Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-04-20
As to Investigations.

The greater part of the present SEE
sion of the legislature of this state has
been spent in an investigation of the
ways and means employed in the cleo
ton of Senator Isaac Stephenson, of
Marinette, to a seat in the United States
senate. The committee appointed BY
the legislature was empowered to call
for books, accounts and election ex-
penditures generally and to summon
before it men who had the manage
ment of campaigns locally and gener-
ally, to administer oaths and take evil
dence IN the premises, in order that the
serious charges made against Senator
Stephenson as to the means employed
by him in his campaign, were true or
false. This investigation has disclosed
the fact that Senator Stephenson spent
over 800, 900 to secure his seat in the
senate of the United States and the
consensus of opinion is, therefore, that
it was not an election but a purchase.
Senator Blaine, during the investiga-
ton charged that the expenditures
reached the sum of S25O,0O
1t is clear to the public mind that a
fabulous sum of money was expended
by Senator Stephenson il the primary
campaign and the investigation of the
legislative committee has plainly dem
onstrated that vast campaign fund
was provided for the purpose of
bribing and corrupting the electorate.
This is not yet a thing of the past; when
the time set for closing the work of the
joint committee, a committee from the
senate took up the work and from the
way it has started out it looks as if it
might do something that will make the
purchasing of any Office in, the gift OF
the people an offense punishable by
Imprisonment.
Scarcely day passes that some
revelation of scandalous character is
not heralded by the press of the state
involving or duplicating some public
man in the illegal as well as immoral
use of money in the recent senatorial
contest. Scarcely day passes that
some public man, some official in the
pay of the state is not convicted of
bribery and corruption.
Even the governor is on record as
having had $1,000 given him, all of which
was collected from the state game war
dens OF course the governor has tried
to crawl out of it, by saying when it was
handed to him he did not know what it
was, and he subsequently placed it in
the bank where it still remains subject
to those who contributed TO the fund.
Does any one believe such pipe dream?
Does any one believe that Gov. Davidson
will ever be able to figure in politics to
any extent in the future, with this be-
smirching his political career? No, land
it will be the same with all who buy up
their elections, and this examination
will start new era of things; it will
not only be precedence for the
appointment of other committees to
look into the expenditures of money in
the attempt to purchase political offices,
whether of the state or county.
In counties where money is lavishly
used and given to ward heelers and
others are provided with money to make
their rounds in saloons, hotels and
other public places for the purpose of
influencing and bribing voters, will be
found wholesome precedence in the
probe now being carried on at Madison.
Why cannot district attorney of any
county in the state, if it is apparent
that voters have been corrupted, enter
upon an investigation and at least in
form the public as TO the total amount
of the expenditures of candidates, thsir
friends and managers. and establish as
a matter of record, whether bribery,
corruption or other undue influences
were elements in an election. Let the
good work go on.