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

| The following letter by Mr.. C. N. Bright,
in the Appleton Post, deserves attention:
To the Editor of The Post:
! In much that is being said on the sub
ject of the primary election bill there is an
unfortunate disposition to question the mo-
tives of whoever says anything on the other
side. The question is certainly of enough
Importance to have it discussed on its ner-
/ its: and the people who are anxious to be
informed concerning the measure are
doubtless more interested in what its advo-
Gates and opponents have to say than they
are by what its advocates say about why
its opponents are in opposition, and vice
versa. Having made this suggestion, let US
take 4 look at one OF two of the arguments
recently made against the bill before joint
meeting of the committees on Privileges
and Elections by Mr.. James G. Monahan,
editor Of a Darlington paper
| Mr.. Monahan is very settling" in his
| manner. He gives nothing as his "opin
! ion;'' he 'Imagines'' nothing, thinks
, nothing Whatever he says, and he says
much, has the form of ultimate authority.
| He began his speech by declaring that the
law is not demanded by the people. Who
are the people?" 1 know some people who
are in favor of it-who have been in favor
of it for years-people whose opinions, it
seems to me, ought to be considered of
equal value with any that have been ex-
pressed against the measure; people who
are quite as competent to judge. So l say
the measure is demanded by the people. 1t
has been demanded by three or four conveu-
tions,-the kind of convention that Mr.. Mon
ahan seeks to perpetuate. Then he answers
his bald assertion by calling attention to the
campaign for the nomination of a republi-
can candidate for governor last year-how
there were six candidates in the field. r. NJ.
LaFollette and five others. Now I can re-
member perfectly year back. I can even
remember less than n year; we will say ten
months, for it is just about ten months ago
that the possible candidacy of Mr.. LaFol-
lett began to be talked about. I can re-
member how a lot of newspapers in the
state ''pished" and "poohed" the idea, and
advised him to be content with the two
beatings he had had. and promised what
they would do to him if he persisted
There is little object in going over all of it.
Everybody will remember. and the files in
all of the newspapers in the state will show
it all. About nine months ago LaFollette
was said to be considering the matter
Eight months ago he was looked upon as an
element in the campaign to be reckOned
with, and we heard Of the combinations
that were to defeat him. Seven months ago
he had the field to himself, the rest haC-
ing dropped out of the race. Now why was
it? l suppose it was because the people
wanted LaFOllctte. And~why cid they want
him? Doubtless because of what they
thought he was They had some acquaint-
ance with him. He was man said to have
hobbies. At least 7 have read that in Wis
cOnSin newspapers He had ideas about tax
alton. about economics in administration,
and about reforming the present. methods of
making political nominations He had been
advocating this reform for five years or
more. All this time the people were learn
ing more about what it was he stood for.
They always connected his name with pri-
mary elections. "LaFollette'' meant ''pri
mary election to everybody who heard it.
Now as the five oCner candidates for gov
and left the field to LaFOllette they did it
because the people all over the state had
made Up their minds they wanted to nom
mate LaFollette. 1t couldn't have been for
any other reason. They wouldn't have
dropped out for any other reason, all OF
them.
So it seems to me that it wouldn't make
any Difference, so far as the present primary
election question is concerned, whether the
republican convention favored the measure
in its platform or not. But the fact re-
mains that it did favor it. The unanimous
nomination by the republicans and the pret=
tX nearly unanimous election by all the
people of LaFollette makes it the duty of
the legislature to seriously consider what
ever recommendations he makes to it. and
to make law embodying the principal rec
ommendation, the primary election, the
measure he means. and the measure that
means him. For the majority party in the
legislature to fail to do this would be such
an exhibition Of Indifference to the eX
pressed wishes of the people as was never
witnessed in Wisconsin,
There is one other principal objection
urged by Mr.. Monahan, the making of the
one nominees for state offices and the leg
islature, which he says is one of the worst
features of wholly bad bill.
A platform is of value except as It
states the position of a party on measures
likely to come up before the law making
and law enforcing officers. Laws already on
the statute books are not questions-they
are facts. and whoever is elected is expect
ed to enforce them. 1t is the laws that are
to be made-that the platform. outside Of
its buncOmbe and brag and denunciation
and humbug, deals with. And who can bet
ter state the position of the party on such
questions than the men who will have the
laws to make, and the men who will have
them to enforce? For my part, | always
feel like asking questions of any candidate
for the legislature before voting for him.
The state platforms of the future, under the
proposed law, will be the declaration of
every nominee for q state and legislative
office on every question of interest to the
voter 1t will be known how every nominee
voted on every proposition. All will be n
matter of record, and the newspapers will
have it. But to Mr. Monahan this idea that
the people are going to surrender decla-
ration Of principles to al candidates is
proposition too ridiculous for serious con-
sideration. The ''vigOr'' of this assertion
the grafton is said to have been very
rigorous one) depends much on the tone of
the voice with which it is given;
Congressman Taylor of Ohio, who lives in
a district where candidates are nominated
bv a direct vote of the people, gave the
Washington correspondent of the Milwau-
this system worked there:
HOW IT WORKS IN OHIO.
LAS the system of nominating candidates
On the republican ticket by a popular vote
have been in operation in my county Co
lumbiana) in Ohio for nearly fifty years
and the system has been growing more com
plete in that county and extending over the
state, | have the greatest interest IN the
proposed legislation in Wisconsin Our pri-
/ mary elections in my county have not been
held in consequence of any law. but merely
IS a matter of custom in the party. 1t is
now so thoroughly rooted in the party syS-
tenn as to have the full effect of q law.
have read with great interest and care the
| bill introduced by Mr.. Stevens in the Wis
ronsin LEGISLATURE and while the efficiency
4 IF such radical measure cannot be accurate
| " predicted. yet / must say it seems to me
very complete and satisfactory | can see
no practical reason why it should not be
HasiIy workable. | know that in my part OF
ohio. where the people have accustomed
themselves to the use of the ballot in nom
mating candidates, it would work perfectly
To me the most interesting part of the bill
IN account of its novelty is that which pro-
-ideS for canvasSing the vote and the ere
alton Of a party machinery, al we'll as the
| declaration of party principles. Surely
there could be no more efficient state COM
nittee than made up Of the chairmen
| If the several county committees. them
| selves originating from n popular expression
| in the ballot box: nor DO think that any