The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-25
WHAT OTTER PEOPLE THINK
The Wisconsin Situation.

To the Editor of The Journal.
! Two editorials have recently appeared
in the press of Minneapolis touching upon
the political situation in Wisconsin. The
first was in the Tribune, under the. cap |
ton, 1.-THE La Toilette of the East" the
other in Thursdays Journal, headed,
La Follettes Victory" The difference
between these two editorials is just the
difference between knowledge and ignor-
ance. The Tribune editorial is without
even the saving grace of an ordinary
knowledge of the facts.
Permit one who has been a close obser-
yer and unIHejudiced writer on the ques-
ton, to place before your readers a few Of
the salient facts which have brought
about the present unfortunate political
situation in Wisconsin.
The trouble began when Robert M La
Toilette dared to stand out in the open
and fearlessly champion the rights of the
people against the greed of the machine.
Upon that day there began the bitterest
fight that has evertbeen waged on any
political field in this country. 1t has
never for a moment been a fight for politi-
cal party success. In the attitude taken
by Governor La Toilette the corporation
machine saw the hand of death to their
long and merciless rule. It has been well
understood for years that the republican
party of Wisconsin:>wa dominated by the
corporations.
Governor La Toilette started out to in
augurate two: distinct reforms, viz: To
have enacted primary ELECTION law, such
as we have in force in Minnesota, and to
compel the public service corporations to
pay into the state treasury their just pro-
portion of taxes. With these ideas, the
people were so greatlyiin favor that they
have twice elected 2La!fFollette governor.
For this he has been maligned and Will
fed and fought as no other public man
II JOvy%
alton interests of the state, which inter-
ests have for years been in full control Of
both legislative branches IT,
| It is no longer question OF politics..
The so-called stalwarts have but one
Hope. Either they must kill La Toilette
and La Follettisnl, or La Toilette and La
Follettism will kill the machine 1t was
not enough that the great republican par
ty of the country should be dragged in the
! slime thru the action of the national
committee at Chicago, but the. supreme
court Of the state was appealed to to
complete the act. In the recent decision
political fraud and premeditated corrup-
ton have been rebuked.
| AS an evidence of the Inconsistency Of
the stalwart faction, take their latest ac-
ton. For weeks they have been making
political capital out of the claim which
their speakers are shouting from every
platform, that La Toilette was socialist
EUCCduSG NAloIT 1lC.
would rest his case with the people, what
ever might be the decision Of the supreme
court, and their candidate for guberna-
toral honors publicly proclaimed that he
and his party would cheerfully abide by
that decision Behold the results! The
decision is rendered and Mr. Cook true
to his word, resigns from the head Of the
stalwart faction, and then the whole
crowd resign and accept the ruling Of the
court because they are not socialists or
anarchists-do they? Not much. They
simply say that they will fight to the
death, in spite of pledges and supreme
! court rulings, and strange as it may APP:
4 pear, they, by some: means. unknown to
the few, have placed that tried and true
republican, against whom there has hith-l
erto been not the, slightest shadow Of
disloyalty, ex-governor scofield. at the
head of their ticket and make Of him:
a tool for the ruin Of his! own party in his
own state
Meanwhile the people Of Wisconsin, ir-