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


thought and conviction of the Demo
Gratis of Wisconsin.
The Republican platform does not
represent the best thought and conyic-
ton of the Republicans of Wisconsin
The law in my judgment should be
amended to provide for party platform
conventions.
Primary Law Should be Enforced
/ believe in independent voting. and
in removing every possible obstacle
which prevents the voters from exer-
cising free choice in the election OF
public officers.
l have no more right to go into the
Republican primaries to determine the
Republican nomination than l have to
go into my neighbours house to name
his children or dictate his servants.
One goes into the primaries Of the
opposition only for revenge or to NOM
mate, an unworthy candidate for sub
sequent slaughter.
believe the law should be Sc
amended that in the nomination OF
candidates each party should De con-
hned to his own primary.
trust, too. that some means con-
slstent with the principle of the law
may be devised to lessen The expenses
incident TO the practical workings OF
the law.
Time Proved the Charge
In the last presidential campaign our
candidate for president objected that
the great trusts, railways and life in
surance companies We're contributing
vast sums Of money to the Republican
campaign fund.
These charges were scornfully de-
MED by the president and his secre-
tary. But in the insurance investiga-
tion 1t developed that the charges were
TRUE and that a contribution by the
insurance companies of 100000 from
the widows and orphans fund was not
uncommon. 1t developed, too, that
contributions were sometimes made to
both parties. 1t goes without saying
that the railway companies Of this
state nave done the same, thing. 1t is
notorious that Congressman Babcock,
who we'll earned the name of the fat
frier, obtained vast sums for cam
palgn purposes from the protected in
dustries and favored classes in ex-
change for legislation and prolee lion.
And when it was proposed to iavesti-
gate his doings, he quickly resigned
and the resolution for investigation
was smothered in the committee
In New York, Dist. Atty Jerome was
obliged to confess that there was no
law to punish either the giver or the
taker.
In this state the law forbids any
corporation doing business in this
state, contributing directly or Indirect
ly to any political party for the pur-
pose of influencing legislation or cleo
ton.
But under existing laws the proof
of the act provided against is solely in
the conscience of the guilty parties.
Our laws also provide that every
candidate should file an itemized state
ment of all his expenses including the
dates when. the persons to whom, and
the purpose for which such sums were
expended
You are aware that campaign dis
bursements are made largely through
the different political committees We
make our contributions to our state
chairman or state committee. The
state chairman disburses it as he
sees fit.
Corruption Funds Denounced
Our platform rightly denounces the
of vast sums of money for
corrupt purposes by interested cor
porations, and rightly demands the en-
actment of a law requiring every COM
mittee of a platform organization to
make public the amounts received and
expended by it.
oath for whom all such sums were
received and how expended, and
would make the punishment for the
violation Of that oath Imprisonment
only.
If the subscriptions to and the ex-
penses of a political Sampaign are leg
islative there can be no reason for
their concealment. If they are for
illegal, immoral or illegitimate pur-
poses they should not be made.
State Building of Public Highways
The Democratic platform declares
that the construction of good high
ways is essential to the highest con-
dition of the state"
We all believe in good highways and
will do all in reason to secure the same
but gradually through the existing
laws which provide for the payment of
road work in cash rather than in work,
and through the laws providing for
county aid in the construction of town
roads, through other laws with like
our highways are being
gradually improved. The Improvement
reasonably corresponds with the i'm
provement of the country.
The Republican platform provides,
1--WE favor the enactment of appropri-
ate legislation at the earliest practical
moment extending state aid for the con-
struction and Improvement of the high
ways of the state.
Our constitution forbids the state
from engaging in such works, or other
works of internal Improvement.
TO meet this objection the latest
legislature by joint resolution pro-
posed an amendment to the constitu-
ton which will be quoted on at the
election. That amendment
provides that the state may appro-
pirate money in the treasury. or to be
thereafter raised by taxation for the
construction or improvement of all
public highways" The Republican
proposal therefore is that the state
shall enter into a wild scheme Of
building public highways throughout
the state by direct taxation upon the
people of the state"
When we stop to think that there
are thousands upon thousands or
miles of highways in the state, the
problem of the state ownership of
railways sinks into insignificance in
Not only this, but the
provides that the roads
are to be built "by appropriation OF
money in the treasury. or theI carter
to be raised by taxation for the con-
struction or improvement OF public
highways"
As we have pointed out the entire
expenses of the state for past years,
equals its gross income. This IS true
and almost every avenue of taxation
has been exhausted. Not only this,
but every year and this year, there has
been levied a state tax in order TO
meet the expenses. The state tax
levied on this county this year, and
which was made this very week, ex-
ceeds 5000 900. This money for the
proposed building of the public high
WAYS of the state must under the
terms Of the amendment come from a
direct state tax.
And oh what an opportunity in more
than seventy counties for new boards,
and commissions. and surveyors, and
engineers, and clerks and workmen-
What opportunities for extravaganza
And oh what opportunities for political