Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-10-28
ALL IN ONE MACHINE.
Governor Has Not Hesitated to
Abuse State Institutions.
FOR FACTIONAL END.
One Of the Most Serious Accusations
that Has Been Brought Against
La Toilette.

that can be brought against Cox. La
Toilette is his prostitution of the various
state institutions to fractional ends. In
previous administrations, when the men
IN charge of the state government were
ordinary men without pretensions to a
greater. degree of holiness than their fell
low citizens. it was the custom to leave
the management of the many state in
situations to the board of control without
interference from the executive office.
Governors there were who were par
usan and disposed to do all they could
to advance the interests of their party
put they recognized certain limits beyond
which they did not go. The state of
Wisconsin had for years isesn building
up a system of public institutions that
were the pride of every citizen. Her
penitentary was a model one under the
personal charge of one of the most emf
nent prison men in the United States,
VINO after years of training had risen to
the highest point in his profession. Her
system Of caring for the Insane and
Feeble minded had been evolved from the
old mad house system and, administered
oy competent mer, was so admirably
adapted to provide fer the mentally af-
hicted that it brought STATE officials ard
allenists from all paris of the country
TO study ii. The Wisconsin system of
caring for the insane has since been
adopted in at least dozen other states.
Not only the insane. but the blind, the
deaf and dumb and the orphans were
equally well cared for. Educationally
the state had gradually built up one of
the largest and best nonsectaran uni
yersities in the world
Old Politicians Not Saints.
The old style politician was not saint
he did not even pretend to be-but he
at least respected the public educational,
charitable and penal institutions and did
not attempt to make use of them for
partisan purposes. An occasional APP
pointment of a clerk in the state hospi-
tai or penitentiary was about as far as
any governor previous to Robert NJ. La
Toilette cared to go.
Since 1901 the state institutions have
been revOlutionized. The new governor
was scarcely located in the executive
mansion before he began to make use of
every department of the government he
could control not only for partisan but
for fractional ends. The state board of
control from an independent body be-
came, as has aptly been described, 'the
state board under control" It's mem
bers were compelled to yield unquestion-
ing obedience TO the ambitious dictator.
or y they developed any symptoms of
inf duality they were repla ced as fast
as !. -eir terms expired by men who could
be depended upon to do what they were
told. Then began a systematic cleaning
out.
Bliss was Indiscreet.
The first institution to receive the per-
sonal attention of the governor was the
State School for the Blind at Evansville
Its superintendent. Howard Y. Bliss,
was also editor of the GAINESVILLE Gazette,
and had been so indiscreet as to make
some cnfavorable comment in his edi-
torial capacity on the governors attempt
to control the Legislature For the re-
mark of Bliss, the editor, Bliss, the
superintendent, was promptly dumped
out of office. The governor was so vim
dictive that the state board of control
did not allow Supt. Bliss TO finish the
school year but removed him summarily
without a hearing. A tried La Toilette
man was given his place at an increased
salary.
McClaughry Next.
The next victim was Warden Nc
Claughry of Waupun prison. His of
Tense was In believing that he should be
allowed to handle the internal affairs of
the prison, as he had done under the SEQ
field administration. He resigned upon
discovery that the governor and his board
were trying secretly to obtain evidence
among the convicts TO bring about his re-
moval. This place was hung out as
tempting bait for the faithful until after
the delegates had been elected to the Re-
publican state convention and has since
been used to win over certain interests
wanted on November 4.
The latest deal was a barter of the
office of state superintendent of public
instruction to number of book COM
pahies in exchange for campaign funds
tChe details are too we'll known an! es-
foh ad n ranaafinU Nxry0 oP
Ire most prominent Republicans in the
state declare that the governor personal
~ was the beneficiary of this transaction
while the governors friend, Theodore
Kronshage, rather lamely attempts to
show that the money went to the gov
ernor's clerk. who expended in his mas
ter's interests without informing him Of
it.
Reelection Catastrophe.
The state university, insane hospitals
and normal schools have not yet been
"reorganzed" and swallowed up by the
machine. but no one knows what will
happen to them in case of Gov. La Fol
lette's reelection. There have already
been signs of executive interference in
the election of a president Of the univer-
sity.
If Gov. Robert NJ La Toilette is re-
elected politics will control the appoint
ment to the Wisconsin Industrial School
to fill the vacancy to be caused by the
retirement of Prof. G.. o. Merca and the
new head of the school will without
doubt be some man who has done yoe-
man service in support Of Ia Toilette, in
his pre-convention campaign.
Reports are already being circulated to
the effect that Samuel Breese. Jr., the
present secretary of the Republican
co1aty committee of Milwaukee county,
is likely to get the place, and other poll
ticians are also out for the place. Mr..
Merica WILL however, likely stay in the
place until the end of his present term,
which is June 80 1903, and with this
condition of affairs it is quite likely that
failure of reelection may prevent Gov
La Toilette from debating the appoint