Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-02-28
SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
HO0iC0. Reporter, GflHd Rapids
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY %. 1901.
HON. II. c. ADAMS.
DAIRY AND FOOD COMMITS
sloNER's OPENING ADDRESS IN
BEHALF OF THE BILL.
Bill No. SO, A.

Gentlemen Of the Committee:
The bill now under consideration by
this committee, No. SO, A, which
abolishes caucuses and conventions
and provides for political nominations
by direct vote, involves a revolution
in this state in methods Of nominal
ing candidates for public offices.
The friends of the measure from the
outset have recognized the fact that
the burden of proof is upon them. 1t
is incumbent upon us who believe that
this bill should become a law to dem
Onstrate to this committee and to this
legislature the unfitness of the caucus
and convention method for securing
the best expression of public senti-
ment, and to prove by presentation
of fact and arguments that the pend
ing measure, if enacted into law, will
secure a more general expression OF
the Judgment of the best citizenship
of the state in making nominations
and thereby securing as candidates
for public Office men whose character
and standing are such as to command
them to the rank and file of political
parties.
1t is not necessary to prove that the
caucus and convention system IS
wholly bad. 1t is not necessary that
we should demonstrate that this bill is
absolutely perfect. No one denies that
men of the highest character and abil-
ity and who have rendered great ser
vice to the state have been placed
upon party tickets and elected to high
office through the operation Of the
caucus and convention plan. No
reasonable man claims, and no friend
of this bill will claim before this com
mittee, that all caucuses and conven-
lions are corrupt or that they are in
yariably handled by political tricks
ters. 1t is true beyond question that
caucuses are very often dominated by
men whose only desire is to secure
the success of their party through the
nomination of clean and honest men
as delegates to conventions or as can
didates for office. Conventions have
been held in Wisconsin which have
been really deliberative in their char
acter where the controlling influences
have been those of delegates who have
simply sought the good of their party
and of the state.
1t is not necessary to paint caucus
and convention evils in extravagant
colors in order to prove the necessity
of their abolition. All that we have tC
do before this committee is to tell the
simple truth without evasion or ex
aggeration.
1t might be interesting to enter the
field of historic investigation, find the
beginnings of the caucus and cOnven
ton, trace the development of theil
various stages of efficic -" AID inef
ficiency, call attention manages il
party policies with refe~ o-~~e to them
and note the constartl- lowing dis
position of the differen-. states in this
Union to place them pore and more
each year under tho ,-.lating power
Of state statutes. 81 ais might be
interesting, but only part of it is per
ttnent to the purpO X If this discus
sion.
where the caucus .-'ee aorn, or how OF
why the first cons ton came into
existence. We IS not dealing will
the curiosities " u story. 1t is ou1
business to daa. ', ith the caucus an(
the convention as they exist today, O.
as they have existed during recen
years, within the memories of the mel
who form the legislature of this state
We ask the abolition of the caucus
and convention because they are al
incorporation into practice and int
law OF the doctrine that representa-
tives of the people are better qualified
to name men who shall be candidate
for public office than the people ar
themselves. This government is baset
absolutely upon the idea that the pee
pie can be trusted to determine publi
questions so far as that is a physica
possibility, and to determine by thei
votes who their representatives il
public office shall be. If the peopl
can be trusted with the business o
electing men to public office by thei
direct votes, will it be comforting
dangerous power upon them to Civ
into their hands the selection of can
didates for whom they shall vote? |
is true that all federal law is enacte
through representatives of the people
Seventy-siX millions of people canno
be collected, as in a town meeting. t
consider the multitudinous question
which affect the national welfare. |
this state of Wisconsin the two mil
ions of our population cannot pas
directly upon the one or two thousan
measures which come before ever
state legislature. There is not ma
In the United States who believes i
the soundness Of the Judgment of til
plain people," as Abraham Lincol
called them, who would not be willin
to leave to popular vote, if that vot
could be obtained, any question
public interest. But these question
are so great in number, so varied an
complex in their character that If SUI
United to popular vote the America