The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-07

NIL, but was subsequently ue1eateQ ana
turned his attention 10 local politics,
According TO an article In the Boston
Transcript by Mr.. Warden Allan Curtis,
of Madison, Wis, no found a wretched
condition OF things In State politics which
he undertook to reform. Mr.. Curtis says
that the wisconsin olIgarohy was as
corrupt as It knew how to be, but was
not so we'll skilled in The fine art Of
boodling as the oligarcfy of Peni,syl-!
vania and other older States. Two.thirds
of the state, he tells us, was once pine
land, and pine makes excellent loot
Much Of the fortunes, all OF some for
tunes Of wisconsn's richest men" he as
sers. came from pine lands deliberately
stolen.
THE greatest fortune in the State came
from sandbaggtng the State University
by the infamous Legislature Of tho,
Forty Thieves. The State the university
the national government and the rail-
roads have been robbed Of their pine
lands. The Wisconsin Central, which
has never paid a dividend was dover.
ed with enough pine land to make 1T
An proportionto Its mileage the richest
road in the State There were railroad
5receiverships forced upon thn;roads and
$4,000 fees grabbed where $1,000 did
and stealir,gs have existed under the
protecting wing Of the oligarchy. Fire
proof buildings have been insured for
the benefit Of relatives who held
agencies. Men who objected were
,sienccd. John Bascom. now of Williams
College. for fourteen years president OF
the university was exiled because his
ideals Of life did not square with those
of a .profane and lubricous regent whom
be accused Of $embezzlr1g university APP
preparations. This man stu sits In the
councils OF the olgarchy."
4At least there was a revolt against
this oMgarchy and LaFollette was the
leader. In the summer OF 1896 he be-
came a candidate for Governor and went
to the state convention with the majority;
Of the delegates Instructed to vote for.
him but the dig rchy 81 cceeded in cap
turing enough OF these delegates to turn.
the convention against him and he was
defeated Some Of his 4 delegates were
bought by money. some 4 by Il place and
some by liquor and other dlsreputable
means. LaFolette's platform was adopt
ed exactly as he wrote It, but the Gov
crnor elected upon It personally dis
regarded the form OF its provision, and
the Legislature failed to pass measures
which the platform had promised and
LaFo!lette was again candidate for the
nomination. "It Is the &unwritten law in
Wisconsin, Mr. Curtis wittily5 remarked,
that man shall have two terms in
everything except the county JAIL and in
combating this precedent, LaFollette
was handicapped Nevertheless he again
had the majority of the delegates and
again lost them. Again his pla torn was
adopted, including the new reforms he
had advocated, the oligarchy making the
curious plea that they were going to
give everything that LaFollete would
have given. They dared not reject his
PLATFORM !;
&E3 "a third time LaFollette tried Efor the
nomination, and this time succeeded. but
his victory was more or less barren, for
the oligarchy succeeded in electng enough
members Of the Legislature to defeat his
measure, and according to the ways
and means OF politics it was charged
against him that, although Governor, he
failed to bring about tho reforms he had
promised. Every effort was made to de-
feat his denomination the name of sena-
tor Spooner being dragged into the fight.
but the "stalwarts, as they now began
TO call themselves. mustered less than
one fourth of the votes. In the next
Legislature, some of the Governors re-
form measures were put through, but not
many. His task remained unfinished, and
both Republicans \ and Democrats who
believed in him urged him to run
again. In this convention there was a
split, and the stalwarts" bolted.
Governor LaFollette in the current is
sue OF Golfers Weekly defends his own
case, declaring that the total number Of
delegates In the convention as called was
tl,os5; that the temporary roll consisted
Of s57 uncontested delegates and los cons
tested delegates; that OF the uncontested
delegates lit ia were indisputably favor
able to the State administration and
voted for the renonl Ina ton OF the pres
ent officers and for the adoption OF the
platform. One Of the many Questions
in issue has been taken to the courts
for final decision Which has not yet been
rendered.
Tho Democrats have nominated ex-
Governor Peck to run against La Toilette 20 lett
and the merry war goes on. It is probable
that the Democrats will capture at least lea
two OF the electors although IT Is be-
licyed that LaFollette himself will be
elected.
/ sS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES F&
Value of characterization.
1t is announced that the Boar OF
Supervisors Of Louisa county " 9 have
awarded the contract for 9 new ! court
house to be completed by May 1900