Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-02-20
KILLED THE RATS;
SAVED THE BARN
SIGNIFICANT UTTERANCE BY
HEAD OF HUGHES league
I'M NEW YORK.
CORRECTED GREAT INSURANCE
ABUSES BUT sAFEGUARDED
THE ASSETS.

New York, Feb. 1S.-"Gentlemen
the situation is serious" impressively
said General Stewart L. Woodford
last evening in accepting the presi-
dency of the Hughes league of the
United States, at the Hotel Manhat-
tan. 1T is a critical moment for the
republicans. The democratic party,
hungry with long fasting, will do its
best to get together and win. We
cannot count with certainty. as so
often heretofore, upon their plumbers.
If We would win this fight We must
make 40 mistakes ourselves. So seri-
Gus is the situation, so much depends
on what we now do, that mistakes now
are more than blunders. They will be
almost crimes"
General WoodfOrd then said with
obvious significance, that in the gas
aud life insurance Investigations Gov
ernOr Hughes uncovered serious and
long continued abuses. He corrected
evils, but did not destroy the accumu-
lated resources held for the protection
and support of thousands Of wives,
mothers and children throughout the
republic. The assets of the life in
surance companies exceeded one
thousand million dollars. Some bad
men and many careless ones had come
to evil or needless use Of these i'm
mense resources. He drove them
from place and power and at the same
time he safeguarded the assets of the
companies. He cured without killing.
He drove the rats from the barn with
out burning the barn. Such dealing
with corporate wealth and corporate
responsibility is terror to eVildoers
on the one side and protection to the
savings of the poor upon the other"
He added: 1--WE present the name of
Governor Hughes to the calm consid-
GRAFTON and deliberate judgment of the
republicans of the nation as being
thoroughly fit for the great office and
sacred trust of the presidency. | have
known him from his early manhood,
and because was his pTeceptor and
friend I may without egotism speak
of his manliness and worth. AS lad
he was hard working, frugal and a
winner AS a student he was conscien-
tious, persistent, strenuous and sue
cessful AS a lawyer he early took
rank high, and has steadily gone to-
ward the front of our profession.
eff you can elect republican presi-
dent without New York then it will be
safe to disregard this suggestion. If
You cannot certainly do this, if in any
contingency you shall need the vote
of New York, them we beg you to
weigh our suggestion very carefully
and decide very soberly. We do not
offer this suggestion in any spirit of
threat. We are loyal republicans.
But we beg the republicans of the
nation to hear our plea without pro-
judice and to decide without favor.
In our judgment neither the republic
an party nor the democratic party
as an organized body has a majority
Of the votes of New York. The figures
of recent elections seem to prove this.
The balance Of power in New York is
with the Independent voters, the I'M
dJLdCDGQ voters dUQ LuG ulSSdLlSllSu
voters of both national parties. That
candidate for the presidency will prob
ably get the electoral vote of New
York who can most certainly
secure the largest part Of
Of this great body of voters who no
longer wear the uniform and follow
the flag of either great party. We be-
lieve that Governor Hughes can and
will get this vote. If You can carry
the nation without New York, if you
can carry New York without these
votes, then it may be safe to make
the attempt and disregard our appeal
But if you believe with us that New
York must go republican to assure
that the nation shall continue repub-
licaB. in administration and in policies,
then we beg you to unite with us in our
earnest effort to ominate Governor
Hughes for the presidency"