Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-03-29
TO CONTINUE FAcTIoEALIsM.

The appointment of Congressman Bah
cock by Chairman Cortelyou to be a
member of the national republican com
mittee is 10 be regretted 1t means, if
it means anything, that there is to be
no abatement 0f the faoGional strife that
has pervaded Wisconsin for the past four
years, because every man who thinks
politically, knows that the tyranny of
Babcockism is not good republicanism,
and that every position that has been
conferred upon him has been used for
his own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and to the det-
rimenr of the republican party and the
cause Of the people 1t is reward for
boiling the regular party organization
last year in the political contest in favor
Of the regular republicans of the state.
Like every paper that regards republi
canism as something better than hol.
low pretense, the CENSOR regrets this
appointment as bad for the party If it
means to carry ont the principles de-
clared for by Roosevelt and La Toilette
Along this line the Milwaukee Journal
truthfully comments
What is President Roosevelt trying to
do with Gov. La Toilette and his faction
Of the republican party in Wisconsin,
What significance is TO be attached to
the apparently systematic effort of the
president to slap the half breeds through
several recent appointments?
What kind of game is the president
playing, ana what is the purpose behind
it all?
1t is difficult to account for the ap.
polntment Of Babcock to the national
committee. Everyone who is familiar
with Wisconsin politics and it must be
assumed that the president Is not ignor.
ant OF the situation here-knows that
Chairman Cortelyou could not have APP
pointed man from this state who rep
resents the republican party less than
does Babcock 1t was only by the skin
of his teeth that he was reelected last
fall, and, as is well known, this was &C.
complished only by the aid of democrat
ic votes lt is hard TO see how the re-
publican party will be strengthened by
his appointment; it is easy to see how it
may be weakened
An effort is being made in different
parts of the state to promote the bslief
that'factionalsm Is dead in Wisconsin,
that the ststvarts and half breeds are
united and that past differences are for
gotten But there is not much evidence
to support this belief But one thing is
certain-if the old wound is being heal
ed, it will break out afresh as a result of
Babcock's appointment. There cannot
be peace among Wisconsin republicans
with him as their national representa-
tive.
The reason which Chairman Cortelyou
gives for the appointment is not reas-
suring. He says that Babcock was Civ
en the place because the twenty-Cwo
delegates to the national convention,
who had chosen Mr.. Payne, unanimous
ly endorsed the &C ugressman for the po-
sition. The weakness of this reason is
revealed when one considers the fact
that Notwithstanding the action Of the
Chicago convention, M Cortelyou and
the national committee later officially
recognized the half breed organization.
The explanation is not satisfactory. 1t
would have been better II TIE chairman
had maintained silence, His statement
will cause controversy, not allay it.
What do these appointments mean2
Wisconsin would like to know.