The Tucson citizen., 1902-07-25
ASEVER6 REBUkE.

The rebuke administered to Senator
Spooner of Wisconsin by the Republl-
can convention of his State is one OF
the most significant events that has oc-
CURED in party politics in this country
for some time. Practically 1t is clear
and definite announcement that the
people prefer the correction of dOmes-
tic evils to the acquisition of imperial
glory. Spooner is very able man.
ln the past he has been the ido! OF the
Republicans of his State. He is be-
yond question the strongest advocate
of the imperial policy of the admins
tration in either House of Congress.
The significant plank Of the Wisconsin
Republican platform, which Senator
SLooner is called upon to lndorSe. or
T. retire from public life, is as follows
We regret the failure of the last
legislature to enact those laws pledged
tn the public by demand of the Repub-
Ican party platform in IT. last State
convention. We condemn the pe"-
nicious activity of federal officials in
this State in fragrant disregard Of civil
service laws, in attempts to forestall
and control conventions and CapCuSoS
of the party, AMI in assisting p-ofes~
sional lobbyists before the legislature
and elsewhere in the work Of defeating
legislation In redemption of party
pledges. AS representatives of the
Republicans of Wisconsin. chosen in
contest. and after a campaign which
has left no reasonable ground Tor
doubt, we declare an equal and uni
form taxation of all taxable property.
and the right of every citizen to an
equal voice. with a direct vote, in the
nomination of candidates for off1ce,
are issues of supreme Importance in
the ensuing State campaign.
This refers to the fact that pro-
fessional Wisconsin lobbyist, Henry c.
Payne. has been made Postmaster
General by President Roosevelt, and
that the last Republican legislature of
the State. controlled by Spooner and
Payne, failed to carry out the party
pledges for a primary election law,
poviding for direct nomination OF
candidates under the Australian ballot
system and a tax law that would in
sure fair and equal taxation of corpor-
ations. These pledges are emphatically
repeated in the new platform. This is
a direct reputation Of the "stalwart"
element represented by Spooner and
Payne
In the debate on the platform SMr
Spooner's friends. who were also the
special friends Of the Roosevelt ad
ministration, acknowledged the Sen
ator was not in full accord with the
State platform. and claimed he was too
big man to be turned down by minor
State issues; that his duties were ma
tional, and he stood on the national
platform, and that the adoption of the
resolution was an insult to him calcu-
lated to retire him to private life.
Senator Spooner has distinguished
himself as an able defender of impe-
rialism and other Republican policies,
including even torture and cruelty,
"uItH ItSlueHI IIuOSSfSII has uOW
repudiated His people now practic-
ally say to him: Serve us in our
home affairs or step down and out
He is in much the same situation that
ingalls, of Kansas found himself after
diverting the attention Of his cor
stituents for years from their own mis-
government by dancing on the grave of
jeff Davis.
We repeat that this is significant,
and 1t is hopeful. The last Congress
devoted more time to the Philippine
Islands than it did to the domestic
concerns of the United States. The
people are getting ready to call halt
In reality, the Wisconsin Legislature
did not repudiate platform pledges any
more than Republican legislatures
elsewhere, including the national Con-
gress. Nevertheless the action of the
Wisconsin convention is exactly what
good government demands. If party
can purify itself, and punish men who
betray 1t, 1t is entitled to public con-
fidence. II it can not and will not it
must be defeated at the polls, or pop
ular government becomes a farce.