Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-11-01
IMPORTANT ISSUES
ARE AT STAKE.
Voters Have Very Grave Duty
Before Them.
ON THEIR DECISION HANGS THE
WELFARE OF THE
STATE.

Make Room for Those Who Have Been
Kicked Out for had Conduct?-What
Such a Course Would Mean-A Question
of vital Importance to Every Citizen.
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 90. - A few days
more and the people of Wisconsin
will be called upon to register at
the ballot box their opinion on the issues
of the campaign just closing Though the
questions at issue are many they are all
nbraccd in the one great issue Of whether
the party which for four years has con-
Quoted the affairs Of the state with such
market SUCCESS shall I've turned out and its
place taken by party which has nothing
to offer but promises and bad record In
the past; whether faithful and conscien-
tious officials who have honestly, econom-
ically and carefully conducted state
affairs, with an eye single to the best In
terests of the people are to be turned down
for the old crowd that few years ago
were caught with their hands in the pco-
pies pocket, and who were at last forced
to give up their plumber only by the per
sistent and tircless efforts Of those officials
whose places they now ask to be given.
This, stripped of all rhetorical fiourishcs
and supcrfluous verbiagc Is, in nutshell
the question which the people must decide
Nov. 4.
MUCH HANGS ON THE DECISION.
Though the question Is simple, on their
decision hangs the welfare OF the state as
well ms their own private interests for
many years. II they decide that the Dem
ocratiC officials are not to be reelected 1t
will he IL notice TO politicians that in the
future they need have no concern about
being honest or economical In their hand
ling OF state affairs; that everything can
be run wide open. looking only to party
advantage; that extravaganza and waste,
SO long AS IL IL hidden under spccious pleas
and Is not made too bold, is permissible.
On the other hand Democratic success at
the polls will mean that the people wish
to serve notice on parties and politicians
that the forward step taken by the present
state administration must be continued In
In caring for the peoples interests will he
alone passport to their favor 1t will be
encouragement to those in power to con
tinuo in their well doing and set the mark
of good government even higher than has
been done in the past four years.
Involved, however, in this main issue
there are others each in themselves I'M
portant though somewhat ovcrshadowed
by the main question. One of these is the
coupon book issue In spite Of all tho de-
malls made by the Republican politicians
IN their struggle to keep their heads above
water, enough evidence has been produced
to convince ninety nine people ont Of one
hundred that the scrip and coupon book
system is not just way Of dealing with
laboring men and that 1t ought to go. 1t
is also clearly apparent to every ono who
has given the subject moments thought
that It will not 20 in case OF Republican
success. On the othcr hand the Demo
cratic party stands pledged to Its removal,
by the passage OF such laws as will achieve
that end. Should the Republican ticket
be elected It would mean that the people
OF the state endorsed the Upham coupon
system, and would he SO understood by
Republican politicians. 1t would mean
the development Of the coupon industry
among employers Of large bodies Of men
until there would not be enough money
left In their vicinity to buy n loaf of bread.
On the other side the election of the Dem
ocratic ticket would mean condemnation
Of the system and Its immediate death Mt
the hands of the legislature. This Is Il
question In which not lnhoring men alone,
but every citizen of the state who loves
Justice and honor Is Interested, fact
which each will probably remember as he
casts his vote.
LARORlNG MEN INTERESTED.
The lnboring man Is especially inter
esttl in the result of the campaign as 1t
means mop to him than toauy other class
In the state. Whatever the workingmen
OF the state have gained they have gained
through the Democratic party Whatever
they have lost they have lost through the
Republican party. These are facts That
admit Of no dispute. Years ago n Demo
cratic Legislature passed, mt the request of
the workingmcn, the co-cmploye bill.
Just SO soon rs the Republicans had firm
control Of the state again this law was RE-
pcalcd 1t remained repealed until the
time when the Democratic party came
into control In the state in 1870, In spite of
tho requests of the workingmcn made at
tho meeting OF every Legislature. The
Democrats passed another CO, cmployc bill,
and II now stands On the statute book rs
safeguard and protection to every work
ingmau in the state Should the Rcpub-
lean party come into power that prntcc-
ton would not In worth pcnny's pur-
chase II would he repealed, ms was the
former law Of the same kind. Tho same
thing would occur to the law known ms
the ANTI Pinkcrton law" whereby cor
porntions arr prohibited from maintain
ing armed and Irresponsible forces for the
purpose OF tcrrorizing their employees
This law was passed ut the instance OF the
l,h,ripty mon nv tho npnpCrptit, lrrt sla-