Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-02-13
UpHA1'S UNPOPULARITY.
Becoming Known Abroad as he IS
Known at Home.

1t cannot be possible that the
Republicans Of this state would
re-nominate Gov. Upham to his
present office in the face of the
opposition against him. His
ineficiency and trickery is too
evident in all his actions to need
elucidation. His opportunities for
making good record have been
plenty but he started wrong and
will continue so until his party
turns him down, which they ought
to do soon. He makes a failure
of everything he attempts. He is
to be pitied, probably, more than
blamed, but the Party cannot
afford to be responsible for him
any longer than one term.
Green Bay Gazette: A cores
pondent scolds at The Gazette,
charging that it is uncertain in its
support of Gov. Upham. Bless
your dear soul, man can't put
stone piers under a streak Of zig
gag lightning, because of its con-
stitutional tendency to shoot in all
sorts of unexpected directions.
The Gazette is trying to follow
Governor Upham and is doing its
level best. But the impossible
may not be justly required at the
hands of any man.
Wausau Record: Under the
above heading the Milwaukee Sen
tinel treats the recent bungle by
the governor at some length, and,
with skill that the Sentinel al
ways shows, makes out that it is
an unimportant matter, and that
the attempt to make a mountain
out of a mole hill" is absurd. We
did hope that the Sentinel and
other leading party papers would
by this time conclude that a de-
tense of the methods-or lack OF
method-adopted by Gov. Upham,
is hopeless, and that the time had
come when it would not be con-
sidered necessary to burden the
party with the responsibility for
the acts of the executive.
We freely admit that a large
number of the governors per-
formances on the political stage
have been of a nature more likely
to inspire laughter than serious
comment. The latest hasco of this
amateur statesman is simply ludi-
crous when considered by itself,
and it is only when the sober sec
ond thought suggests that he, the
bungler, is the executive head of
this great state, chosen by the peo-
pie to administer their laws, that
any serious phase can be found
in it.
From his first candidacy four
years ago, Gov. Upham has been
consumed by a desire to conceive
and execute cute political tricks,
and in the attempt he has become
hopelessly befuddled always. He
has voluntarily entered into sacred
pledges, only to break them with
utter disregard of the consequent
ces except that he thought he saw
chance to strengthen himself
Those nearest to him, to whom he
was under obligations, who sought
no personal advantage or advance
ment, have been betrayed by him
and their wishes disregarded.
There are dozens of Cases-like
the Haugen ELSEWHERE people
have united in requesting the ap-
pointment Of particular man,
where the promise has been freely
given without qualification, only
to be broken at the last moment.
His one year i'll office is an I'M
broken record of disregard of his
pledged word, the pledges of his
party and the rights Of the people.
Is the republican party to be
forced to assume this burden SIM
| ply because the leaders and leading
papers within the party are unwill-
| ing to throw the responsibility
where it belongs the man
who, through sublime egotism and
disgusting insincerity, has brought
about the scandal? We do not be-
lieve it, and in the name of Wis
consin republicans whose only OBJ
ject is the good Of the state, which
can only come through party
honesty and loyalty, we protest
against any attempt to palliate or
excuse the unfaithful official.
Appleton Post: If Governor
Upham appointed Nils P. Haugen
to place upon the board of
Normal school regents. for the
purpose OF disposing Of the latter
as a competing candidate for the