibbs. After the
i. price of the contract had been paid,
f and before any work had been
1 done, the contract was aunulIed on
the ground Of its illegaIity. The
suit in question was brought to re-
cover a part Of the price Of the con
tract
How many jobs have thus far
escaped the exposure is d matter Of
coujucture. Now that the kind Of
falling out has begun which leads
. to disclosures there is no telling
]. where the matter will end. But
+ even if nothing else should be un
y earthed beyond cavil or doubt
this one exposure will work th'
overthrow Of the ring and the de
= feat of the party. The voters 0
o Wisconsin are not the kind of peo
e pie to tolerate that sort Of thing o
q the party responsible for it.
LOST on Sunday evening golC
d charm with emerald setting. Oh