Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-10-14
GILBERT FIRES
A BROADSIDE
MAKES HIS FIRST SPEECH OF
REPUBLICAN STATE
CAMPAIGN.
DECLARES THERE is NO THOUGHT
OF TAKING A BACK
WARD STEP.

presented Inc republican position on
the various issues now being contest
ed before the people and logically
brought up with the conclus. on that
vote for the republican state and
national tickets is vote in favor of
continued national prosperity. con.
tinuation of the vigorous and Just adj
ministration of President Roosevelt,
and also for the maintenance of ev-
cry bit of the ground gained in the
hard fight that has been made for re.
form in Wisconsin. He spoke in
part as follows;
No Backward Step.
For political purposes sad Mr.
Gilbert, cit pleases the democratic pa.
pers to attempt to lead the voters of
Wisconsin to believe that reform and
progressive legislation received a set
back at the hands of the majority in
the recent platform convention and
that the men who voted for the ma
jority report are stand-patters on the
tariff and reform backsliders. Moth
ing can be more unjust and untrue.
On the roll call for the adoption of
the platform as a whole every mem
Der of that convention voted aye and
made no statement of any mental
reservation.
Most of the men voting for the ma
jority report were pioneers in the re-
form movement in this state and were
fighting for the same when some pa
pers and men now misrepresenting
them and clamoring for their defeat
were silent or opposing the move
ment and pointing the finger of scorn
at reformers and their leader. No
man can truthfully say that | have
ever faltered in the cause of reform.
Progressive policies received no set
back but on the contrary were heart
lily endorsed and advanced steps
taken.
"The Wisconsin idea, as originally
promulgated, is found intact in the
state platform. I may be mistaken,
but do not understand that the so
called Wisconsin idea was based on
the proposition that men working for
progressive legislation were bound to
agree absolutely on every minor de-
tail of ancillary law and upon every
cog in the party machinery.
Physical valuation of railway pro
perties, the proper control of corpor-
atoms, publicity of campaign contri-
buttons and the election of United
States senators by popular vote, the
sum and substance of the Wisconsin
idea, are approved and demanded and
jects are pointed to with pride and
the efforts of our senators and repre-
sentatives in congress to secure such
national legislation are warmly com
mended
Every pledge of the party of 1906
has been enacted into law, and every
piece of progressive legislation passed
is heartily endorsed by title and a
faithful enforcement pledged and fur
Their specific progressive legislation
promised. OF what does the crime
charged to the platform convention
consist?
But two minority planks were con
tended for on the floor of the conven
ton, namely, the second choice in
primary election, popularly known as
the Mary Ann bill, and plank on the
tariff
'As to the second choice plank men
may be permitted to honestly differ
and it is certainly no part of the Wis
consin idea. When the primary law
was prepared its real author discard
ed this feature though found in the
law from which he framed it, Two
overwhelmingly reform legislatures
have refused to pass it, It never has
been dignified as being considered
part of the reforms contended for in
tins state. 1t is a mere matter of de-
tail and involves no fundamental
principle. The majority felt that it
would unnecessarily further compli
cate the law in voting and canvass
ing; that if we can safely elect men
to Office by a plurality vote it is no
crying evil to nominate them by a
plurality vote; that man sufficiently
able, suitable and popular to receive
4 plurality of first choice votes will
naturally receive a plurality of sec
ond choice votes unless a conbina
tioa is formed against him which is
enc OF the things the present aw
aims to prevent. If this be not con-
ceded then it must inevitably follow
that the weakest man win generally
be nominated.
Not Against Revision.
Some of our democratic brethren