Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-11-27

Harris sat in the S2ncLum OF the
Weekly Graphic smoking des-
perateIy at his pipe. Every few
minutes he got up and walked to the
window, stopping on the way to kick
the waste basket and swear pictur-
esquely under his breath.
Harris was in a tight fix. When he
left college filled with an enthusiasm
to devote his life to journalism and
literature he had returned to his home
town to start a newspaper. All his
patrimony went into it. That paid
for the machinery and fixtures, but
the subscription list grew slowly and
the rival paper had all the political
patronage and all the county printing.
In that stage Mower, the party boss,
had offered aid, advanced money and
taken a mortgage.
The mortgage and some other things
were now causing Harris to use the
leg that had made him famous at
college, to kick waste baskets. For
Harris was in love with Mowers
daughter, and Mower had the mort
gage, and partly because OF the mort
gage and partly because of the daugh-
ter, he thought that he could cOerce
Harris ant win the unqualified sup
port of the Semi-Weekly Graphic.
Mowers ambition was at the bottom
of Harris i'll humOr. Harris and the
Graphic had supported Mower
Harris had never sought too hard to
find the source of Movers income
but now Mower wanted to go to con-
gress and Harris still had ideas, and
it was incompatible Of his creed of pO-
litical morality that Mower should go
to congress.
Harris had just driven his foot
through the waste basket when Mower
came in He sat down without greet
ing the editor, showed his hands deep
into his pockets, looked straight at
Harris and said: Harris, I iced the
support of this paper. | hold mort
gage on it, you can't pay and l can
foreclOSe. The convention meets on
Friday. Your paper is printed Friday
morning. If you'll come out for me
Friday morning I'll cancel that mort
gage. If you don't I'll foreclOse the
mortgage and drive you out Of town.
can be nominated even if you oppose
me. but l want your support.
Harris saw his three years of hard
work going for nothing, he saw his
little patrimony being wasted, and he
thought of the girl and the wee bank
account, not enough to pay the mort
gage. that he had saved UP to furnish
cIo
him, and as he thought his bitterness
and anger swelled. With an effort he
Steadied his voice and said:
Mower you're a damned scoun-
drel You've stolen a fortune from
the party, and now you try to bride
me to help send you to congress. You
can foreclose that mortgage as soon
as you get ready, but, by God, before
I'll let yOC go to congress I'll tell the
people of this district what I think of
you and if the convention dominates
you, I'll take the stump in the district
and I'll tell every man, woman and
child in this district exactly what you
are"
Presently Mower rose, walked slow
1y up to the courthouse and instituted
foreclosure proceedings.
Friday the convention was at work.
Gen Twilline. in Mandatory speech,
nominated Mower while the delega-
ton from Brown presented the name
of it's favorite son, Lucas. Three
other counties followed with nomina-
tons. but among the leaders it was
known that after the complimentary
voting, the tide should turn to Mower.
The first ballot resulted in 81 for
Mower. IS for Lucas, 16 for Trimble
% for Edwards and 10 for Stevenson
The second ballot was called for
and the vote practically was the
same. While the tellers were count
inc the vote there was a stir in the
rear of the big courtroom. The
devil of the Semi-Weekly Graphic of
fee, with arms laden with papers
was slowly wOrming his way in
among the delegates, handing each 6
copy Of the paper with great blue
pencil mark around one little article
up in the corner of the first page
Grabbing a copy of the paper Mower
read:
NdleQlctOrN.
I'VE are forced to announce that
with this edition of the Semi w eekly
Graphic our connection with it ceases
We are forced to this step by fore
closure proceedings brought by
Mr.. William Mower, whC
holds mortgage on the
plant Mr.. Mower forecloses because
we refused to sell the support OF this
paper to him to help him secure the
nomination to congress from this con
ventiOn.
PERSONALLY we have nothin!
against Mr.. Mower. We know him t.
be crooked politician. AS secretar,
of the county central committee W.
have had many dealings with him
We feel it our duty to report tina
within the last two days we dis
covered that Mr. Mower has collect
ed for use in this campaign S4.593 O
which the party has received les
than $4,000. We made this discover
by accident, through men reportin
they had paid assessments of whic
none but Mr.. Mower knew. We fee
Mr.. Mower is unfit for any Office an
ask you to vote against him.
The Editor.
The third ballot resulted: 90 fo
Lucas, with the rest of the vote
scattered.