Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-10-16

I
of Indebtedness which shall be a lier
on the property so purchased" Oul
courts have held that ANY such GER
tificates of Indebtedness must be in
clilded in the indebtedness fixed by
the constitution. This prevents oul
city and yours and others from pur-
chasing or building a municipal gas
electric or other important public
utility plant. Again the Republican
platform favors paying for purchased
plant out of the certificates of indebt-
edness which shall be lien on the
property so purchased. Again our
courts have held that the owner OF
such plant cannot be compelled to
accept certificates of indebtedness in
payment of such plant. If sold TO
others our courts have held that such
liens against utility plants are invalid,
Imagine " you WILL the owners of
these certificates foreclosing lien on
a city gas, light or water plant.
I We say this whole plank intended
to cover the great issue in this cam
paign is false and misleading.
/ submit that the ruling powers in
that convention did not intend that
the regulation and control and sub
/ lection of the public service corpora
] tions of this state should be given
/ over to the public to whom it right
fully belongs. The same cunning power
and the same cunning hand that wrote
| that deceptive plank struck out the
1 tariff plank which condemned the
tariff as fostering trusts and monopo-
| lies. When the lion is away the fox
| is king"
| When we said there was new
power in control of the Republican
organization in this state we were
| wrong. There has been o change.
! Mock banners are flying but the old
/ crowd is behind the guns
staIwarts in the Saddle
The stalwarts are in the saddle and
are determined to ride hard and fast.
Would we need proof. the primary
campaign were sufficient.
The StalWart leaders, the stalWart
voters, the stalwart press to a man
made the fight for Davidson and Con-
nor
The Sentinel next morning truly pro-
claimed it as stalwart victory
Gov Davidson in his interview pub
lished in The Sentinel and The Free
Press the morning following the pri-
the great victory.
The Republican convention in Madi-
son demonstrated that the stalwarts
were in absolute control. The junior
senator, representing the halfbreed fac
ton which has made the fight for re-
AOllAl III ILLS Sld(C IOT Tile past eight
years, asked that convention for one
favor. That favor was that w. D.
Conner be not made chairman. They
signified their willingness to accept any
other man in Wisconsin, but were told
that w. d. Connor was the only man
who could have the place through
which the policy OF the party in the
state might be absolutely controlled,
and he is today in absolute control.
Would we need further proof, The
Sentinel in a recent issue contained it,
when it published the fact that Con-
gresham Babcock had been called into
consultation by Chairman w. D. Con-
nor to assist in planning Republican
campaign in Wisconsin.
And who are the stalwarts? We
make no personal illusions. Personal
ly they are as good as halfbreeds or
Democrats, and when they are on their
good behavior they are as good as
Prohibitionists. ] speak of the stall
warts as an organization in Wisconsin
politically.
The stalwarts are the men who have
for more than eight years been oppos-
ing every proposition for REFORM, that
has been made in this state. They
are the men who have been opposing
the primary election, they are the men
who have been opposing railroad rate
legislation, they are the men who have
been opposing the ad valorem system
Of taxing railroads, they are the men
who control the gas and electric and
telephone companies, and other public
service utilities in this state, and who
have been and who are today opposing
the control of the public service utili-
ties of this state.
Meaning of Republican Success
Despite platform promises, despite
the record of Gov. Davidson the sue
cess of the Republican ticket this fall
means that the stalwart contingency
will absolutely control the policy Of
this state for years to come,
1t has no sympathy with the advance
that has been made in this state, and
it will further no advance along the
lines that L have discussed. Its action
will be reactionary. l do not say that
any of the reform measures will he re-
pealed, but by appointments they will
be annulled.
Senator La Toilette, speaking with
this thought in view in this city during
the primary campaign, said "All that
has been accomplished In this state has
encountered the strongest opposition
which the stalwart organization could
offer" That organization was active
and hostile less than two years ago.
As an organization it is quiet at this
time. Its membership is active, with
its policy unchanged.
The voters OF Wisconsin will not
deceive themselves with any false
the Ories, respecting the men who hav-
ing served the corporations in the past
are not the men to confide in at this
time.
If they worked from a sense of
conviction in opposing the reforms
which have been adopted and in de-
feating others prepared, they cannot
have changed in this brief period. If
they served in the interest of the cor
porations not through conviction but
from some less worthy consideration,
they ought never be again placed in a
public position of trust.
In any event. with the ground
gained, with an advance along the
lines of public interest. which we are
called upon to make. it will be "a little
less than betrayal Of our great cause
and a little less than a crime against
the people Of Wisconsin to accept or
permit the stalwart alliance
The Democratic Position
The Democratic campaign is as I
have sought to outline it. The contest
between the Republican party as now
organized and controlled. and the
Democratic party is clearly one of
principle.
If we are entrusted with power
there shall be no backward movement
The various reforms which have been
placed upon the statute books of this
state shall be maintained in all their
integrity. The ground gained shall be
forfeited and protected, and an adj
vance shall be made along the lines as
outlined by our platform.
The railroad commission and the tax
commission shall be in the hands of
men in sympathy with the Law, and in
sympathy with the people OF the state
This so far as I am concerned shall
not be campaign of personalities, but
Of principles. along the line of our
platform and along the lines / have