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


Toilette followers sitting on jury would
you convict man, would you deny him
his rights, would you take away his
property without even giving him q
chance to be heard in his own defense?
(Applause.) Now, precedents have beer
established, and that is common sense.
that when a man holds a duly certified
credential from his county he is entitled
prlma facie to come here and sit, and he
is entitled to hold that seat until this
convention by a trial and hearing of the
facts says that he got that credential
Traudulently or in some manner that
does not entitle him to it and therefore
his seat is vacated. In the House of
Representatives of the United States if
man brings certificate that is fair on
Its face he is given q seat, he is taken
and sworn in, he votes upon the organl-
cation Of the House of Congress and he
votes and continues to vote and draw
his salary until the House of Congress
determines that he is not entitled to the
seat. No Committee on Credentials has
ever determined such a question In the
history of the government. Now ap-
peal to your fair mindedness. Do you
believe i'll the Republican party that stood
Tor fifty years in this country for law
and order and justice and right? Do
you stand for that grand old party or
are you going today by your action to
forsake its principles? Don't be misled
by any honeyed phrases. Don't be mis-
led by any rhetoric Don't be misled
by any false promises of what we are
going to do in the future or what We
have done. Don't be misled by glittering
generalitles. The question is here
whether the Republican party shall go on
with justice and equity and according
to law and precedent or whether you pro-
pose to violate the statute law of this
els ta nd ha Of tha rtu in
the history of this country by saying
that a committee shall determine for a
convention or deliberative body
of any kind who is entitled to a seat in
it. The men who hold the credentials
from Ashland, from Oconto, from Dodge,
from st. CroiX,-the st. CroiX delegates
are entitled to half vote under the ma
jority report-from Grant and from the
Second ward of Milwaukee-they are not
in here to be heard but their opponents
are here upon the floor to be heard and
to vote in their own favor upon their
own case. Do you call that fair? Do
you call it American? Do you call it
Republicanism to choke down the throat
of this convention (voices, no, no, MOI.
Why, if the State Central Committee
can Chrow out Ashland county and Eau
Claire county and Dodge county and the
wards in Milwaukee and st. Croix coun-
ty and Grant county, it could just as
we'll have gone on and thrown out a lot
more. Why didn't they do it? Simply
because they said they didn't need it.
(Hisses.) You may hiss, La Toilette SYM
pathizers,1 all you please" Continued
kissing and great confusion)
Mr.. Jeffris-"You may be able per-
haps' (cries ''go on" and continued con-
fusion).
Mr.. Jeffris-'That is a fair sample of
the tactics with which we are met
(Cheers.) If what l have said does not
satisfy this convention that it should
hesitate and deliberate upon this most
vital question, then God help the Re-
publican party in the state of Wiscon-
sin. Each of the men who claim they
are entitled to come in and vote for Mr.
Baensch and Cook upon his credentials,
prima facie has a right to partake in the
temporary organization up to the time of
the permanent organization of this con-
vention and also the right of voting upon
his or their rights or what they are en-
titled to under the law and under the
party precedent. I say to you, gentle
men, you cannot afford to do this thing.
You have got to meet US and we have
got to meet you with handshake and
a friendly clasp and smile in the fu-
ture. l appeal to this convention in the
name Of equity and fairness and in the
name Of Republicanism. l don't know of
not get our rights upon that appeal then
there is nothing in this convention to
which we can ask you to subscribe.
ask you in equity and justice to seat
these men who have got the prima facie
proof and then take up each case by it
self and determine its justice, its fairness
and it's regularity. That is the meth
odical and the legal method and the one
that is protected by precedent. My at
tention is called to the fact that men are
under the impression that the adoption
of this minority report would seat these
men and make them permanent mem
bers of-the convention. That is not so.
1t simply gives them the right to come in
here and participate at the time you
vote upon their right to a seat. 1t does
not make them permanent members of
the convention. Nobody but the conven-
ton itself can do that, and we ask you
now if you want to show any spirit of
fairness here because you happen to
have the organization if you are going to
take a large part Of the party of this
state by the throat? Can you afford to
do it? 1 don't think you can, and / ask
this convention to adopt the minority
Chairman Lenroot-'"The Chair will
first state the motion that will now be
before the convention. The question will
be divided, and the first question before
the convention will be: Shall the mi
nority report of the State Central Com
mittee as to Ashland county be substi-
tuted for the majority report?"
Mr.. Hicks Address.
Mr.. e. r. Hicks-"Gentlemen Of the
convention-You are about to take the
most vital step, to Republicanism, that
has ever been taken in the state of Wis
consin. We cannot afford to be actuated
at this supreme moment by anything else
than the Hottest motives of unquestioned
patriotism. feel that this question has
been fully and sufficiently discussed to
this convention, that we have become in
telligent upon it's merits, but / wish, be-
fore this vote is taken to register to you
in the name of pure, unsullied Repub-
licanism of this state the request that
you shall know the result of your DELHI
erations.
rThe scintillating shafts Of heated con-
troversy have already found Judgment
in the hearts of our friends. We must
lift ourselves at this time above the de-
grading and debasing effects of fac
tionallsm to the supreme commanding al
titude Of Republicanism, or we are, lost.
We must deliberate before we proceed.
This great Republican party of Wiscon-
sin, charged as it is with the greatest
duty of the state, that of the liberties
of our people and the institutions Of our
Government, can not afford to throw
away its birthright for a paltry mess Of
potage." (Applause)
Which is more important today, my
countrymen, that 'Stalwartism' or Half
Breedism' shall prevail, or that the Re
publican party Of Wisconsin shall become
immortal? | have no respect for either
faction. Iaughter.) 1 have no apol-
ogies for either faction. | love the Re-