Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-11-04
VOLUME AZ, NUMBER SO
UNMASKED
To THE EDIToR:

LIZ LII II LDtiOk.
The spectacle now presented to the
voters of Wisconsin is enough to make
men who believe in and care for the
perpetuity of representative govern
ment weep.
The mask is off and the men who
have been called 'sStalwart Repub-
leans are now working openly for
the election of the Railroad-Peck
ticket. That wing of the Republican
party which has been upheld by the
strong arm of government patronage
governmental appointees through
out the state working openly for the
election of railroad Democratic
ticket. In Milwaukee the same
influences openly upholding boodlers
and grafters and doing all in their
power to prevent their punishment.
Stalwart only in wrong doing.
The Democratic party of the state
sold to the Stalwart-raiiroad ring
and openly espouSing the cause of
boodlers and grafters. Fair-minded
Democrats who have believed, like
w. j. Bryan. that this is a fight of
he people against the almighty
ollar in American politics driven To
the woods or to the support of the
nly prominent man in public life
no has dared 10 stand up openly
nd fight for the cause of the man as
sainst the domination of the corpora
ons in our political affairs, and also
the man who has faith to believe that
be people of this state are capable Of
making their own selection of candi-
.ateS for Office without the interven-
ION of party bosses and delegates who
may be and have, in many cases, been
orrupted by these Staiwart-rail-
DAD influences.
such is the spectacle and the action
Il The fair-minded Democrats in
'"ming out openly for the right and
torking TO uphold the leader who
,elieveS in government of the people
md for the people is the only cheer
ing part of it.
10 man who has voted for every
Republican candidate for the presi-
,iency who has been elected since the
formatio OF the party the action of
the administration in retaining and
upholding government appointees
throughout the state in their fight to
defeat the wishes of the people and
i their support OF neutrality-suspicious.
nd corruptionists is not encouraging,
tnd To him like thousands OF others.
- situated. the defeat of man who
Aauld uphold such men would not be
i al distasteful, and would be-In lie
1dlure of ID just retrbution for wrong
,ing.
How Any voter cah misunderstood
he issues involved in this contest II is
5ald TO understand. They are so
,dapi hat He who ruus may read"
LaF0llette believes in exact and
. udi JuobloC iOi an. NJ ulSCl iiIIud-
zion in favor of the few as against the
many. No building Of mouopolies by
rebates and secret discrimination in
their favor That all should pay alike
and that the rate for freight and
passengers could then be greatly
reduced. That if every passenger
paid his fare the rate could be reduced
10 stwo cents mile and the roads
continue to earn as much aS they now
do That railroads should be taxed
al, individuals are taxed and that they
should not be allowed to fix their own
rating as they now do and have done
in the past. That commission
should then be appointed to fix freight
and passenger rates in order to pre-
vent the roads from taking from the
people all or more than they have
been compelled to pay in increased
taxes. That such a course would be
only exact and equal justice and not a
drive at or against any interest.
He also believes that much Of the
corruption and debauchery in political
matters can be eliminated by the
direct primary election. Can any
man point to single tenet of his
belief that is wrong? Can unscrupu-
lous lying and personal abuse divert
the attention of voters from these all
important truths? 1t is hoped not.
Right must and will prevail in the
end and every honest man is hoping
tor the triumph of right ID this
contest
He believes in the voters lin you
aud me-in our ability to govern our
selves through our own personally
chosen representatives and without
the Intervention of TailroadS-sOuless
and corporations and corrupt party
bosses. who as rule are owned body
and soul by the corporations.
Will We condemn him for his faith
in us? Yours for the right,
w. Fl. COCHRAN.