River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-06-23

"Woe to us when factionalism shall
sound the deathknell of Republicanism
in this state-this accursed thing that
camel-like upon the starving desert was
permitted to put its nose within the
hospitable tent of Republicanism has to-
day forced its entire and disgusting car
cass into the tent and seeks to lriye
from it the people whose habitation this
is. Shall we do this?
"Oh, Republicans, how we have hither-
to boasted of our strength in the presence
Of the united foes Of the Republican in
stitutions Of this government; how we
have stood up and fought our way from
the firing line back to the baggage
wagons clear through the conflict and
have always been victorious in the fight.
'Today we begin to disintegrate into
disorganized and suspicious squads of
men. Whittier are we tendings We
know. We need no prophet to tell us
the time has come when we must say
adieux to one another. Oh think of the
humiliation that has come upon the
cheek of every Republican during the
last pre-caucus campaign in this state.
We have not dared to speak to our Re-
publican neighbor until first by circuity
and possibly without effect we have
sought to find to which faction he be-
longed.
"Oh the curse that is upon us-and,
have we merted it? Have we called it
down upon ourselves? Shall we not
rather at this time, at this supreme mo-
ment, lift ourselves to a broader altitude,
a higher position, until our horizon takes
in the situation, until we shall not have
held before our eyes this little internal
microbe Of factionalism until it has ex-
cluded all the life, but that we shall
now see In the fullness Of this ray that
shot a moment ago through the gather
ing gloom, that there is yet a day of
triumph for the united Republican party
of this state (Applause.)
"We know the road we have Travelled
to achieve these victories. We glory in
our record, but my friends, that which
hitherto has been the boast of strength
of Republicanism is today to be our own
willing undoing. Do not in the strength
Of party organization invite upon our
selves nor accept from Others hands this
whitening curse of factionaIism for an
other moment. We are herculean in
strength and in stature, but this cloak Of
factionalism shall like the tabled cloak
of Nessus, if stretched upon our Shout
ders, consume our frame, and wither our
bones, until like the forgotten Hercules
we are stencil and memory only.
"Oh, my Republican friends, we are all
alike, animated with the ambition for
success. All alike, we are more or less
tinged with the virus of facttonallsn:
Can we not come to a common ground
and understanding? Can we not now,
after we have come into this deliberative
attitude, which is a benediction resting
down upon the turbulent tendencies of
this conyention-can we not, under this
benign influence rise supreme to human
passion, and with our eyes and our ener-
gies centered upon one thing consummate
the defeat of this internal curse faction
alism, and again united fight the battles
of the party? (Applause)
"Oh my frin0dc UO1Jr friends bPOthnrg
in political efforts, have we come to the
point where the whitening curse of in
dividual hatred shall consume the better
attributes of all humanity and exclude
from consideration those loftier and bet
ter purposes of the human soul? No, I
don't believe it. Oh my friends, If it
must come, let the undoing Of Repub-
licanism come upon us from without,
and not within. The best students of the
institutions of the republic declare to-
day, as they have done for generation,
that no danger threatens the common
wealth from without; that we are SUI
preme and the world recognizes our SUI
premacy. But the comment of the
thoughtful student of American institu-
lions is this: that if we go to our undoing
it is because of difficulties from within.
Shall we today do the thing that will
possibly make for not only the everlast-
ing separation of Republicansm in this
state, but possibly the undoing of Re-
publican institutions in the land we all
so dearly love2
ooh, how can I, by what route, through
what process, under what COUGHING of
language can / reach the hearts and the
reason of the sober minded Republican
citizens Of this state If | cannot reach it
with this appealY
Mr. Hudnall-"The question now is
shall the temporary organization be made
permanent"
Mr.. Hall-"Mr. Chairman ask for
roll call upon the question"
''Mr. Hudnall-"All those in favor Of
the temporary organization being made
permanent will say aye"
The Chairman-"When q division is
called for the roll must be called
After roll call the result was announced
by the secretary as follows: Ayes,
574 5-6; noes, 129 2-3.
On motion of Mr. Chynoweth the La
Toilette convention adjourned until a.
M, May 49,
Minutes of the Wisconsin State Repub-
lican Convention, Held at the Fuller
Opera House May IS, 1904, Commenc-
ing at O'clock.
The delegates to the Wisconsin state
Republican convention called by the State
Central Committee to meet at the Gym
nasium at II o'clock noon, May Is, 1904,
having tried to assemble at said place
and many of the legally elected and duly
accredited delegates having been excluded
from the Gymnasium by force and the
said Gymnasium having been in posses