Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-08-16


public thought throughout lhe approaching
ca mpaign; but your work mere To-Day VIII
appeal directly TO the Intelligent Judgment
aud personal interest Of every citlzeh OF
Wisconsin. and | venture to make mention
Of some OF its more important features
Questions of Immediate concern 10 the
people of this state press for conslderatilon'
ana you have here given assurance thal,
in a spirit Of fairness ana justice TO an,
these questions are TO be met with sincerity
and settled with certainty.
Let no man be mlsled. More must not pc
promised then can be performed. Every
problem presented must be wrought out
vita that care which shall work no WRONG
to any interest but with that thoroughness
and earnestness which shall insure good re
suits with reasonable promplnesS. ray
meuts may be so long deferred as 10 make
ma lie so slow as TO be wholly worthless
Investigation may be SO expensive ana so
prolonged as TO defeat us purpose rear.
lrssly. but always with due regard To the
Importance of the work ia hand, the repuD-
c0n party must now address Itself 70 the
tull and faithful performance OF All the
pledges made to the citizen.
Each individual and every corporation
trJusactiug business within the state.-eA-
cept such fruternal ana other associations
as are now expressly exempt from lAAd.ion
by laW-musI pay neither more nor less
that a justly propOrtonate share OF me
taxes Selfish human nature in the indl-
ydual ana in the corporation may resist,
but there Will be no halt and no Gompro.
mise. This question must be settled; ana
rightly settled, upon Il basis clearly SHOWN
to be just and equitable to all.
1t is TO be remembered that whatever Is
gained 10y an intelligent and thorough re
vision of the tax laws should rebound 10
he general advantage OF the taxpayer. me
contemplation of increased revenues must
not in any event be permitted 10 encourage
increased public expenditures. Efficiency IN
the service should be the highest ana most
important consideration, but with 1t there
must ever 20 a guardianship of the pubic
moneys under rules of the most rigid and
cXactlng economy.
BY no touch Of magic, but step by step
shall we make progress, until the Interests
Of individuals. of corporations and tue pup
lie stand alike before the official, hnding
neither prejudice nor favor. but receiving
the same measure of fair dealing that Is
accorded to either In a court of justice.
Special interests will then no longer find
necessity for perpetuatng the, lobby system
that so prcjudiceS them with the public and
the mercenary official with no talent except
for sand bagging VIII find private life far
more profitable than public life.
The public official must owe.no obligation
anywhere, excepting TO the public. lie
on all questions of conflicting. interest
which come before him. Upon this plal In.
self-eYident proposition rests the reason for
the anti-pass legislation. the manifest jus
tice ana wisdom of which no unbiased ctti.
zen will question today. BY its recorded
pledges, the republican party Is fully com
qulrement necessary, to effectualy prohibit
public officers from accepting from any cor
poration any pass, frank, or privilege OF free
transportation Tor hlnself or Tor ms prop
ertY, or from receiving reduced lranspor,
tatlon rates or mileage other than Is offered
TO the publlc,
lf I'D the development OF commerSlal en-
terprse, combinations should be formed,
that cheaper production, in which the con
sumner shares the peneht, let theh make inls
plainly manifest. Then will they win public
favor, ana secure me sanction OF the Jaw.
But combinations and trusts that destroy
competition, restrain trade and create
mohopolles Which prey upon the consumer,
must be met with prOhihitory penalties by
both state and national legislation.
But, gentlemen OF the convention, with
all OF your good work, nothing which you
nave done, nothing Whlch mas beeu uohe py
Will give to every man who has had share ID
ne WORK, SuCh enduring huhut Mheh II shall
nave rpencd INTO statutory law, as the
nation OF gu candidates ny uirect E9te AZ
primary election uhder the Austfaha4 pal-
be required 10 perfect all the working de
tails of primary election law. IL w9ulu
be range indeed II 1t were not so. But
your great ACHIEVEMENT IS III having estaD-
lished the principle and begun the over
throw Of system that Is undermining rep
rcsentatlNe government throughout the
iand. No longer IN Wisconsin, Will thSte
stahu between lhe VOTER anu me ouyih
political machine cunpllcate0 sys-
TEN OF cducuses anu conEenllons ny me
easy manipulation of which II thNafts the
Wnl of the voter and rules ollcial conuuc..
No valid reason can be given Tor continuing
the caucus ana convention uhVtHCf uaA' II
the voter is competent TO cast his ballot az
the general election TOT Inc ohcih OF ms
choice, he Is equally competent 10 vote az
rpctlN at primary election Tor the hOull-
nation of the candidates OF his party II Is
his right as citizen ana taxpayer, ana VINO
will dare to gainsay or deny III
inspired with confidence by tue great
reformation accomplished IN our genera
elections through the Australian ballot we
advance the standards Of reform ana de