Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-02-11
Speech Made BY Geo. P. Hambrecht
Before He Voted For Stephenson
Jan. 20, Copied From The
Assembly journal


Assembly Journal
Mr.. HAMBRECHT: 'Mr. President,
in view of the resolution now pending
for investigation [ wish to explain my
position in voting as | do. Ifeel that
this resolution should be given con-
Sideration. 1t was passed in good
faith by this house and is now pend
ing in the Senate. | also feel COM
PEELED to vote for the Candidate who
received the plurality vote at the re-
cent primary election, in accordance
with the spirit and letter of the pri-
mary election law, which law feel to
be binding on every member here. In
politics, as in society, we should refuse
to tolerate triflers. If you give me to
understand, by your promises, that
you will perform some act for me if |
do certain things, and L do such
things in accordance with, and be-
cause of such promises, then | have a
right to expect the results of my acts
to be honOred and ratified by you, and
if you then repudiate your promises
to me and tell me that you were only
fooling, after | had acted in good
faith, upon your representations, So
ciety brands you as trifer, and your
actions are only open to contempt.
The Legislature of the State of Wis
consin has no right to pass law re,
quiring candidates for the United
States Senate to go before the people
to seek nomination, encourage these
candidates to spend money all the way
from thirteen thousand on upwards
perhaps to a hundred thousand dollars,
in good faith, telling them, in plain
language, that the one who receives
the greatest number of votes cast at
the primary election will be chosen by
the next legislature United States
Senator, as matter of course, hold
ing out a surrender of their preroga-
tive to the people in this matter, and
then after such ELECTION to tell the
successful candidate that they were
only fooling, and did not mean it any
of the time, and that the. successful
candidate, nominated by the people at
large must still reckon with the whims
of the legislature just as if there had
been no primary election at all. ]
look upon this as nothing less then
repudiatian of law by our highest law
making body. l say that if you re,
pudiate this law you are trifiing with
the men who entered this recent pri
mary contest in good faith. l will
cast my vote. at this time for Isaac
Stephenson for the reason that he is
the Republican nominee for The iotfice
of United States Senator, as expressed
by the people at our last Primary
Election, and for the further reason
that 1 believe he was legally elected
! by this legislature on separate ballot
on Tuesday last | will vote for an
investigation, properly brought before
US for consideration, with the belief
that if the charges preferred will be
sustained in any particular, then the
findings in support of these charges
will be sent to the United State Sen
ate for action, and | believe that that
body is the proper tribunal to finally
pass on the qualifications of its mem
bers, and as precedent / would cite
the famous Clarke Senatorial contest
of Montana. ! feel that this is the
only course open to me at this time
conformable to law"
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