Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-12-28
A SENATORIAL TEMPEST.

L4clh tDTOuBnOu Wisconsin VINO are
wroth. They are particularly venom
Gus toward the great Milwaukee di-
vine, Judson Ellsworth, of Plymouth
church. la recent Sunday night SER
mon he took for his subject Higher
Standards The reverend gentleman
addressed his remarks particularly to
the approaching election of United
States senator. "Whas are the quaifica-
tions," he said, (which the people of
Wisconsin have right to look for in
he man who shall represent them in
the United States senator
First, he ought to be a man of high
intellectual attachments. That is. he
should have disciplined and balanced
mind, one capable of grasping great
subjects and weighing and judging them
adequately.
Second, he should be diligent stu
dent of history, and be familiar with
the course of mems dealings with gov
ernmental and political subjects in
other times and nations. The same
principles are organic in diplomacy and
craftsmanship, which have been the
framework of Legislation from the time
of Moses. He must have studied these
principles ard be able to bring rich
harvest of study to the enrichment Of
his coUntry's Legislative resources.
Third, he should be man gifted with
the power of xpression-the more elo
quent the better. The senate has been
historically the arena within which the
nations most honored orators have
gathered and where they have won their
greatest renown. The very name OF
the senate is somehow associated with
the gift of eloquence, and while the
power Of winning speech is not sine
qua non In the case of senator, there
Is no reason why it should not be
sought, and sought determinedly, if it
can be found in connection with other
qualifications which are desirable.
Fourth, he should be a man of un-
blenished character, of upchallenged
wholesomeness Of life. Wisconsin has
her choice between clean and uuclean
men in this election. There ought to
be no hesitation, if such is the case, to
give the clean man or one of the clean
men, the preference. Moral character
ought to count in representative gov
eminent as nowhere else. The people
are bound by every consideration to
represent themselves by good men, if
there are such men to be had, and if
there are not God help the common
wealth of Wisconsin.
There is danger of repetition of the
essential scandals of former occasions
of # rmer occ lsion at least when money
played d disgraceful role at Madison,
and the capitol of our state was dis
graced by scenes of debauchery of leg
lslators by it, of which old Rome might
well be ashamed. 1 suppose there is no
doubt that whisky flowed like water and
The headquarters of the successful can
didate was scene of lavish disburse
ment of money for one purpose and
another, even if there WAS no direct
bribery and purchase of votes.
Fifth, he should be man of indie
pendent opinions ard of Spartan courage
IN expressing his opinions upon ques-
tons which concern the national life and
welfare. He ought to be no mans man,
but Gods only. 1t matters not
whether such a man be rich or poor.
Still it there was choice it were better
thai he be poor that he might be above
The suspicion of having used his wealth
as leverage to open the doors of the
senate. A man of moderate means would
be better representative of the people
OF this commonwealth than a man of
large means; he would be more in sy M
pathy with the people, and defend them
from the asserted rights of overgrown
money powers. Such a man would be
less likely than the rich man to have
his moral nature vitlated by those pro-
cesses which the love of money employ.
The causeof the degeneracy in politics
is the Use of the political boss and his
self-election to membership, or the die
tatlon OF the election of his henchman,
and the increasing power of wealth
enabling rich men to purchase their
seats in that body. The Cloths and
Vandals, the political bosses like Platt
and Quay, and the illiterate millonaires,
too numerous to mention, had invaded
those classic halls, with deplorable re-
suits to the senate's personnel, forensic
ability and craftsmanship.
The CENSOR offers it's columns to any
candid man for the privilege of pointing
wherein the Reverend Ellsworth has
slnned against moral and political ethics
IN his discourse. This writer has the
trust committed to him of casting |
vote in legislative convention for the
man who shall serve our splendid COM
monwealth in the United States senate |
Has he constituent who desires that |
his vote or rather their vote) be cast |
for other than such a gentleman as is
described by the learned Tittsworth?
10 their platform pledges of this year
Wisconsin republicans promised much
in the way of needed reforms. Would
that they had added the splendid
thoughts of Rev. Ellsworth in that
declaration of principles.
From Washington comes the report
that President Mckinley rendered to
Senator Spooner of this state, the ap
pointment of secretary of the interior,
which WAS declined. E. A. Hitchcock,
Missouri man, accepted the honorable
position after Senator Spooner declined.
Fifty representative Democrats of
Iowa, met in state conference at Des
Ioines, declared that the 16 to l free
silver issue is dead, and advised that the
democracy return to the pure and sim
pie doctrines Of Jefferson. Elk. Gov.
Boies is making a strong fight for
sound money.
grand reunion of the veterans OF