Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-08-21
PLATFORM AND TICKET

| Democratic State Central committee
the following good letter:
Almost every newspaper in the state
! dcvOtcs considerable space TO n dis
cussiOn Of the "plain duty" Of demo-
Gratis. | am unable to understand in
what respect our duty as democrats in
| Wisconsin this year Is different from
what IL has been other years. just
what purpose their elaborate disserta-
tiOn on the "plain duty" Of democrats
IL to serve Is not always made clea"
| The ideas and theories set forth IN
these discussions on "plain duty" are
scattered about as badly as IA charge
from an old time pigeon gun. The
effect Of such discussions Ii not to
unite the democratic party In WiscOn-
sin, but rather to divide 1t. UnwhOle-
some contentious on unimpOrtunt par
| ty details has for years been one Of
the chief obstacles to democratic sue
cgss AS one of the younger dcmOC-
racy Of this state, 1t appears 10 me
that it Is about time for democrats to
cease pointing their guns AT one
another while they are talking char
mony" and that We begin to turn our
guns toward the enemy.
My understanding has been that rs
u democrat it Is my duty to give what
assistance ! can In the making Of u
good democratic platform and the
selection Of representative democrats
~ nominees; and when that Is done to
support those nominees at the polls,
no matter whether they happen to be
my particular choice In the convention
| or not.
There should be no difficulty in the
making OF platform, ard Ms u demo
| Crat | have sufficient confidence in the
| ability Of the men who will compose
| the democratic state convention of
| l0O2 TO construct platform TO which
all democrats can subscribe. The
work of drafting II platform this year
Ii made easy because of the radical
and pOpulistic platform adopted by
the republicans. The main plank in
the republican platform Is the COVER
nor's primary election hobby, AC-
cording to GOV. Latollctte, ~ primary
election law IL IL necessity in this state
to prevent certain ovcr-grown, incor-
rigable republicans IRON Corrupting
other good republicans who happen
to attend cauCusCs and conventions.
1t has never been claimed that any
corruption exists in democratic eau
cuscs or conventions; hence there is
no necessity for n primary election
law among Democrats, The Demo
cratic platform should contain u posi-
tive declaration against ~ primary
election law and should be so explicit
MS TO command the support of all
voters in the state who are opposed to
81 Ia, In H.,
be democratic. republican or indcpcn-
dent voters, This will in no wise
involve us in any alliance with any
other party or faction thereof.
AS to the matter of taxation our
platform, in my Judgment, should
contain something more than II tritC
declaration In favor Of "cQunl and
Just taxation 1t should declare in
no uncertain terms against double and
burdCnsOmC assessments, The present
system of taxing both borrower and
lender Is wrong in principle. and Is
being enforced largely because of the
agitation inauGnrated 10y LaFolIcttc
in the name of Goods patient poor. "
The records of the Democratic nd-
ministratOns from 1890 1894 Is n sulli-
Ciont guaranty against extravaganza
In public affairs should the dcmOcra-
tic party be restored to power In this
state. Nothing can be gained 10y in
sorting we'll sounding declarations in
favor Of "refOrm' in our platform.
The word "reform' belongs to GOV.
l.aFollcttc; the people have heard it
so often that they have ceased to at
tach any significance to it, In the
namo of "rcform" COY. laFullcttc
has been able to build up strong,
powerful and nll-ahsorbing political
machine, No other man ever derived
SO much personal benefit in the uamc
of "rcform.'
! believe that the Democratic plat
! form should contain a plank dcrlar-
ing 1t to hc the purpose of the demo-
cratic party, il successful, to repeal
the obnoxious game laws and enact i'm
their stead simpler and more sensible
| laws; and to dispense with the big
army of "pOlttiCal game wardcns'
who are being paid large sums of
money from the pockets Of the taNpay-
crs Tor cspousing the cause of GOV.
| LaFolloue aud Incidentally having
some farmer fined FOR shooting II rah-
| bit without n license in his own or
| rhurd,
The selection of democratic candi-
dates for state offices should bc even
less difficult than the making OF a
| platform. \ great deal has been said
IN the columns Of The Milwaukee,
Journal and in other papers as To the
availability of the men whose names
are mentioned as probable candidates
for governor ON the democratic ticket
The men thus far mentioned are all
good men, any one of whom, il nomi-
mated, should receive united demo-
o1ratic support at the polls. Let Us
sure them such united support, and
cease Quibbling about the "plain
| duty Of Democrats.
Very truly yours,
ERNEST {, FIEUIER
Mineral Point, Wis, Aug H.
/ MIR fiN1 lNr worry wisely Ir,lar,s