Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-07-26

to become a democratic candidate for
governor at the primaries J. A. Ayl-
ward of Madison writes:
Il appreciate that our party is in
a crippled condition. We have lost
fidence in and the respect of the
people for our party have been
weakened The circumstances which
have led to this need not here be
discussed. Whoever shall be nomi-
mated, each OF us shall have his full
measure of work to recover the lost
ground, 10 restore the lost confidence
and TO right the many wrongs that
burden the people Of this great state.
The present administration was
elected because it promised to de-
sJroy the machine that long domi
mated this state, because it prom
ised retTenchment in the expenses of
the state, because it promised integ-
Tity in public office, because il prom
ised the restoration OF the peoples
rights. Nevertheless the ordinary
running expenses of the state have
more than doubled and are now near
ly 800 per cent greater than they
We're under the last democratic ad-
ministration. Where $1,000 was then
expended nearly $4,000 are now eX-
pended Where $l,6OO,OOO was then
expended over $4,601,00 are now eX-
pended. We insist that there has
been no return 10 the people to
justify such enormous increase in
expenditure. These moneys, how
ever, derived were the peoples
moneys and the people have a right
to demand and to know for what pur-
poses these vast sums We're eX-
pended. They were not and could
not have been legitimately expended
The present administration has I'M
lawfully misappropriated the sacred
trust funds of the state. In single
instance $1,1S4 900 of the school, nor
NAL, university and agricultural trust
funds were unlawfully diverted from
the trust to which they belonged and
turned into the general fund for the
purpose of covering up the enormous
increased running expenses of the
state Public Office is rightly de
clared q public trust and The people
are or should be the beneficiaries of
the trust. Yet, the present admin
istratOn stands convicted of corrup-
ton and malfeasance in Office. II
has debauched the public service in
establishing and maintaining, at the
public expense, the most perfect of
political machines. The administra-
ton has been full of promises to the
people but the results have been
most meagre. We have had long
years of agitation and five years of
railway legislation with the result
that the railway charges for freight
transportation are higher today than
they were during the last democratic
administration and the increased
freight charges are not only greater
than the increased railway taxes, but
| am credibly informed, are greater,
annually, than the entire railway
taxes. In these and many Other
ways the public trust reposed in the
present administration has been be-
trayed. There is therefore an i'm
perative demand and The time is ripe
for a change, That people are
aroused and know and demand their
rights as never before, These
rights, lost or stolen. won by bribery.
trickery or intimidation, must be
restored 10 them, These are epoch
making days There is a great pop
ular awakening along democratic
lines, due largely to the strong,
steadfast and unimpeachable charac-
ter of our peerless leader, the great
commoner, William Jennings Bryan.
The situation demands a strong,
vigorous and aggressive campaign.
The campaign in which we shall fear
lessly take and maintain the often
sive and preach and practice demo
cratic principles. Our splendid plat
form invites if it does not demand
and necessitate such a campaign.
assure you | appreciate your kind
ness in expressing the desire that l
might lead in such a campaign.
therefore yield to the expressed de-
sire of a large number of leading
democrats throughout the state that,
for the benefit of the party, l con
sen to become a candidate AS a
member of the state central COM
mittee, | urged upon the state chair
man the calling of a meeting to dis
cuss the ACCESSIBILITY of calling a
platform convention. At the meeting
of the committee | argued and voted
for a platform convention. | had the
honor to preside as permanent chair
man over that convention That
convention was composed of the
chosen Representatives of the democ-
racy of Wisconsin. 1t was in the
fullest sense a democratic, delibera-
tive assembly. therefore have no
personal platform to offer. The work
of that convention as expressed in
the platform meets my hearty ap-
prevail and the platform of party
principles there announced is my