River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-08-23
BRYANT FOR DAVIDSON
Politics. Godfather of La
Follttte Wants Governor
Nominated
CTATE 0uAIpMAN
General Bryant Challenges Other
Candidates to Show Why
Gov. Davidson in Not
Entitled to the
Nomination.

George E. Bryant, former chairman
of the republican state central COM
mittee and political godfather of Rob-
ert M. La Toilette, has come out for
the nomination of Gov. ]. o. David
son and challenges other candidates
to show why his candidate is not en-
titled to a denomination.
Although Mr.. La Toilette is known
to be backing l. L. Lenroot with all
the power and influence at his COM
mand, Gen. Bryant has decided that
he does not agree with his political
protege and is for the present COVER
nor. 1t is one OF the few times that
Messrs. Bryant and La Toilette have
not agreed on politics and this will
cause all the more surprise therefore.
Out Squarely for Davidson.
Mr.. Bryant's letter is as follows:
In some ways the candidacy of
Gov. James o. Davidson is different
from that of any other gentleman who
has SO far announced himself. There
is an unwritten, albeit a we'll defined,
law of parties in all of the states, that
a governor, barring mishaps, is emit.
tied to a second term. Wisconsin has
already had three governors for three
terms, and one of the three was, by
constitutional amendment, made to
serve for three full terms and one
year.
"Since the close of the civil war
there have been but two republican
governors who have not been renomi7
mated for second terms. They are
Harrison Ludington, who declined to
be a candidate for reelection, and
William H. Upham, who also, for rea-
sons personal to himself. declined to
make the race for reelection.
Senator La Toilette was elected
governor three times, and then elect
ed to the senate, or Gov. Davidson
would not be in the chair today.
"When party selects a candidate
for lieutenant governor, it always
looks or it always should look upon
him as a possible governor before his
term of office expires. 1t is not Dor
rowing from the imagination to say
that in no case since the organiZa-
ton of Wisconsin as q state, which is
for fifty-eight years, has nominating
convention had equal reason for con-
sidering it's candidate for lieutenant
governor a coming governor as the
convention of 1904 had when it nomi-
mated Robert M. La Toilette and
James 0. Davidson"
His Promotion Expected.
within a month after Gov. La Fol
lette took the oath OF office for the
third time he was elected United
States senator, neither to the sur
prise OF himself or his friends. 1t
was exactly what nine-tenths of the
people of the state expected would
Then it follows that Lieut. Gov. Da-
wilson was expected to become gov
ernor, and that he was chosen to be-
cerne governor. Gov. Davidson served
as acting" governor for FIVE months
Of last year; he has now been gov
ernor for five months, making nearly
a year that he has served. What rea-
son has he given, either while serving
as acting governor, or as governor,
why he should not be accorded the
customary honor of reelection? 1t is
up to the other candidates to show
why he should be turned down, and
some one of them elected The bur-
den of proof is on them, not on him.
There is his record. What is wrong
with it? On the face of things he is
entitled to reelection, if any gov
ernor ever was. President Roosevelt
succeeded President Mckinley, and
was given a term as president by cleo
ton without one voice in his party
being raised against it. Gov. David
son succeeded Senator La Toilette
and is entitled to at least one term by
election, for his record, like President
Roosevelt's, was, is clean, and he
stands for the same principles for
which Senator La Toilette fought.
"Give fancy a little play and let us
suppose that Senator La Toilette had
not been a candidate for governor
two years ago, that he had then said
that he had had two terms, and that
two terms were enough, and the con-
vention had nominated Gov. David
son. Suppose this had been done and
Gov Davidson had given the same
kind of administration he has SO far
given. What would be the attitude
of the republican party at this time
toward a proposition to give him a
second term?
Up to other Candidates.
''No member of the party is emit
tied any more than any other faith
full and intelligent member, to be cho-
sen to any office for first term. And
no governor, who has been faithful to
the principles of the party that elect
ed him. has earned the ignominy of
being discarded by his party, unless
he has furnished some reason to the
party for doing it. What reason has
Gov. Davidson given? 1t is up to the
other aspiring candidates to show.
Why not Davidson? Has Gov. Da-
wilson ever proven recreant to any
trust imposed in him by the republ-
car party? If he has not, then again.
why not Davidson?
at is no disparagement Of any 9TH
er candidate to say of him that he
can afford to wait until this faithful
republican has been awarded the
honor that has always, with the ex-
ceptions mentioned, been bestowed
upon men who have been elected TO