Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-03-07

swered in the affirmative, should tho
members of this legislature support
it?
Questions Answered.
answer the last question first and
say most emphatfcally, yes. Every
republican in this body who was elect
ed last fall knew when he accepted
the nomination that this plank was in
the platform of his party, and after
the election he knew that the electors
of Wisconsin had ratified that plat
form by the largest majority in the
history Of the state. But you say
that does not prove that the voters are
in favor of this particular plank It
was republican year and the endorse.
ment was simply an approval of re-
publican policies, and that men
worked and voted for their party with
a mental reservation as to this partic.
ular plank. The assertion would be a
mere guess, and must fail absolutely
when tested by the facts which led up
to the campaign proper, and in prov.
ing those facts, we also answer the
question: Do majority of tho
electors Of Wisconsin favor this bill,
and expect it to become law at your
hands? 1t becomes necessary to con-
| slider the facts involved in the last
campaign.
They are recent history, with which
every man in the state is familiar.
| Six gentlemen, residing in different
| sections of the state, were candidates
| for the republican nomination for gov
ernor. The present incumbent of that
| Office was the last to enter the field.
1t is not intended to disparage any o.
! the men who aspired to that high and
| responsible position, for it may be,
and is, admitted that each man who
entered the race was an honorable gen.
tleman, worthy Of the position sought
| But admitting this to be true, who out
| side the intimate friends of each can
didate knew the position they occupied
upon the great questions now absorb
| ing the attention of the people.
Governors Position.
! Every voter knew just were our
present governor stood upon these
| questions. For years he had been be-
| fore the people, man with a policy,
with ideas vigorously expressed as to
what should be done to advance the
prosperity and well being of the
people of Wisconsin. First at the
head of his list Of reforms, more earn
estly insisted upon than all others,
was the primary election law. Every
republican knew this for his light had
not been hid under a busheI but had
man could see it. With voice and with
pen he had sounded the note of warn
ing, throughout the length and breadth
| OF Wisconsin, telling the people boldly
that they must throttle the evils that
had grown out of the caucus and con-
/ Yention system, or these evils would
| destroy popular government, and
pointing out specifically just what
those evils consisted Of The electors
Of republican faith were not slow in
indicating their choice between the
aspirants. From the workshop and
the factory, the store and the office,
the farm and the mine, from every
line Of human activity within the
state, they pressed forward, determ-
ined that their choice should prevail.
A remarkable demonstration, which
amounted to a practical but bloodless
revolution. The unusual spectacle
was presented to the world of rivals
retiring from the field long in ad.
vance Of the convention, not waiting
to submit their claims to it's determ-
Ination, and when the convention as
sembled, not rival for the honor
remained in the field, and a delegate
body OF over one thousand men, with
tout a murmur of dissent. conferred