River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-07-16
Facts VS.. Faction Talk.


If there is valid reasoning behind
any of the opposition to the candidacy
OF Mr.. LaFollette which has appeared
in some of the republican papers OF
the state in favor of other candidates,
no such reasoning has found express
sion i'm the mischievous attempts to
make it appear that Mr.. LaFollette is
the representative of faction or has
been an influence for dissension with
in the party or for defeat of the party
at the polls The gentlemen who un-
dertake to discredit him before the
people along that line simply prove
their prejudice by their ignorance.
Let the record go in evidence.
Mr.. LaFollette entered politics as
candidate for district attorneyin Dane
county in 1880 with five competitors
for the nomination. He was elected
by ninety-three majority. Two years
later he was renominated by acclama-
tion and was the one candidate on the
republican ticket to carry Dane coun-
ty, running some fifteen hundred
votes ahead Of his associates upon The
ticket. That was not factional sup
port.
In 1884 the old Third district was
represented in congress by democrat
and the republican party in the dis
trict was torn by dscord grown out of
the famous Keyes-Hazelton fight.
Mr.. LaFollette became a candidate
for the nomination and there was a
contest in Dane county. He carried
every precinct in the big county ex-
cepting two, was nominated, and was
elected over Burr w. Jones by half q
thousand majority. He was renomi-
by $500 majority. This experience
was repeated in 1888 and he was re-
nominated by acclamation in 1890.
lie was defeated in that campaign as
were all other republican Candidates
for congress in the state excepting
one : n that year; but he received GAS
more votes than did the republican
ticket.
Is that career tainted with any es-
sence of factionalism?
In 1894 Mr.. LaFollette supported
Mr.. Haugen as candidate for Gov
ernor. A bitter contest was waged
against Haugen by much the same
people who are now talking of fac
tions because of that support. Mr..
LaFollette and his friends carried
Dane county for Haugen against a
popular home candidate for Governor
and a powerful alliance of home can
didates for nearly every other Office
named on the state ticket. He led
the fight in the state convention and
when Haugen was defeated his sup
pOrtors made the nomination of Maj.
Upham unanimous, helped materially
to naminate each of the other success
full candidates on the state ticket, and
injected no spirit of bitterness or fac
tiOnalism into the proceedings.
There is no doubt that many of Mr.
Haugens Scandinavian gu pporters in
Dane county felt aggrieved at the
fight which was made against his
candidacy. The county organization
was wholly under control of Mr.. La
Follette's friends and agreeable to his
advice. Concessions were made to
the opposition, strong and non-fac-
tiOnal county ticket was placed in the
field. Despite worse than discourage
ment from the state committee head
quarters, Mr.. LaFollette took the
stump in Dane county, and Gov.
Upham carried that county by the
largest majority ever given to any
candidate of any party. What faction
was Bob LaFollette representing
i'm that campaign?
Since the Inauguration Of Gov. Up
ham administration no man suspect
ed of friendly regard for Mr.. LaFol-
lette-in or out of Dane county-has
found reason for gratitude in the adj
ministration. From no section of the
state has the war of criticism against
blit OUNCl 1Ol DtCll ehh
incessant than from Madison, but no
word of complaint against the admin
istration has been heard from Mr.. La
Toilette or from any man authorized
to speak for him. If he has repre-
sented any faction in this respect it
has been the faction of tolerance and
the faction which holds party unity
and party reputation above the level
of individual interests and preferences.
Mr.. La Toilette never voted against
a party candidate; he never contrib
uted TO a party defeat. He never
ran behind his ticket as a candidate;
he never failed to add the enthusiasm
and confidence of the people to any
canvass he engaged in.
Why talk of factions in the face OF
such facts?-Baraboo Republic, July
II 1904