The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-10-31

IN his prOteStdt1OnS III that regard, the
leaders of the majority yielded, and
gave him clear field. Party harmony
was thus restored. He was nominated
| by reclamation and received the united
support of his party at the polls. He
was elected by large majority and the
Republicans felicitated themselves up
on what they had reason to believe
meant the permanent restoration OF
harmony. The import of the large ma
| iority at that election is often erron-
eously construed. If, instead of Mr..
! LaFo1lette, Colonel Hicks had been the
Republican candidate for governor,
and if instead of recommending or de-
handing the enactment of a primary
election law the Republican state plat
! form had recon amended or demanded
law regulating the wearing of corsets,
the result would have been just the
same.
| The election turned entirely upon
national issues-whether the splendid
administration of President Mckinley
should be Endorsed and continued, or
whether populism should be enthroned
in the national government.
The Republicans in the Legislature
met the Governor in the same spirit
that brought about the harmony which
| led to his nomination and election.
Even Mr.. Haugen's appointment as
tax commissioner, although objection
al BILE to a ma jority of the Republican
Senators, was unanimously confirmed
upon the ground that the Governor
was justified in taking care of his
friends.
Unfortunately. the conciliatory at
titude of the Republican legislators
was not reciprocated by the Governor.
Unlike his Republican predecessors, he
repealed those who could not agree
with him in everything, and chose his
advisers and counsel1ors exclusively
from his partisan following, and IN
general inaugurated a new departure IN
the customary and constitutional re-
lationship between the Legislature and
the executive.
The ante-e1ection harmony which
Governor La Toilette had so strenu-
ous1y sought, and which had made his
nomination and election possible, had
served it's purpose. For his post-elec-
ton purposes, which, among other
things, embraced a combination aim
ing at the seats of Senators Spooner
and Ouar1es, he preferred the harmony
which characterized the relations be-
tween the tribes of the original Amer
icans-the harmony with tomahawk
in the other fellows head.
In this spirit he framed, or caused to
be framed, under his immediate direc-
ton and in absolute seClusion, the So
called Stevens primary election bill.
With its introduction in the Legislature
the broad hint went forth that its pas
sage without change or modification
of any one of the thirty nine sections,
in any material point, would be insist
ed upon. A majority of the Repub-
lican members of the Legislature looked
upc this unprecedented proceeding IN
amazement. They looked upon many
OF the features of the bill as being un-
wise, impracticab1e and as tending
rather to aggravate than lessen the
evils the bill pretended to abate.
With a sense of responsibility to
their party and the people, they ex-
hausted every means in their power to
reach an honorable understanding
with the governor, which in good
faith would redeem the party's pledges
and have the united appreciation and
support of the party. Every PROPOSE
ton in this direction the governor re-
iected: even that of submitting the
question to a vote of the people. In
their opposition to the bill the mem
bers of the legislature but vindicated
their constitutional prerogatives, and
their own sense of duty.
The substitute bill which they final
1y passed was returned by the govern
or with veto message which has no
parallel in the history of legislation.
A ma jority of the Republicans in the
legislature, believing the course of the
governor revolutionary and contrary
to the traditions of the party and ma
jority rule, entered their protest and
gave their reasons therefor.
The Republican league, like Lin
coin, Mckinley and Roosevelt, believes
in the party, and that the way to serve
it is not to attempt to destroy it; that
in every constitutional government
parties and not men rule. 1t stands
for the traditions as exemp1ifed by the
great leaders of the party. Lincoln
chose his rivals as his cabinet advis-
ers, and counse1ed as freely and readi-
1y with Simon Cameron and Thurlow
Weed as with Charles Sumner and
Horace Greeley. Following the ex-
ample of his il1ustrious predecessor,
the 1amented Mckinley also consider
ate1y deferred to every shade of opin-
ion in the party, and in consequence
was as successful as Lincoln was in
plotting the country in peace and war,
and he has taken his place ct the side
of his immortal prototype in the niche
of tame.
President Roosevelt, with the same
faith in his party, follows the same
Il. 4 49, In016