Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-05-31
WOULD BIZ GOVERNOR.
Dig Badgers See No Early vacan-
cies in Senate.
SO MODERATE THEIR AMBITIONS.

lnEih AMBlIt9NS,
Review of Dozen Men ON One of Whom
NAY Fall the Next Standardization
High schools Are Encouraged by the
state-The Catholic Summer school i
Feature OF Life in Madison--Some Of the
Lecturers and Tneir subjects.
Madison, Wis. May s0.-The time to
decide upon Republican candidate for
governor is only year away. and nat
urally there is much discussion of the
various candidates
1t is too readiiy assumed in some
Quarters that Governor scofield will
not be in the field There is. to be sure.
sentiment against third term, IN
surance Commissioner Fricke and At
torney General Mylrea ran against IT
ana fea down hard, and they were re-
garded as successful state officers But
Jerry ltusk was governor for seven
years and General Fairchild had six
years. The Scofield administration has
strong claims on public favor. The
governor has ambitions in a quiet way.
and during the senatorial deadlock last
January was by no means sure that
supreme honor might not come his way
as a dark horse. But If he is in the
field his appointees and friends must
do most of the work. One of Scofieid's
strong points is an aversion to push
ing himself. There are a dozen men
talked OF. TIE lieutenant governor.
Jesse Stone. OF WATERFOWL was for a
time regarded as almost sole legatee
of the office before others grew ambi-
nous. Mr.. Stone made an excellent pre-
sidlng officer of the senate He is
courteous, careful, and judicious. He
mas knowledge Of public affairs. and.
though not an iconoclast, he is better
as rule--safe.
bennett and w. A. Jones.
Senator Fred bennett, the Port Wash
iagton chair manufacturer. is in the
front rank of possibilities. He is frank
to acknowledge his candidacy. Senator
bennett is one of the best men in the
state. he has had to do with the legis-
.ature as official and member for two
score years. He is young and has prin-
ciPies, which. without surrendering. he
presents to the people attractively. and
ne would not wittirgly do a wrong.
bennett is loyal TO his friends. He is
worker in politics as n business and
goes after things hard. 1t is not nm
likely that here is future governor
of the state.
w. A Jones of Mineral Point is much
such man. He is now Indian commits
sioner of the federal government. a high
position that, it does not seem that he
would exchange to be a state official
even governor. But it is believed a
call of the convention would bring him
home. Mr.. Jones is a weIshman, a
hearty. cheerful rocL-rlSbed Presb-te-
rian, whose only weakness is good ma
ture, and yet where an issue is clear
cut he can be depended rpon. He makes
friend of all who come within his
reach. and in many. Wags is en4ee. ~ t sr,s
most most "a ssaiillsah,llae men in the party.
Big Fellows Willing To Be Governor.
OF course, if Mr.. LaFollette wants ia
be candidate for governor he will be
very much lin it," though the smoke
of the recent session has not sufficient
ly cleared away to admit of clear view
of his status. 1t is conceded that his
crusade did much to word the party
platform on whose enactment into law
the Republican party is feeling much
pulled up. However, some of Mr.. La
Follette's ..former Heutenants, notably
those well entrenched in offices in the
capital. are weary of factional fight
and are working as happily with their
former enemies as bugs in a rug. If
Mr. LaFollette concludes to be in the
fray, there will be an obscuring of old
dividing lines to some extent. 1t is not
unlikely Judge Philo Orion of Darling
ton, who made such a notable record as
assembly leader, may be put forward
as the reform candidate" though here
again is a mixing of traditions, as it
was the LaFollette people who are cred
tied with preferring Martin to Orton
for the senate. The likelihood that Mr..
LaFollette will contest Senator Spoon
er's seat is conceded, but that is over
three years away.
Moreover. there is a feeling that
Spoener, with his easy supremacy at
Washington, and Quarles-both young
ish men and in their strength-will pre-
empt Wisconsin senatorial honors for
some years to come. Mr.. Quafles has
been somewhat unfortunate in his
speeches, being Of a fervid and af-
fectionate disposition, but he will learn
HfSa.ntinn nd 1af hn Y1iv fa 90
the American eagle alone after prac-
tice and criticism.
The effect of this feeling of pre-emp-
ton is to drive into the gubernatorial
field a lumber OF men once looking for
bigger game. Cook, Babcock, Stephen
son--it viii be no surprise to see them
turn up as candidates for governor next
year.
Ray of Lacrosse a Strong Man.
Senator Jones of Waukesha, the ex-
political leader of Illinois, is on the list
of potentials, and Senator Baxter of
Lancaster has long had ambitions. He
is a substantial somewhat cautious
man of large experience in public af-
fairs AS chairman Of the appropria-
lions committee he is credited with
knowing great deal about state
finaLce. Speaker George Ray of La
Crosse would make an excellent gov
ernor, as he has made supremely good
speaker of tie assembly. Mr.. Ray is a
Maine man of business, upright, meth
odical, just and, like Benjamin Harri-
son, somewhat cold in manner. He is
always dignitied nd looks the hale and
hearty" ways of some. But when you
reflect on past governors there have
been a surprisingly few of the boys
fill that post Wisconsin inclines to dig
nifty in high places.
There are others who are named for
governor Judge Baensch of Manito-
voc is always regarded as typical
representative of the German-Ameri-
can, and such an one may be needed.
The judges friends have so persistent
Iy doomed him for every kind of va
cancy that it has imT aired his prestige
a bit But he made an excellent lieu
tenant governor. All the Treats of
Monroe are good stock and 1t is not
strange the state chairman's name, ].
b. Treat, should be on the list. His
brother is on the board of control.
A Statesman Not Ashamed of Church.
Senator Whitehead of GAINESVILLE made
perhaps the most bri liant record In the
upper branch this year. He is almost
m. h -