Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-10-12
The Fight on Congressman Babcock.

legged revolt among Republicans in
the Third congressional district,
az ainst Representative j. W. Bah
cock. This movement was brought
to head last Saturday when about
twenty-five members of the party met
at Baraboo and apopted a set of reso-
lutions opposing the further candida
CIV of Representative Babcock and sug-
costing the name of James A. Stone
of Baraboo as his successor. A cir
cular letter was then prepared under
direction of an executive committee
named for this purpose, which direct
ly charges Congressman Babcock with
having s'allied himself with the cor
portions and against the interests of
the people ut large" and pleading for
support for the plan of displacing him
in office. A list OF questions is also
included inquiring as to whether the
receiver Of the circular letter is ''sat-
istied'' with Congressman Babcock,
and specifically asking, Chow can we
best wage a campaign against himP"
OF course this NOV ement is merely
a scheme of the friends o: Governor
la Toilette for furnishing Congress
man Babcock for the latter's failure
To favor and support the governor in
all of his plans and personal ambi-
tions, aud undoubtedly has received
the full sanction and approval of Gov
ernor La Toilette, If indeed it has not
been undertaken by his express adj
vice aud direction. Congressman Bah
cock has been the representative of
the Third district for six terms and
has served the people in faithful and
efficient manner. He is recognized as
one of the leaders i'm the lower branch
of congress and is member of sew
eral of the most important commit
tees of the house of representatives
besides having held the responsible
position of chairman uf the national
Republican congressional committee
for the past eleven years. He also
holds the entire confidence of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and is generally re-
gardeG as a most valuable man in the
public service. And in the face of
all this the subServienU followers of
Governor La Toilette would like TO re-
tire him merely TO crafty spirit of
revenge on the part of the governor,
who believes that Mr.. Babcock is
stumbling block in the path of his
own ambitions.
This is fair sample of the entire
policy Of Governor La Toilette and re-
veals the desperate determination SO
frequently shown by him to rule with
hand of iron and completely dictate !
the management of party affairs.
ANY opposition to his own plans and |
ambitions is sufficient to Immediately !
incur his displeasure and hatred. and
then it is war, and war to the knife. !
In this way he has disorganized aud
disrupted the party until factionalism
nd bitter dissensi0ns threaten to
bring the state party to defeat and
humiliation, but if the governor
through the aid of his hypnotiNed fol-
lowers and their allies, the ''fair
minded" Democrats, manages to car
ry his own point and retain himself
in office, little he cares what happens
to the party as a whole.
The movement to displace Congress
man Babcock is merely by-play by
the governor to punish n former
friend who conscientious convictions
would not permit him to follow La
Toilette and aid in giving him COM
plete mastery over the state party.
and is also probably intended as a
warning To others as TO what they
can expect from the governor unless
they bend the knee and acknowledge
him as the only man who has a right
to dictate matters of management and
policy for the state party. 1t is poll
ties, pure and simple, and the kind of
politics that proves the existence OF
we'll organized and completely sub
servient machine" which performs
the masters bidding without question
or hesitation. When La Toilette tries
to dictate who shall or who shall not
be the congressman from the Third
district, how long will it take him to
adopt the same plan in every other
district of the state, and even seek to
control the selection of officials for
all other positions of any consequence