Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-05-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Special Correspondence to the Her aid
from the Nations Capital.

The charges maze Dy 1uSu1dAOO
Commissioner Host that he was Of
fered through Secretary OF State
Houser a campaign contribution OF
50 600 for a decision favoring the
Equitable Assurance company, has
baen the one matter of absorbing
interest among Wisconsin people at
the national capitol. The fact that
the disclosures offer a solution as to
the methods of raising campaign
funds for the use of men in control
of the administration forces, is by
no means the most reprehens1ble
part of the business, for the charges
leave no room for doubt that the
insurance company was to be called
upon to contribute to the defeat OF
Congressman BabcOck in case the
decision from Host favored their
cause. The ono fact that should be
of concern to the republicans as
we'll as citizens generally Of Wiscon-
sin, is that one of the state officers
according to his own testimony be-
fore the insurance investigating
committee, acted as the go between
for notorious insurance lobbyist
and the insurance commissioner Of
the state and in effect rendered him
a promise that in case he rendered
a favorable decision 50, 900 would be
paid into the campaign fund. Host
further testifes that after his brief
had been prepared against the in
surance company, Houser on a pre-
text that it was to be for the use of
SanatOr Frear, secured a copy, and
that this brief afterwards made its
appearance in the hands Of at
torneys for the company.
232
The facts brought out should be
of especial significance to the voters
of the third congressional district.
for the transaction as is stated in
the testimony, was based upon a
desire on the part of Houser to Sc
cure campaign contributions to de-
feat Congressman Babcock Tt VII
be recalled that the entire campaign,
almost, against the present mem,
Der Of congress was directed from
Madison, no one being more active
that Secretary of State Houser him
self, VITO was the manager in charge
of the various candidates. IN the
different counties. Every possible
charge that could be trumpet up
against Mr.. Babcock was circuIat-
ed and the printing bills alone must
have amounted to a considerable
sum. These bills, in part at least,
as was claimed at the time, were
paid by the taxpayers of the state
out of the public funds. Houser
acting in behalf of the reform" adj
ministration, assumed personal
direction of the campaign against
Babcock, and one of the candidates
came from his office. State en-.
ploYes, recruited from every Office
almost in the entire capitol, for
weeks over ran the third district in
an attempt to defeat Babcock upon
a so-called reform movement.
222
Thousands of dollars were spent
by the men making the fight, and
during that campaign it was charged
and substantiated that all state en-
ployes we're assessed to bear a part
of the expense, and it was a matter
of general comment that the adj
ministration forces had Nd end of
money to devote to the defeat of
Babcock. Now comes the Host
HOuser imhrOglio offering an an
swer in a suggestive way at least of
where the money came from. Host
denies and the record shows that he
refused to enter into the deal but
HOuser's connection with the tran
saction is not explained away, nor
ought it to suffice for him to say
that it is merely conspiracy to en-
compass his defeat for denomination.
The money used in the attempt to
defect Babcock came from different
sources and was handled by Houser
as the agent of reform. The ques-
ton is, where did he get it?
8SS
While members of congress and
others from Wisconsin have no es-
pecial interest in the charges so as
sertively made by Host against
Houser, since the disclosures came
the matter has been freely discussed.
The opinion among those who dis
cuss the transaction prevails that
Houser can not pass up the charges
without further explanation. At
tention is called to the fact that
practically every state officer in the