Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-07-13
Opening Campaign Speech of
Vim. Mitchell Lewis.
BEHAVIOR Of THE BREWERS
Captain Lewis Likens Them to a Bully
Spelling for = Fieht-PeopIe
Have ri hi to Decide the
Saloon Question.
az ). EMORY srREEr.

IL Was NY rare EDDu lDftuLS 10 nave
had the opportunity to hear Capt VIM
Mitchell Lewis of Racine make his
opening speech in his cappaign for
the Republican nomination for govern
or, at the Plankinton House on the
evening of June 30.
AS one who has devoted some study
to the question OF county option ! had
looked forward with great interest &c
the captains discussion Of the issue.
From time to time my attention had
been called TO the campaign literature
which Capt Lewis was issuing. and
my curiosity had been aroused.
wanted to know how thoroughly this
county option capdidate for governor
had gone into, the study Of this sub
ject
Ny curiosity was entirely satisfied,
for ] consider the captains exposition
of county option to be the clearest
and ablest argument on this subject
that / have read up TO this time.
The captain defines county option
as chance 10 vote He says IL means
majority rules. lie says 1t is a method
OF regulation. method Of handling the
license question.
He showed clearly that the county
IS the tax unit and that the expense
which the saloon saddles upon the
courts, the tails. the poorhouses and
the asylums, must be borne by the
county, and paid by q county tax. He
showed how the county was the unit
OF law enforcement and how expert
ence with county option had proven the
county to be the political unit best
adapted to a satisfactory enforcement
Of TIE law. He showed how the divi-
sion OF authority between city and
county officers often resulted in lax ad.
ministration because each set of Off
cials was responsible to the people OF
different political units. From this he
argued that all the people Of a county
have a right to voice in the final de-
cision as 10 whether saloons shall be
licensed IN that county
But the part OF the captains speech
which interested me most was the
manner In which he set forth the facts
concerning the behavior Of the brew.
ers' association In politics and the
brewers lobby in Madison. Capt.
Lewis made clear Just how and to
what extent the brewers are dominaty
ing the government and political ma.
- al "a
comparison he fevitwei briefly the
history Of the fight against the rail.
roads led by A II Hall and Robert NJ.
LaFollette lie described the dominat-
Ing influence OF the railroads in all the
departments OF the state government,
their control of the legislature, their
control of parties and party leaders.
After describing the character OF
the fight which the brewers are today
making 10 control the legislature, the
captain said
THE brewers OF Wisconsin have be-
hayed like a bully spelling Tor fight
II was not to he expected that tbs
people Of Wisconsin would let any
large interest control the legislature
without u protest hut for the brew
ers TO 80 mp and down the state under
first one cloak and then another. brow.
beating candidates for county offices.
intimidating candidates for The legis
lature. frightening candidates f0r state
Offices. threatening members of con
gress. interfering in the election of
United States senators. trying to I'M.
horse the chairman OF the Republican
state central committee and bullying
both great political parties becomes y
challenge TO the manhood OF every cit
i2en, whether he be a Republican
Democrat or Sooialist--a challenges
to your manhood They now demand
the legislature YES. and even fur,
Their They now demand the govern
orship
That Is the reason why county cp-
ton is political issue. and that is
why county option carries with il tae
larger issue of putting down the DON.
nation OF the brewers in politics.
IF Wisconsin has learned It's lessen
u the people are siill the same mil.
laHt lpfNe Eney were Wnen the ff1E
roads were driven out Of politics. then
there will be no question ms to the
outcome OF this campaign The issue
Is squarely drawn ard clearly seen
On the question as 10 who shall run
the politics of Wisconsin. the brewers
or the people. there can be no ques
ton as 10 where the people stand.
This is the crux OF the situation.
Captain Lewis has discussed this Sub
ject from the broad basis Of an Amer
ican citizen who believes in the priu-
ciple Of majority rules and who feels
his obligation as a eitizen to lead the
fight against the domination OF Wis
consin politics by the brewers be
heve the captains speech is one which
win appeal to the people Of Wisconsin
and I think that this militant address
has made OF Capt. Lewis the logical
candidate for friends OF county option
TO surpor'
ITO HK coSrIxvVn