Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-05-10
GovernoraC Candidate
if Elective Bill Is
Passed
Admirers Say He Is
Very Much in
Earnest
F riends Pleased and
Opponents Look on
CompIaCentIy

If the legislature passes an cleo
tive railway commission bill, Cover
nor La Toilette will not go to the
United States senate; neither will he
be a candidate for a fourth term as
governor: but he will % a candidate
under the primary election system for
a position on the railway commission. "
This is the statement made last
night by one close TO the governor,
but who would not consent to the use
of his name. All efforts to interview
Gov La Toilette proved futile At
the executive Office there was no one
who would either deny or confirm the
statement, but that this is believed by
administration men to be the real
situation, there can be no doubt It
was discussed last night in the execu-
tive session of the senate committee
on railroads in the form of a hypo-
thetical case, and later it was dis
cUssed throughout the capitol and
even in the hotel Hobbies
T. II. Gill, counsel for the Wisconsin
Central, heard Of the proposition, ac-
cepted it is true and left last night for
Chicago He has expressed himself
as in favor Of an appointiye commits
sion. This latest "antic" on the part
of the governor is not disturbing, ap-
parently to those who differ with him
politically, and mis- friends are great
ly pleased with it. They say it is
good politics"
Gov, La Toilette has given the
people of Wisconsin his word that he
will not stop fighting until these
things are accomplished" said one of
the governors close friends last
night land he means to keep his
pledge. He is not the man to leave
the field before the battle is won. He
is not the man to be satisfied with any
halfway victory. When he travelled
from one end of the state to the other
advocating railway commission, he
did not mean merely that the state
should have a commission in name
He wanted a commission in fact, one
clothed with power to regulate rates
and stop determinations, rebates and
other forms of abuses. He wanted
an able and honest commission, one
that should represent the entire state
and take care not only of the interests
of the individual shippers but the in
terests of the consumers as well. who
in the end pay all the freight. He
wanted a commission composed OF
men broad enough and able enough ia
unravel the intricate problem in such
a way as to do absolute justice to the
railroads as well as to the shippers
and the consume! b; but he also want.
ed that these men should be of I'M
questionable integrity and honesty SC
that no influence either direct or in
direct could induce them to fail to
give the people. shippers and consum
ers, anything less than absolute Jus
tice in the light of all the information
that they can procure.
Another man than La Toilette
might have been content to let the
matter drop, when the issue resulted
in his being rendered a seat in the
United States senate. But the gov
ernor wants actual results. He wants
genuine reforms. He wants no laws
which merely bear the name of the
reforms he has championed He pre-
ferred an appointive commission, be
cause he felt that men of higher abil
ity could be selected by appointment
than by election But if the legisla
ture passes an elective railway com
mission bill, he will do all in his DOW
er to make it an able and honest com
mission. | think that by his pledge
to the people he is bound to do nc
less than this. l can see no other
logical action for him TO take than tc
become a candidate for the cor!mis
sion If il is to be an elective body.
There can be no questioning his
ability; there can be no doubt that
the people of the state trust him. anC
there is every reason to believe that
the railroads now understand, if they
never did before. that lie .neans bust
ness and will keep up the fight unit
there is a competent railway commits
sion sitting in Wisconsin and operat
ing under an effective law clothing it
with power to regulate rates and en-
force its regulations"
Thus do his admirers enthuse. while
his opponents complacently LOOK on.
Recall Bills Fail.
The senate committee on corpora
tons last night decided to recommend
for non-concurrence the recall bill
which pjassed the assembly and t.
recommend for indefinite postpone
ment the recall bill introduced in the
senate by Senator Hudnall Senator
Pummell dissented from the actor
of the committee