Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-08-07


cause by so doing he necessarily ad-
mits the assumed disloyalty, implied
by the condition, and comedies that he
is willing to be bribed by the proffered
reelection, into loyalty to the plat
form. Disloyalty and culpability are
necessarily suspicioned of him or nc
thought of. His acceptance under
admission that he is willing to be con-
sidered both disloyal and bribable. In
other words, it is absolutely necessary
for Senator Spooner to either disgrace
himself by accepting the Office as a
confessed bride or else not to become
a candidate at all.
1t is we'll known that Senator Spoon
err has never openly sought any office
Both times he has been elected to the
u. S, senate, he has been elected as the
outspoken choice of his party, wholly
without solicitation on his part. The
unauthorized conditions in the plat
form makes it impossible for him &c
speak this time without disgracing
himself and still be a, candidate, or
willing to accept the office.
AS above mentioned these obnoxious
conditions have never been assented
to by the voters of the party, either by
instructions to delegates or by subse-
quent ratification. Hence they are not
yet binding on the party. They are sc
far, in the shape of a proposition only,
which the people in their legislative
nominating conventions may either
repudiate or accept or leave to be set
tied at the polls in November. If &C
cepted or left to be settled at the polls
what will the people do? They are
looked at by thousands of admirers Of
Senate SpOOner, most of whom earn
estly desire the reelection of LaFOl-
]ette 1t is in effect an invitation Jun
dersigned, of course) to politically as
sassinate Senator Spooner. Every re-
publican ballot will be dagger thrust
and a republican victory will be final
determination by his party that the
suspicion of his disloyalty and the as
sumed susceptibility to bribery are
we'll founded. Senator Spooner can
we'll stand such an undeserved ending
of his notable career. He is now in the
zenith of his fame His distinguished
services and great ability are the ad-
miration and the hope of the nation
Two presidents have won their way to
the hearts of the American people and
to endoring fame, not without his wise
counsels, irresistible logic and con
vincing eloquence. The present head
of the greatest government on earth
pleads most earnestly for his return tC
the public service. Our expanding
foreign policy, our distant possessions
and the safe leading of their beDighted
inhabitants from the haunts of tyran-
ny to the paths Of freedom, demand
alike his continuance in Office.
His taking off at this time is certain
ito give him permanent place in the
annals of the nation along with Clay
Calhoun, Webster and Sumner as {
great debater and statesman. He has
already "won his SPURS" His ''past is
at least secure" and he may we'll fee
content.
Not every Wisconsin republican can
: by his ballot, charge this man with be
ing susceptible of bribery by promise
!, of office Or of being justly suspicioneC
: of party disloyalty, even though such
ballot may re-elect Gov. LaF'ollette
and secure the reforms he stands for
Such is the burden unnecessarily put
upon the cause of Gov. LaFollette by
these unauthorized conditions, that i1
many localities it actually imposes as
a condition of LaFollette's reelection
their absolute reputation by the legis
lative convention. We can i'll afford tC
take too many chances OF defeat this
year, Gov. LaFOllette will be returned
to office this time with. no entangline
alliances. The severe punishment ad
ministered to all boilers from the plat
form of two years ago, and the plain
determination of the people expressed
for second time in the platform OF
this year are the best of guarantees
that the principles he has SO long ad
vocated will be enacted into positive
law, if republican supremacy contin-
ues. The people are interested in Gov
LaFollette. They believe firmly in the
reforms he advocates and want to see
them adopted. Why endanger them
by insisting on the conditions in the
Spooner resolutions? The man who
has most sincerely at heart the cause
of LaFollettee should wisely join the
man who sincerely admires Senator
Spooner and together, at the caucuses
repudiate, as unauthorized, the prOpO-
sitiOn to beSmirch the leader OF the
United States senate with foul SuS-
picion. Unfetter Senator Spooner SO
he can approve OF your platform with
out compromising himself. Let him
understand there is no reward for ap-
prevail and no punishment for adisap-
prevail so that he may have the chance
to disipterestedly exercise loyalty to
the will Of the majority if he desire,
and il he proves himself disloyal it will
be before election. He heartily sup
ported the ticket and the platform
Substantially the same) two years ago.
If the people want him for us. sena-
tor let them elect him upon his merits
and in considering his merits, his 10y
atty to the party will as it always does
come in for due consideration. We
want both LaFollette and Spooner on
their merits, not as the result of trade
or bribery. Do away with these OBJ
noxlous and unauthorized conditions
and we will have them both unques-
tionably.
There's one good thing about the
mosquito pest-it gives smoking
man moro home privileges.