Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-11-26
Payne for Member of the Cabinet
Would be Sad Mistake,

Just at present there is great deal of
talk about the ACCESSIBILITY Of recon-
mending H. C. Payne, of Milwaukee,
for place in McKinleys cabinet In
the first place we do not know whether
Mr.. Payne would accept such position,
or whether Mckinley would tender him
a place in his cabinet However this
may be, we are sure of this fact, that if
Wisconsin is entitled to place in Nc
kinley's cabinet, H. c. Payne would not
suit the rank and file of the Republican
party in this state, therefore his appoint
ment would be mistake. The idea is
already too prevalent among the rank
and file. that the Republican party is
the party of the rich and monopolies,
and as soon as the party is placed in
power only the rich are recognized and
the poor stand no chance. While this
is not wholly true, in part it is made TO
look SO, to those who look upon the
matter from an Independent position.
The Republicans of Milwaukee are
knowing of the fact that H. G. Payne is
unpopular with the laboring men of that
city, then why increase that unpopular
ity by selecting him for the best position
in the gift of the Party in the state?
Personally we have high opinion of
Mr.. Payne as successful business
man, but politically he is unpopular
with the masses and he knows it as
we'll as we do. If the Republican
party desires to continue strong in this
state they cannot do so in selecting H.
c. Payne for the best plum in the gift
of the party. 1t will never do and the
leaders should see to it that the mis-
take is not made.
We received the following communi-
cation this week from Port Edwards,
Wis, upon this subject and append it
hereto:
! Port Edwards, Wis,
Nov. Goth, 1896.
Mr.. EDIToR:-
| see in the Eve ming Wis
consin" of Nov. Goth, that the sugges-
ton of Henry G. Payne's name for
Postmaster General in President Nc
Klnley's cabinet, meets the approval Of
republicans generally. Nothing can be
farther from the facts as nine-tenths of
the republicans in this part of the state,
land what is true of this part is no
doubt true of the balance) know Mr..
Payne only as an unreliable political
wire-puller and lobbyist, as it is well
known that be spends the larger part of
his time during the sessions of the
State Legislature, twisting" committee
rooms with view to influence Iegisla-
ton.
There are also many who believe
that the secrets of the campaign of
1890, when Mr.. Payne was State
Chairman, were given to Chairman
E. G. Wall for the purpose of de-
feating Governor Hoard, as Payne was
not i'll sympathy with HoarC's success.
No! the rank and file of the republican
party do not want to see Payne hold a
cabinet Office as it would smack too
much of ''spoils'' rewarding Mr.. Payne
for something he did not do, as it was
McKinley's popularity and Mark
Hanna's business sagacity that were
the chief factors in the success of the
late campaign. But then [ suppose we
will have to accept what "Oshkosh"
and milwaukee, wish, as they seem to
anticipate the hereafter desires in this
case for their benefit just as the same
influences" have assumed to know
the peoples desires in the past and
have dictated the peoples policies for
their own personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
1t was believed by the working
classes and many others, that McKin-
ley was not persona grata with the
bosses, and it was this belief that gave
him such strength amongst the masses,
but If the press reports be true, the
bosses are to receive the pie and the
patriotism and brains of the republican
party are to be turned down. If Nc
kinney, now that he is elected, should
isolate himself from the masses and
ignore their desires, by appointing to
office, men whose chief qualification is
the money thew may have or their
ability to manipulate politics, the re-
publican party might just as we'll dig
their grave and prepare for burial in
1900, for the republican party is only
elected on probation, and. should they
prove recreant to their trust, they will
be turned out in 1900 and the people
will elect servants who will eliminate
those objectionable leeches from Amer
can politics as the only means of pre-
serving the republic.
A. GRAY.