Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-07
INTERESTING POLITICAL HISTORY
Charles Waters Recalls Doinss in Poll.
ties in Early Days.

EDITOR CENSOR: read in the CEN.
SoR of February 7th about ]. A. Somer.
oy and j. r. Casson, both old-time
friends of the writer. writing to Gov.
ernor Randall to have J. NJ. Rusk an.
pointed coroner of Badax county. and
the CENSOR failed to give the reason
why the governor did not appoint him
AS l remember Mr.. Rusk had held the
office of sheriff Of Badax county one
term and the law of the state at that
time forbade man serving in that cana.
city more than one term of two wears at
one time. Jerry" had served his two
years as sheriff SO and 81 and did not
want /, go back to coroner, hence the
reason he did not qualify when elected
to that position.
The writer was we'll acquainted with
Jerry" when he drove stage; also when
he owned one-third in threshing ma.
chine, in which capacity he excelle6
Bat one day when tending separator,
while sitting on pile of sacks filled
with wheat, he said to himself, Jerry "
how many men did you ever know
got rich ru1ning threshing machine
IN ct one" Then said to himself, I'll
machine has got to be sold soon as
told the writer. When he was canvss
ing for his first nomination for congress
he was up In some OF the upper count,
of the district and called on a prominer
man who had new threshing machin
In the field to be tried Rusk had wit
him one OF his companions in armp life
lieutenant think Rusk had as hi.
opponent at this time VIM T. Price OF
Black River Falls, very popular man.
The machine stopped threshing while
the lieutenant talked to the machine
man, who was a Price supporter. In the
mean time several loads of wheat from
the shock had been driven up TO the
machine, the hands waiting for the feed
or. Rusk asked them what are you
waiting for7'. For Mr.. - to feed. .
Jerry" stepped upon the platform and
said start up Several large loads
of wheat went through that machine in
apple pie order in short time. When
the machine started the owner stopped
talking TO the lieutenant and stood dun.
founded until Rusk stepped down from
the machine, then he mounted the plat
form and swung his hat and said Here
Is for Jerry" Rusk who helped to whip
the 'rebs" and can come here and thresh
our wheat In that style. Hurrah for
that countys delegation for Rusk's FIRST
nomination, 80 the lieutenant told the
writer at the state fair few days after
it happened. At that fair VIM. T. Price
said to me. Charles Waters, why did
you folks want to nominate that id
lsomethingly He don't know enough to
go to Washington without having a
guide board nailed on his head. / said
''Bill Price, if you don't learn to govern
that unruly member, your tongue, you
will never get TO congress. He replied
''If don't like man will 60 across
the street to tell him to- etc. That
was Prices failing or he would have
gone TO congress sooner than he did.
When Price was member of the state
senate, Cameron of LA Crosse, being
candidate for United States senator,
Prices abuse Of Cameron on the senate
floor was terrible, perhaps the most
abusive ever uttered In that chamber.
Yet Price was very popular. His con-
stituents elected his son TO fill his unex-
pired term in congress When ''Brick"
Pomeroy was scoring members of con-
gress he would say Rusk is an honest
man" At the close of the rebellion
when Rusk's political career began, l
can look il over and see the enviousness
of several men in caucus to get dele
gates Yho would oppose Rusk, but TO no
purpose only their own political injury.
Jerry" developed ss opportunity pre-
sented itself, of which Wisconsin may
ever be proud. AS President Harrison
said Jerry Rusk was diamond in the
rough" CHARLES WATERS.
White Salmon, Wash, Feb %