Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-07-27
Uncle Ike a Dead One

Col. John Hicks has come out il. an
interview OF some length, in which he
numerically f1ays the republican
party, and says that Ike Stephenson's
political days are ended. Col. Hicks
is one OF the best known republicans
OF Wisconsin: is owner of the only
paper in OShkosh-the Oshkosh
northwestern, and was minister, to
Chill during Theodore Rooseyelt's adj
miIistration. In his interview he
t2kes up the fight of the factions i'm
MS party for the past ten years, show
ing how LaFollette marshalled his
forces and polished up the stalwarts,
leaving that wing, after being de-
serted by ex-senator John c.. Spooner.
without leader. Mr.. Hicks saws of
Spooner: "He never attended but
one state convention after his first
election to the U. S. senate, and he
prided himself on keeping aloof from
the people. He never was present at
a state or county fair, never frequent
ed public gatherings in the state and
showed not the slightest sympathy
with the common people or their
wishes on any subject. When the
election of 1904 riveted Senator La
Follettes hold on the state and finally
sent him to Washington as Spooner's
colleague, the senator gave up and re-
signed from the senate in disgust and
went to New York.
Mr.. Hicks tells how the StalwartS
took up and supported such men as
Gov. Davidson, Senator Stephenson,
w. ID. Conner, all erstwhile ardent
supporters of Senator LaEollette, but
who couldn't get what they wanted
through him so sought stalwart sup
port. ''If Mr.. LaFollette was a mis-
chievous socialist agitator," says Mr..
Hicks, 'if LaFollette's principles
were dangerous and menace to the
prosperity of the state as the stalwart
statesmen argued, naturally viewing
it from a distance, / expected to see
some consistent opposition to LaFOl-
lette and his views. But in the
tWinkling of an eye the stalwarts
picked up Stephenson, Connor and
others, and rallied round them like a
swarm OF bees on summer day, and
they were suddenly elevated into
idols for the worshipNof the stalwart
crowd. Was there no principle in
volved p
Mr.. Hicks thinks that LaFollette's
success last year in securing all of the
electors excepting one, with all the
power and money possible against
him, was better endorsement than
was ever before received by Wiscon-
sin man.
''There is another episode of the
past four years that | hesitate to dis
cuss,'' said Mr. Hicks ''There was a
primary election in September of last
year, and the Republican party selected
its candidate for United States senator
| am told that never in the history of
American politics was there a more
shameless debauchery of the voters.
1T is said that money was distributed
right and left and men boasted of the
reward they got for voting. The late
G. w. Felker was in the habit of
abiding to Waushara county as a
region, which was 'manured with
two-dollar bills just before election,
but the whole state seems TO have
been Smeared with the tar of political
corruption. | am told that Mr..
Stephenson spent SO much money
that he did not dare to make state
ment of his expenses, which were said
to be over 100000 and that Mr..
Hatton, Brother Cook and Mr.. Nc
Govern each spent sum ranging
downward from $l25, 900 TO SIS, 900, and
the only reason these three worthy
gentlemen did not spend more money
to corrupt the voters was because
they did not have it.
1--WE have heard of rottenneSS in
Colorado and Montana where wealthy
miners buy seat in the senate as a
broker buys seat in the stock eX-
change, but | confess to feeling of
shame when | hear these things
about my own state"
Coming down to the present politi-
cal situation, Mr.. Hicks said:
son the one hand in this year of
our Lord 1909, we have as nucleus
the three distinguished LaFollette
men who for commercial purposes
have formed treaty offensive and de-
fensiye with what was left of the old
'Stalwart' organization, and backing
them, is an uncertain element which
seems to lack any code of principle
and whose only shibboleth is opposi-
tion to LaFOllette. These men seem
to be prepared to give any prize or
premium to LaEollette man if he
will only turn against his chief.
Compare the sins with which Mr..
LaEollette has been charged with
Ufle ScanualOuS proceedings OF ldSU
year and no one can hesitate to choose
between the two.
81 say that when we have man
who has the ability and the courage
to fight this fight in the senate at
Washington, we should strengthen
his hands and help him whenever he
is in the right. He is too radical
and revolutionary l am told. l be-
lieve SO myself, but it is choice of
evils. On question of the interests
of the people, which of our senators
would you rather trust? No audible
answer is necessary. 1t was a favor
lite saying of Schuyler Colfax that if
man was right he could not be too
radical. The principal thing is to be
right and the question of methods
will take care of ITSELF"