Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-10-08
COL. wEIsERr NAILS rHE FALsEHOoD.
Past State and National G. A. r. Commander Gives
Facts and Figures

The base and untruthful statements
made everywhere in his speeches by
| Dave Rose-that Governor La Toilette
| had kicked all old soldiers from the
state employ at Madiscn-is receiving
| the condemna ton it deserves from \
| Justice loving rublic. Like all Rose
other false statements the people are
fqding out. During an address at the
Soldiers Home rear Milwaukee. last
Thursday, Col A q. Weisert, late state
and national department commander of
the G. A. r said;
SETS THE VETERANS RIGHT.
81 am here this afternoon to say a
few words in the defense of our present
governor mot that any of his actions
can in any way be assailed, but because
reports are beirg circulated which are
creating false impression as to what
his record has been during his past two
years in office Specifically, | wish %
defend the governor from the charges
that are now being circulated regarding
his discharge of old soldiers from the
employ of the state, In order to be able
to do this, | have personally inyestigat-
ed the records and can give you a COM
plete list of those empioved when the
governor entered upon his duties, and
like roll of those who are employed
in government positions at the present
time. When tine governor took his Of
flee there were in the state employment
number of veterans who had been
holding their positions for some time in
fact SO long as it was fair for them to be
so employed, and these were supplanted
by others, which You will admit was
perfectly fair (Cries OF, That's right
So it wasl") But as TO the number hay
ing iii any way become diminished |
need only to quote to you from this list
to show ysu how utterly false such
statement is.
MORE VETERANS NOW IN OFFICE.
When Gov La Toilette entered upon
his term of office there were in the EN-
ploy of the state exactly thirty nine old
soldiers, and the aggregate amount of
their salaries summed ~ to a total of
S42, 760 annually Now | fad at the
present time there are forty four sol
dier employees and the aggregate amount
of their salaries is over $40, QUO annually;
and in this latter list / have not been
able to include four employees who have
been appointed by him but whose salar
les | have not been able to ascertain cor
rectly.
This then shows the work of Gov.
La Toilette and we have here an increase
| Of nearly 81, 600 in salaries and of eight
employees, and that in the face of the
abolition of eight offices by the last leg
islatuie The last legislature saw fit
! 70 abolish the offices of storekeeper and
! foreman of the labor force, and cut
| down fine force of jAnitOrs hy SIX but
in spite of this we ind shat there are
over eight more veterans employed by
the state at the present time than there
was two years ago, and that their in
crease of salaries is nearly $4,009
II desire to make no comparison Of
the work of the present governor with
that of any of the predecessors. l am
here simply to defend him of the false
stories that are circulated. leave you
to draw your own conclusions. But
desire TO say that know the governor
to be loyal friend of the Army of the
| Republic."