Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-08-07
A TWO EDGED SWORD.
THE sPOoNER RESOLUTION.

THE SPOONER RESOLUTION.
That the conditions attached to the
resolution endorsing Senator SpOOner,
adopted by the late state republican
convention, will prove as detrimental
to Gov. LaF toilette, as they will to Sen
ator Spooner, time is almost certain to
demonstrate.
What condition will Senator Spooner
be in after the November elections if
the republican ticket is successful?
That is a question many republicans
are bordering just now. The people
of this state who alone have the author
ity to say whether he shall be cOndl-
tionally or Internationally endorsed
for re- election, will then have spoken.
Not delegate in the late convention
had any authority from his cons THU
ents to attach conditions to such en-
dorsement. More than half of the del
egates we're instructed to endorse him
absolutely for reelection. The author
ity.to attach conditions came from
some source other than the people, and
the people are not yet bound by such
conditions because they have never, in
any manner, assented to them. No
contract is binding or of any force I'M
less the parties to it have fully con-
sented to it's terms. Until such con-
sent is given it remains mere prOpO-
sition.
A large majority of the delegates
were instructed by their constituents
to renominate Gov LaFollette and
support primary election plank and
tax reform plank in the platform.
This having been done Internationally
and pursuant to the authority of the
voters of the party becomes binding
upon the party because authorized by
it's members. But suppOsing the nomi-
nation of Gov LaFollette had been
made upon condition that he first de-
clare himself in favor of the reelection
of Senator SpOoner, and agree to sup
port candidates for the legislature fav-
orable to such reelection, would any
sane man consider that to be an hon.
est execution of the trust confided to
the delegates to renOminate Gov. La
Toilette, or binding contract made by
any recognized authority? Would any
body blame Gov. LaFollette if he
spurned, with contempt, such dis
graceful nomination? The instruc-
lions to delegates to endorse Senator
Spooner for reelection we're quite as
positive and absolute as any of the in
structions for such purposes. There
was not the least excuse or authority
for al ia thing conditions in carrying
out any of them, and in SO far as such
authorized conditions were attached,
the platform adopted at Madison, is
not the platform of the republican
party of this state, because it is with
out the sanction of the members of the
party. who alone have the authority to
assent to or authorize such conditions.
This being true, Senator Spooner has
not yet been authOritatively called up
on by his party, to perform any condi-
tions whatever, as prerequisite to his
becoming candidate for reelection
Therefore there is no occasion for him
to speak at present regarding the mat
ter. After election it will be different
because the people of this state will
have an opportunity, at the polls
to act on the question. Ii the republi-
can ticket is reelected the platform, as
it now stands, will have been assented
to and ratified, in it's entirety, by the
people of this state. Subsequent rati-
tication of an act making it as binding
as if performed by original authority,
the unauthorized conditions, attached
to Senator Spooner's candidacy will
by the election become the authorized
voice of the party, and fully assented
to by it. Senator SpOOner has not vet
been sacrificed, because the conven-
ton had no authority to sacrifice him,
if it had desired to. Is he is to be sac
rificed or Inundated at all, it can only
be done by the republican party at the
polls this fall unless some authorized
action taken by the electors of the
party in their legislative nominating
conventions repudiates the unauthor-
lied conditions mentioned.
But supposing no action is taken at
such nominating conventions and can
didates are nominated on the platform
as it reads, and who thereby become
bound not to support Spooner unless
he faithfully perform the conditions
prescribed, what will be the probable
effect on the ticket?
1t may be truthfully said that no
candidate for U. S. senator ought to
find any difficulty in endorsing the
platform of principles duly adopted by
a large majority of his party although
they relate only to state issues. But
that is not the question at all. Under
the circumstances Senator Spooner
has never had and cannot now have an
opportunity to exercise a free, disin-
terested Judgment upon the platform.
The plain offer to bride him into sup
port of the platform forestalls the
possibility of an opportunity for him
to judge fairly and disinterestedlv as
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