Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-11-02
THE ISSUE
MADE PLAIN

Three measures combined form the
great issue that is to be decided at the
polls next Tuesday It is the last time
they win be presented to our readers
before the votes are cast, SO il may be
we'll to summarize them in condensed
form The railroads and their corpora
tion allies in both parties are making
desperate efforts to defeat Governor
LaFollette and members OF the legisla-
ture who would be honest with the
people il elected. If these corpora
tons are successful and can defeat
him they viii make Il failure OF the
primary law, nullify the railroad tax
law, and prevent the enactment Of q
rate bill TO illustrate how vital this
all is, what the railroads have to lose
and what the people have to win, CON
slider what these measures stand for.
The proposed primary election law
stands for direct vote for your can
didate under Il secret hallot--a system
of voting for nominees in such way
that there can be no intimidation Of
the voter, bece Use the ballot Is secret,
and no successful bribery because
there are no caucus and convention
delegates to bribe You DO your own
nominating by direct vote.
The railroad tax law stands for an
assessment Of railroad property at its
full value and ut the same rate as
other property is assessed in the state
1t compels the rich owners OF railroad
stock to pay tneir full share OF the
taxes in Wisconsin.
These measures should have become
laws long ago They would have be-
come laws long ago If the people could
have had their way about it, Zach
time they were defeated, the win OF
the majority was defeated.
There is only one way to kee,, our
kind Of government alive. That is to
have a fair count and to decide all
questions by a majority yc:e. There is
no other way That makes the issue
in Wisconsin today 1t is a great Is
sue 1t is all there IS Of town govern
ment, city government, state govern
ment, national government.
The majority has decided these ques-
tion over and over again In this state.
The count has been fair. II has never
been questioned. But the railroads,
and the men who do their bidding in
the legislature, have a contempt for
the people no matter what their ma
iority may be. They refuse to subgit.
Either the people must control the cor
porations or the corporations viii con
troll the state. Which shdll &c be?
It's a great question. Any man who
is intelligent enough TO vote must un-
derstand it. Any man who understands
it must be Oh the side Of the people,
unless he is getting some special IA
yor or ad' antage from the corpora
tons. or Is controlled by them IN some
other way.
These are the facts and the argu.
ments. This is the plain truth. Notl-
ing more, nothing less. II the re t
Of the hue and cry, the charges of eS.
travagance. the game wardens, the cry
Of bosslsm and the array of iSuress
compiled by cunning railroad Statis-
ticians, is simply 50 much balderdash
put out to mislead and bewilder tbs
voter
The thousands Of men have stood
for taxation and reasonable rates for
all, and among whom are many
destined to future advancement at the
hands Of the people, stand for Govern
or IaFolette's election now. They
win vote for no other ndidate. For.
after years Of sagaeeattack, the trained
/ fighters Of the railroads have found no
/ flaw in his arIuor, no stain upon his
/ otaro ,4ar