Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-08-12
BRIBERY AND soopIlSe

Ia EfNtihiiOn tBtfOF ahiAh th1 BARh
ress that bribery and boodliDg have
been making all over tbs country. ind :
cite a fearful breaking down OF The
sense of honor and patriotism among
Office holders. tall grows ont OF q low,
dishonorable STANDARD, - politics. Take
the average machine politician every
where. and he will be heard swearing
at reform swearing at the men who
are striving to make political honse
fit for decent, honest men 10 live in. IL
Is q strange state of affairs, and it IL
stranger still, that for the sake of poll
tics, for the sake Of staying in with the
machine. men who are supposed to be
honest and decent, will fight every If
fort TO take political power from cur
rupt rings and put IL where IL belongs
with the people. This at the bottom,
is the reason for the opposition which
is manifested against the primary elec
ton law.
The scheming and dishonest politician
win be found, opposed to that law every
time, and strange enough, with him will
be found honest men who cannot see
the larger, better result to the cause Of
honest government that the law will
work ont. Every attempt to take
W from the few, who have stolen II,
and place 1t back where 1t belongs,
with the many-the people-raises. Of
COT ese, a storm of opposition from the
few. The old caucus system was, and
stiIl IL, the starting point for the ring
ster and boodler. If the bride giver,
and the boodler can say VINO shall be
nominated to hll the Offices, they can
easily calculate that the people viii vote
for them under party domination. Who
ara being convicted in Missouri, at
Warrington. in Minnesota and In other
states. of selling their sworn trdst for
money? Are the common peoplel Oh
mol Iyery time Ii Is the member Of
what Is kaown as the political machine.
Are these bride takers and the polite
isns who stand in with them, In favor
Of a primary election law OH no.
Are the big corporations and trusts,
who furnish the moaey for the bribing
and debaEchment Of legislators and Of
Hcials-are they in favor of a primary
election law7 OH no How significant
Is this situstion. IL would seem as
though the path was clear, and a way
faring man, though a fool, will not err
therein"
Governor La Toilette and the men
who stand with him. have been strug-
Cling TO place Wisconsin politics and It's
resultant, state government, IN u basis
Of honesty and integrity Such is the
purpose Of the primary election law
Wisconsin has It's record of shame
wrought by the machine politicians, AZ
well ae other states. Governor La Fol
lette in his recent addresses in New
York and elsewhere. has told the story.
He has turned the search light in that
direction. At once every boodler and
bribsr in the state, raises = howl
Turn off the light, they cry, "its
hurting the state How sensitive to
the honor Of Wisconsin. these men have
suddenly become. Well, let 1t hart
Let us have the light. Let the house
cleaning go on. We have had = govern
msnt Of the corporations and for the
corporations and their friends long
enough. Let us have a government OF
the people for a while, and see how that
will seem.
The question Is deeper than party pol
itics. Ii is a question of the preserva-
ton of representative government Of
the right of the people to the control of
their cvn affairs, the making of the
laws and the selection Of their own
agents in the government. Governor
La Toilette Is on the right track. Go
ahead, Governor La Toilette. and let the
heather a < Former Governor Hoard
In Jefferson County Union.