The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-10-13
The ManitOWOCPllOt
THURSDAY, OCT. 13, 1898.
TIE QUESTION IN ISSUE.

TIE QUESTION IN ISSUE.
The oueetion before the people OF VIE
oonsin This fall is whether they approve
the administration OF Gov. Sconeiu.
That was a question before the repuol-
can convention which nominated him.
Notwithstanding regard for precedent,
desire for harmony and the certainty
that lack of unanImity on question
~ this kind would greatly weaken the
rennbl,cap ticket Ia the election, almost
40 ner cent. OF the republican delegates
IN that convention voted against the IN
dorss nent of the Scofeld administration
with fuil knowledge OF the fact that ais
denomination vas assured
If repnbllcans, acting AS such' fetfe-
senting the party and tacitly pledged 70
ACT for it's best interests, refused 10 90
what the voters OF the state are asked 70
do as citizens. charged with the duty OF
acting for it's best interests, what answer
should they give? he delegate Is sup
posed TO be partisan. He ls the repre-
sentative OF party ideas and party fealty.
For the time his allegiance TO his parry
s1lences hIs Individual remonstrances IN
LEGS the cause is snch tina. silence Is
sacrlfice of conscience and betrayal OF
trust These weighty causes Justify hlp
In withholding approval of party action
as was the case with tie republican dele
gates who refused approval OF the SEQ
field administration.
Can they do as citizens what they de-
clIned to DO as party representatives.
when the obligation TO acqulesce 10 The
latter case was far more binding than IL
Is in the former where individual opinion
governs? Can those for whom they acted
in refu sing O indorse Scotield, honorably
repudiate the action OF their representa-
tives by indorsin" that which met with
fiat refusal at the convention? The
charges made upon which refusal was
based, are still existent and have far more
force when urged against the election of
q man by the people than when urged
against his nomination by party. The
difference is that whlch should exist be-
tween loyalty TO the government and 10y
atty to party. An unfit official IS far more
dangerous TO public interests than an
unworthy candidate, unless party victory
be deemed paramount to the public good.
There Is far more reason to oppose
Gov. Scofield's election than there wes to
defeat his nomination, If there WAS reason
for the latter, and this republicans them
selves have furnished IN liberal measure
and with undisputed facts. Is the posi-
ton Of executive OF the state less honor
able, less responsible than the heal of
party ticket?
II the respectable number of republi-
cans refuse o AID IN carrying out the re-
forms forwhlch they Contended at the state
convention, and which thay asserted, We
bemently, were impossible OF consumma-
ton with Scofield successful because OF
his unfriendllness officially shown, what
Is the duty of the people in the premises?
Manifestly to take the matter in their
own hands and force these reforms which
party organization seeks to revent by
insisting upon the election OF a man who
bias shown his hostility to them by his
official acts.
Ii the charges made against a repub-
llcan administration were not true they
would not have been made 10y republi-
cans. If they we're not serious they
would not have been carried into the re-
publican convention and stated with such
particularly that defense was impossible,
with such persistence that a plea for
mercy was lnterposed, and an appeal to
regularity to silence denunratloh.
An effort will be made to obscure the
real issues rs they cannot be faced, 1t is
the Scctield administration which is on
trial and the charges are made by those
who assisted IN placing it in power They
have been made specifically and with &C
companying proofs. They have been stat
ed repeatedly SO that no one can plead
ignorance OF their nature nor say that he
cast his vote without knowledge of the
things he was approving in the conduct
of public affairs.
Governor Scofield vetoed bills impos-
ing license fee on express companies.
palace, drawing room, sleeping car and
trust companies, when it Is we'll known
that these institutions were not paying
their lust proportion of the public bur
dens. 10 aggravate the offense he is
charged With having received favors from
these corporations In the shape of passes
and franks. The reasons given for the
veto appear wholly insufficient partIcu-
larry as the general furd of the treasury
was undergoing diminutlon and direct
tax upon the people was made to replen-
ish it.
He IS charged with using his influence
TO defeat the passage Of an anti pass law,
notwithstanding that the platform upon
which he was nominated was pledged to
iue suhCbuleuI OF Sucn law.
The administration has been extra
VACANT. There was general demand
made and with unmistakable earnestness
for reduction in the clerical force at
the capitol. 1t was recognized by a
pretended examination of the several of
nces with view to determining where
reductions IN clerical force might be
most readily made. Bnt the clerk hire
for 1897 was over $4,000 more than for
the prece .lng year, Notwithstanding such
an expressed desire for reform in this
particular that the administration was
compelled TO take preliminary step to-
ward securing it.
Then the treasury scandals arising
from advancing salaries PAYABLE at the
state treasury, and even permitting pri-
yate parties to have an account there.
Governor Scofield put a stop TO this ouly
after exposure was made, form OF re-
pentance wholly without merit.
1t is we'll at this time to look over past
with view OF determin-
ing which political party while In power
has most economically and efficiently
managed the affairs OF the state, Last
week The Pilot published the amount of
state tax paid by Msuitowoc county for
the last three years under democratic al
ninistratlon and the three years follow
ing of republican administration. This
did not include interest due the state for
money borrowed nor special charges
against the county. The following shows
state taxes and all other state charges
pad 10y Mspltowoc county for the years
named. The tax payer can institute an
III terestlng comparison:
Democratic administrations
1891, Sol $40 IS
1892, 22.93l.3l
1893, 36,797 %