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


they stifed the will of the majority, and
whoever attacks the will of the majority
in a free country assaults the very basic
principle upon which free government
rests. (Applausel
Now, fellow citizens, what were you
asked to do if you stayed in that conven-
tion2 1t was simply this, that you should
lay your manhood as sacrlhcial offering
on the shrine Of personal ambition.
Great applause)
NOW let me suggest to you that how
ever peaceably inclined you may be indi-
yidually, however much you may dislike
contests and trouble, however willing you
might have been in your personal capacity
to suffer slight and humiliation, let me re-
mind you that you are not here in your
individual capacity. You are here repre-
senting a constituency Of intelligent, high
spirited American people. (Applause9
And you have no right while acting here
rs their representative to submit to any
humiliation which reaches over to that
constituency. (Applause) You must re-
sent any innovation from whatever source
upon the rights Of the men whom you
represent, and If it is necessary to defend
their rights you must fight although you
may not be inclined personally to engage
in contests Of that kind.
II think if the Gar Of Russia could be
made to understand how potent a piece Of
machinery this State Central Committee
down into Mancburia and he would have
the defeat on the Yalu river transformed
into glorious victory. Great applause.)
"As is the case with my distinguished
colleague i have had no opportunity to
prepare any suitable remarks to be of
fered upon this occasion. We have just
come back from Washington, weary,
worn and tired. We have been busy since
this convention assembled in this city, but
we are here to say to you that we recog-
nlze you as the legitimate instrument of
the Republican party in this campaign
great applause), and the intelligent peo-
pie Of this state when the issues Of this
campaign are laid bare as. they may be
now where we will have q ticket of our
own, where our mouths are not closed
when they learn the true state Of the
public business in this great common
wealth, they will say to you, well..done,
good and faithful servants, by reason Of
your action the Republican party Of Wis
cOnsin will come into possession Of it's
own, and it will not be long and that is
the saddest part Of this whole business
we believe in the same doctrines, we
want to march under the same flag, we
want to stand behind Theodore Roosevelt,
all of us, both factions; there are no ire
concilable differences regarding state af-
fairs that cannot be amicably adjusted
and what excuse is there for tearing in
sunder this great party? What but the
Napoleon was an ambitious man, he
was drunk with ambition, he robbed
France Of a generation Of her manhood,
he said that men were food for powder,
he played with kingdoms as with pawns
on a chessboard. He had two terms
great laughter and applause and when
he had gotten through with the second
term, even he was willing to quit great
laughter and applause), and in that abdi-
cation that he wrote with his own hand
he said, II am not only willing to abdi-
cate but l am willing to give my life that
France may have peace"
Fellow citizens what the Republican
party Of Wisconsin wants at this hour is
peace But there are men unlike Napo-
leon who are not willing to recognize the
logic of Waterloo great laughter and
applause), and are not willing to retire
until they hear the waves breaking on the
rocky shores of ST. Helena. Great APP
plause.)
MY friends, I will not longer inter
rupt the regular order Of procedure. l
am very thankful to you for the most
cordial greeting that you have extended
to me, and l only want to say in concIu-
sion that live or die, sink or swim, sur
yive or perish, throw my political ambi-
ton into the scale, and agree to stay with
You and go down with you If necessary"
Great applause)
"a voice: 1--WE won't go down.')
we will keep the old flag flying, and
If we are submerged those who come
after US and take that flag will say:
That was the sacrifcial offering of brave
and patriotic Republicans Great ap-
plause)
(Cries of "Babcock, Babcock.")
Address of Hon. ]. w. Babcock.
Chairman introduces Hon. Joseph w.
Babcock to the convention.
Hon. Joseph w. Babcock addresses the
convention, saying:
'Mr Chairman and gentlemen of the
convention: | did not expect to be
honored with a call to address you this
afternoon, and | can hardly understand
why the old rule has been reversed, and
that is, that the best of the wine should
be reserved until the last of the feast.
daughter and applause) 1t seemed to
me that you opened and uncorked the
best bottle first. daughter and APP
plause.)
Gentlemen: I feel honored to address
this convention, and l shall detain you
but few moments. l came here to
Madison with one sole object and one
purpose in view; and that was to use
my best efforts to harmonic the inter
eSts of the great Republican party of the
state of Wisconsin. 1t is a great spoke
in the national wheel, and we need every
Republican vote this fall to re-elect Theo.
dore Roosevelt. (Applause.) l met dele
gate after delegate, gentlemen whose
upturned faces | see in this audience, gen.
tlemen who came here with one purpose
and that, like my own, to try to do their
duty, gentlemen who protested, and con-
sentative men who said, Wait let us
exhaust every means; while we stand as
loyal Republicans let 1t not be said that
we threw the first stone. But, gentle
men, you know the history. First one,
then another and then all, until each one
of these nearly 600 delegates came to one
mind and one conclusion. (Applause.)
You could not go home to your constitu-
ents unless you felt that you had done
your duty; and you could not do that
and submit to being DISTINGUISHED in the
other convention that our distinguished
senator referred to this afternoon. This,
gentlemen,t is a memorable convention,
and l sincerely hope and believe that
great good will grow out of it. | have
for many years been identified with the
Republican party in national politics. [
know what these conditions mean.
know the dangers of party differences:
but when you reach q point where the
vital principles Of the Republican party,
the representation Of the people, is denied
and attacked, gentlemen, you have but
one remedy, and you have taken it. ZAP
plause).
Il want to say word in reference to
your nominee for Governor. l served
with him in WashingtonA l know him
well. | believe and I think I
know that he will make us an
ideal executive. (Applause) Now,
If you think you are electing q Legisla-
ture you are mistaken. daughter and
applause? There is none of that COM