The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1902-01-31

were on the defensive In time every
body had respect for the man and
among his warmest admirers were
some of those whose habits and the
DRY of life were vastly different.
Some of the Mans Faults.
Like men of his type, Whitehead
lacks tact and his faults lie along
this line He rejoices in his honesty
and independence, and has the tag de-
family flying. Having carefully
reached conclusion, the issue is set
tied; and if you sit down to canvas
the matter with him, you run into,
not cordial debate, but q stone wall.
Whitehead came to the last senate
a victim of Governor LaFollette's Wig
Orous campaigning in the First dis
trict, where LaFollette was strong in
his previous campaigns and felt he
had right to go. Whitehead had
Withdrawn as a gubernatorial candi-
date, when everything set LaFollette's
way-as the latter's friends say, be-
cause he had captured Waukesha and
OcOntO counties and had the battle
won; and as his enemies say, because
negotiations won over the railroads.
Whitehead read afresh in the New
Testament that we should forgive our
enemies. He probably forgave La
Toilette. But Whitehead couldn't find
IN the good book any further instruc-
tons Perhaps he was glad. Any
way he didn't haunt the executive
chamber, The governor went out of
his way, sought opportunity to con-
fer with Whitehead, to get in touch
with him, but there was little or no
response. The iron had entered the
GAINESVILLE mans soul He had for
given him, according to instructions,
and concluded to let the matter drop
there. Whether the chief executive of
the state was not entitled to active CO.
operation from an influential legisla-
tor is a question each of us may set
tie as we please.
Other ISSUES Than Men.
But admirable man as is the presump-
tive stalwa1S candidate this year the
issue is not men, but corporate con-
troll of legislation and the issues for
which L@Follette stands. No one con-
| ceives that Whitehead would be
| amenahae to corporations, but the sue
oE il,
| ing the governor, though it be the
Apostle Peter himself, would be so
interpreted that it's influence in nam
ing senatorial and assembly candi-
dates would be decisive. Many good
mem from over the state are associat-
ed with the movement, but they 60
to Milwaukee once im six weeks. '"The
boys" and corporation managers who
are on the ground do the work, hire the
! newspapers, send out the agents and
pay the bills. 1t is they who will
manage not alone the gubernatorial
campaign, but the legislative cam
paigns and when "'Our men, are i'm
their seats, the gentlemen who did it
will come over to Madison and ask
them how they stand on certain meas
ures. Thus many Wisconsin citizens
reason.
1t is campaign in which both sides
are defective. Governor LaFollette7s
career has much in it that is repre-
hensible and almost fatal, and if the
opposition were at all transparent, he
would surely pay the penalty of the
opportunities he had not met i'm de
feat at the hands Of the people whose
patience he has taxed so severely and
whose interest he has ieopardized.
But, fortunately for him, the stalwart
crowd kindles suspicion in the mind
of farmer and business men alike.
They dread the scientific, cold-blooded
intent of the Milwaukee Sentinel, MIR.
Pfster and an able lobby to prevent
anything more than academic vapor-
ingS from tax commission, which
has already decreed $1,2OO,O0G bien-
nially for railroads alone.
1t is campaign in which the voter
must strike an ayerage-make q
choice of evils. The LaFollette slrp-
porter says with all his faults, we
love him for the enemies he has
made"
Municipal Ownership Argument.
The municipal question is one of
growing Importance, in Wisconsin as
elsewhere. Each community is de-
velDping a citizen or two who GETS
hold of the subject, it may be from
the end of the wafer works or the
electric light plant, and he will not
let 60. He gets statistics and prints
them in his local paper and shows
in how many years the city or town
could pay for it's plant
Communities have, with the assent
of all, taken over protective utilities,
as fire and police service. educational
III ati