Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-03-07
King Caucus Assailed
w. D. Corrigan, District Attorney of
Waushara County, Exposes Its
Shortcomings.
Enactment of Primary Election Law
Sure to Result in Better Government.
People Can Be Trusted and Should
Have Full Voice in Selecting Can.
didates.
Mr.. Corrigan said in part:

Mr.. Corrigan said in part:
The Primary Election Bill now
pending before the legislature is the
most important reform measure that
has in late years come before the
people OF Wisconsin. 1t involves the
method Of the nomination of cam
didates for public Office, which is the
foundation of republican government.
In order to obtain good public Of
ficials, the nominees for public office
must be good honest men since one of
the nominees must eventually be-
come the official. If the nominating
system is bad, the whole structure of
the government is upon a poor foun-
dation, so therefore the nomination
OF candidates seems to be a question
OF primary Importance.
The two leading political parties
during the last three years have rec
ognlzed that the present caucus and
convention system of nominating can
didates for public Office is bad. Much
more than this the Ieople of the
state of Wisconsin know it. and
hence 1t seems, since the people de-
mand attention to it, it must be a
matter OF legislative concern.
In the last state campaign. to a
limited extent, the question of a
primary election law, such as is now
proposed, was an issue. The republi-
can party had taken advanced steps
IN favor of the proposed plan.
Previous to the state convention,
many of the county conventions had
passed resolutions fayoring it, and at
the state convention the sentiment was
nearly universal in favor of the plat
form declaration which was made as a
pledge to the people that if the repub-
llcan party were placed in power such
a law would be enacted.
Our candidate for governor made
his campaign with that promise upon
his lips, as well as did many others
speaking under the auspices of the
republican state central committee.
1t struck as key note everywhere,
and helped the republican ticket to
roll up that 100 thousand majority.
1t becomes now the solemn duty of
that party by and through it's repre-
sentatives, to execute it's promises
and pledges into the form of law.
Public Demand.
1t has been said by the opponents of
primary election law, that it is not
demanded by the public generally and
that the Tlatform declaration of our
party in the last state convention was
not the demand of the rank and file of
our party organization. 1t has been
already called to your attention that
there has been a universal demand
for the nomination and election of
candidates for public office bv
direct vote of the people, not only in
the state of Wisconsin but through
out the nation. 1t has been uniyer-
sally recognized that there are MANY
evils in the caucus and convention
system, as the opponents of this
measure, many of them at least admit.
but still desire it retained because of
the social and agreeable features of
the convention, agreeable to them I
presume not only from social point
OF view but because of the glorv and
honor which they imagine falls upon
them because of their success and
ability, in being able to make party
nominations, dictate as party bosses
and pose as the leaders of a great
party organization, falsely believing
that they are the true leaders of the
people. The Importance of this
question throughout the United States
during the last few years has brought
together the best brains of the coun-
try in conferences for the purpose of
formulating plan which would result
in that kind Of a system which will
give the people their choice of party
candidates and destroy the corruption
and evils of the present system. It
seems to be the weight of opinion. as
a result of these conferences. that
the system of the primary election for
the nomination Of candidates by
direct vote of the people, guarded bv
sufficient provision of the law, con
Quoted in many respects as is a gen
eraI election is the method which will
destroy the evils now existing and
further the interests of representa-
tive government.
A primary election law was de-
manded by the platforms of the two
great political parties in this state in
the campaign of 1898. The Ann
Arbor speech made by our present
governor in 1898 was spread broad
cast throughout the state of Wiscon-
sin in pamphlets and through the
press and was received with favor bv
the public everywhere.
1 say without fear of honest con-
tradfction that it was well known by
the politicians and the common people
Of this state that Mr.. La Toilette
stood as one of the champions OF the
primary election law during the years
1898, 1899 and 1900.
My recollection is that Governor
LO Toilette announced himself as
candidate for that Office Oh the 18th of
May, 1900. The facts bear me ont in
contradicting the statement of Mr..
Monahan when he says that Mr.. La
Toilette made no declaration of
principles in the announcement of
his candidacy, nor that subsequent
thereto there was nothing said with
reference to a primary election law
until July 2Sth. La Follette's an
nouncement of his candidacy for
governor contained this declaration of
principles: This is in no sense per-
sonal, but due to the fact that for
years l have advocated throughout
the state and with nthnr- H.