The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-09-08
He Was Mayor of Milwaukee.

He Was Mayor of Milwaukee.
Removing to Milwaukee he was elected
mayor of that city by nearly 700 majority
In 1880 he was elected governor of the
publican party selected for his opponent
their ablest, strongest and most popular
man. John G. Spooner, and GOV. Peck was
again elected. Thus have the people of
Wisconsin shown their trust and confidence
in him. a trust and confidence which | be
licve Will he again shown at the polls In
November, If we place him at the head of
our ticket.
When he was governor he never jobbcd
cut the revenues of the state an army
of political fayorites in order to build up
tel himself personally conducted polit-
zeal machine He never allowed the FESTIVE
dovil Of overwccning political ambition to
master and possess him. He never sacri
feed on the altar Of that mad ambition. his
friends, his party the interests of the PEG
PIE, or his own dignity ana character He
~ yer sold an office within his control for a
handsome contribution to his campaign
fund. He never used among his associate
officials, or the public employees under him.
or the rank and file of his party any SyS-
tom of cunning espionage that called for
the housekeeping, kcyholc reportora
talents of a thousand supcrserviceablc
spies eager to do his bidding. He never
tested or tried the loyalty of his friends
by their careless, casual utteranceS, or 10y
words at random spoken. He never dom
mated his party friends with a will as
dutOcratlc ana lmplacahle as llat nI II
czar. or sought to make them crlnGing
creatures of his will. He never assumed
the pose of defamation against machine
politics. whilst turning every part OF state
government, every bureau and every board.
every employe and official of the state into
harmonious parts of one vast smooth-run
ming political machine He never de-
nounced the railroads of the state. at the
same time mutualizing his interests and
theirs and begging special fayors for his
friends.
Nc Grating Game Wardens.
He never turned over 100000 of the
public funds to an army of grating game
wardens and official tramps to be largely
expended in packing caucuses and in
thimbleriggng devices to pcrpetuate his
power. He did not make of the state uni
vorsity Il temple of graft by adding to the
capital payroll scores of university stu
dents.
He had no literary bureau conducted by
paid officials of the state dcvOting to his
interests the time that should have been
devoted to the pablo business. At no
time during his administration was the
capital deserted of it's official force and the
public business neglected in order that the
primaries of his party should be super,
vi>ed by colportcurs of graft. He did not
try to select judges for the supreme court
Of the state. who would decide right on
such Of his pet laws as might come before
that court for construction
MI. CIh CT oohoiity'
Describing Mr.. Peck's personality he
said that Mr. Peck had betrayed no
trusts and that he retired from office with
the respect of all good men. He admit
ted that he may have declared that he
made mistakes. but declared that no mis-
take of his had ever cost the people OF
the state Il dollar. He mentioned tn"
Roster cantract as one of his mistakes.
but when he discovered his mistake he
cancelled the contract so quickly rs TO
daze those who were to profit by it.
Conditions Are Unprecedented.
Continuing Mr.. Brown said:
Who OF Us who saw the closing days Of
Gcy. Peck's administration about ten years
ago, would have believed it possible that
we could be confronted by the conditions.
that now exist in this statcf These condi-
tons are extravaganza and corruption In
the expenditure Of the public monies,
vast increase in bureaus and boards, en-
ploNcs and officials. and riot OF mis-
management in every branch of state gov
eminent. AS have said. Gov. Peck never
played the demagogue. That pose Is easy
to take and is the ,favorite stage property
of the cheapest politician. For time it
brings the plaudits OF the nnthlnking but
we may be sure that the hystcria of the
dcmagogue and his dupes is a fever that
soon burns itself out.
Bennett Law Repealed
Under GOV. Peck's administration and
largely through his influence the Bennett
law. obnoxious to many Of the best citi-
Zcns Of the state, was repealed; useless
boards and Offices were abolished and the
state government was economically admin
istered. Half a million dollars Of Interest
money was recovered from the former
treasurers and their bondsmen and placed
in the treasury OF the state. and the prac-
ticc Of allowing the state treasurers To
farm out the funds OF the state and collect
revenues from II for their personal use was
forever abandoned. The money thus re
stored 10 the people was not placed In the
general funds In order to obyiate IN"
necessity OF state tax and thus furnish
n basis for the protense that his admin
istration had leSsened taxation. A law was
passed restoring the interest money 50 col
lccted to the respective trust funds where
II belonged When the bin was passed In
1851 appropriating $4,000 10 the support
of the Waupaca Veterans home and al
lowing the money to be handled ana used
hy trustees Of that institution who We're
not state officers Gov. Peek vetoed the bill
with the recommendation that II be 50
framed as that the state should retain con
troll over the expenditure Of these funds
This was at time when most Of Ms feli
that TO hesitate or criticse the mere man
ncr or form In which We should aid the
veterans OF our great war might be cou
sirued az the basest ingratitude
Some Condemned His Course.
In consequence some honestly con
dcmned the course Of Gov. Peck and Others
far n En NJ SunHpSpb