Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-02-28

1
sent him here to designate as
towards all men who believe N
honor and feel bound by their
promise.
Upon what doth this our Caesar feed
That he hath grown SO create"
l suppose that all the planks in all
! the political platforms which were
ever penned were drawn by some
body. If this plank concerning the
| primary election law was drawn by
| Governor La Toilette, that is scarcely
| a reason for its rejection. Let us
rather honor him for his sincerity in
urging its enactment. Whoever may
have been its author it was after
ward adopted by the convention and
became the property of the republi-
can party.
The declaration of independence
was drawn by Thomas Jefferson. It
was a ''one man idea," but when it
was adopted by the convention of the
colonies it became the charter of
freedom. The emancipation procla-
nation was drawn by Abraham Lin
coin. Ii was "one man idea" but
lit broke the shackles of slavery. and
gave to millions the priceless boon Of
liberty.
My learned friend quotes largely
from the scriptures, but l am con-
strained to say, that he does so. not
Ilearnedly, or exhaustively. Under
the circumstances accompanying his
opposition to this measure, and his
denunication OF the same as "one
man idea his eulogy of Robert NJ.
La Toilette reminds me of this pas
sage from the Old Testament:
And Joab said unto Amasa, art
thou in health my brother? and he
took him by the hand, and smote him
in the fifth rib, aud he died"
However, this like all the texts
referred to by my eloquent friend, is
taken from the Old Testament scrip
lures. They SAVIOR of an age. not
filled with christian charity. They
are scarcely up-to-date. l commend
my friend TO a study of the New
Testament
Gentlemen, I have detained yon
long and l will refrain from further
trespass upon your patience. l can
plead no adequate excuse for the
valuable time have already occupied.
Except the concern l feel, and which
| believe that others feel-nay, which
believe you feel, in the strange and
ominous doctrines which have been
here declared. Doctrines of vastly
more Importance than this proposed
primary election law.
This is representative government
and | have been taught to believe, and
[ do believe, that the power delegated
by the people to their representatives,
whether it be in convention or legisla-
ture,-in the executive or the judicial
branches of the government. is
sacred trust which cannot be violated
with impunity.
My friend tells you that he is "old
fashioned" and confesses to his love
of the old methods of nomination and
election. Neg to assure him of his
mistake. He is very new-fashioned
and entirely 1"up-to-date" in that par
! ticular at least. | regard him as the
finished and perfected product of
| sixty years of experience in the
caucus and convention system. It is
the example of his teachings such,
which make 1T clearly apparent thai
the system should be changed. 1t is
those of us who believe as the fathers
believed, in the days when human
liberty was new, and not cheap, who
are "old fashioned"
If hundred years of freedom and
cOmmercialism has carried us awav
from those ideals which inspired the
founders of this government, surely
this is a fitting time, in the dawn of
the new century, for us to re-afirm
our old allegiance to those principles
CT representative government, which
nave. given. us a century of such
marvellous prosperity and achieve
ment, as to even cause us to forget
the price of our country's freedom.
and some among us to put a price
upon our countrys honor.
Gentlemen, l thank you for your
courtesy and attention.