The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-10-14
A FAIR STATEMENT OF TT.
Just How That Anti-Pass Matter Between
the Governor and mr. Hall Stands.

JusG now tnaI AnIl-PaSS matter between
the Governor and mr. Hall Stands.
The democrats are trying so hard TO
make political capital out of the alleged
refusal Of Gov. Scofeld to assist in
pushing through the legislature last
winter what is known as the Hall anti
pass law, that it is deemed very perth
nent to print the following very fair
statement of the whole matter from
the pen of Orlando Burnett" who
acted as our correspondent in Madison
while the legislature was in session:
The latest phase in the state posi-
ton middle is Assemblyman Halls
charges I) that Governor Scofeld neg
lected the part of the party platform
which denounced the free pass after
having said he stood on the platform,
(2) that he referred slightingly to the
issue during the session of the legisla-
ture.
Hall says that certain members Of
the legislature reported to him (Hall)
that Scofeld had styled the anti-pass
crusade q nQmDug, F." etc.
Here is specific charge, and if the
governor in his promised interview spe-
officially denies it, then it will be incum-
bent on Hall to name the men, and the
state will be plunged in pretty mess.
The outcome might be the welldefined
issues which the governors opponents
have been praying for-hitherto lack
ing. The governor is an outspoken
man, and it is possible that he reflected
the opinion that many entertained
early in the session, that the anti. pass
agitation was somewhat inchoate and
the matter so greatly overshadoWed
by other ripper questions as not to be
taken as urgent at that time. The
free pass is iniquitous now to most
everyone's thinking, because Mr.. La
Toilette and others have hammered the
subject home in the minds and con-
sciences of the people, but in the early
session it was made light of by many
good men. Mr.. Hall has always laid il
against the governor that the latter
made no mention of the matter IN his
message. Some of the governors
friends point out that the republican
convention resolved against the free
pass at time apart from the platform
adoption, and that when Governor
Scofeld made his speech of acceptance
he did not know Of the anti-pass reso-
luton. While this is true, the infer
ence is that the governor is against
the abolition of the free pass, which is
nonsense, and the defense" is calcu-
lated to do him harm. We are all
opposed to the free pass now; as to
when we considered the matter as
live, pressing issue, there isa difference
in dates, that's all.
Mr.. Halls reasoning that Governor
Scofeld owed the anti-pass movement
his vigorous support because he said
he stood on the platform is unjust,
because Scofield did not know it was
in the platform when he made the
promise. Moreover, it is always a
question of propriety for the governor
to throw his individual strength in
favor of pending legislation. Mr.. Hall
will make point against Scofeld if he
convicts him of efforts against his pet
measure though even this alone is not
enough to warrant opposition to ore
whose career is SO creditable; but it
would be scarcely less to the governors
credit if he had used his Office to force
any bill through, even the anti-pass
bill. Thus his friends reason.