Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-01-11
Reasons Why The Governor Should Not
Be Candidate for Senator.


sembly to vote for you for United
States SENATOR" said l to the gov
ernOr,
There is nothing in that" he
replied. Il have asked no man for
any such pledge. While I am at it
| may as we'll put this thing to sleep
once for ALL You may say for me
that | have no wish to go to the
United States Senate at this time. |
am not and shall not be candi-
date. l do not dety that some day
or other l may aspire to a seat in
the Senate and take one if the peo-
pie of Wisconsin are willing to give
| it to me.
But mark this: / have set out
here in Wisconsin to do certain
work. l have undertaken to compel
the railways to pay a proper share
OF their taxes; to secure primary
election system which shall give the
people direct power over all party
nominations, and to pass railway
rate law which shall compel the
roads to charge only reasonable
rates and to abolish the atrociOus
system of rebates to favored shippers
which has created an industrial
tyranny in Wisconsin and given
the railway managers a power over
commence and politics and govern
ment which no men should be per-
mitted to exercise in our country.
"A part of this work is done, and
part remains unfinished. Until
it is all finished I shall remain here
at my post. cannot and will not
desert my task. To do otherwise
would be unfair to the brave peo-
pie of Wisconsin who have so loyal
ly supported the principles for
which / contend. Hence / shall not
be a candidate for the Senate. I
have a right to aspire to the Senate
if wish. but have not the right
to do so at the expense of the work
to which have given some of the
best years of my life"
If the above article that appeared
in the Chicago Record-Herald in
October last was authorized by the
governor, and we take it for granted
that it was, then Gov. Robert M.
La Toilette cannot now be candi-
date for the United States Senate
to succeed Senator Quarles, and
keep the good will and confidence
of the people of Wisconsin.
The governor has two classes of
admirers and friends. One class has
been with him on account of the
principles he has been contending
for and the explicit confidence and
respect they have in the personality
of the man, which has been acquir-
ed by many years of acquaintance
with him. The other class are
those who follow him not on &C
count of the reforms he is contend
ing for, but simply because his star
is in the ascendency and they want
to be in the loaded wagon.
Those who belong to the former
class will be disappointed If the
governor now becomes a candidate
for the Senatorship after making
the successful fight he has made,
and publishing the above state
ment. The other class will urge
his candidacy not from any love for
his good, but simply in the hope
that if he were made senator at
this time some of. the spoils might
fall to them in the distribution.
Governor La Follette's wonderful
success, which he has been able to
achieve during the past eight years,
has been possible only because of
the devotion, respect and confidence
of the people who have supported
the principles and reforms he repre-
sents. The minute the governor
forfeits their confidence and res
pect, that minute he will fail utter
ly.
To be candidate nowlafter per-
hitting that interview to be pub
lished unchallenged, will lose for
him the respect, confidence and
good will of all good people regard
less of political affiiation. The only
way he can continue to be strong
with the people in the future, as in
the past, is to compel the railways
to pay a proper share of their xes;
secure primary election system
which shall give the people direct
power over all party nominations,
and to pass a railway rate law
which shall compel the railroads to
charge only reasonable rates and
to abolish the atrocious system of
rebates to favored shippers" To
do this will require long, careful
session of the legislature. When
this is done and accomplished there
will be nothing too good, even the
..-oo:5o,oox, oe +Lo T1n;&oJ S%o@oe, -