Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-07-08

Ca@--SfOre In the history or pOl1tlcS.
At composite convention made up OF
the Republican and lesser parties of
after that of the Democrats, faction
lines were cast aside and Give Stan
dish nominated by reclamation. An
sci had presided and scores of bolt
ing Democrats were in attendance.
Then, in Granite and through the
State, Give began what is still re-
called as his "whirlwind campaign"
Often ten speeches a day were deliv-
cred as he hurried from point to point.
The reports of his meetings were
sOWn broadcast, as was other legltl-
mate campaign literature. Because
of the daring and extraordinary course
he had taken, as we'll as for the sane,
practical reforms he advocated, he
was everywhere listened to with grow
ing interest.
The Mountain State was at last
awake-awake and hearkening eagerly
TO the voice of the man who had
reused it from it's Rip Van Wrinkle
slumbers,
Mortified, wholly aghast, the Con-
over lieutenants had heard their mas
ter's decree that the press gag was to
be removed, and other customary tae-
tics of the sort abandoned. None
dared to protest. And after the first
shock, the majority. in their sublime
faith, read in the mandate some mys-
terious new maneuvre of the Rail-
readers which time would triumphant-
ly justify.
His fingers ever on the pulse Of
the State, Caleb noted with annoy
ance, then with something akin to
dread, the swelling onrush Of Gives
popularity. To offset it the Rail-
roader threw himself bodily into the
fight, personally directing and execut-
ing where OF old he had only trans
mitted orders; toiling like any ward
politician; devising each day new and
brilliant tactics for use against the
enemy. He stuck to the letter OF his
pledge to Anice. It's spirit he had
never regarded.
Little as he spared himself Caleb
spared his henchmen still less. With
deadly literalness he saw to the car
rying out of his earlier order that
everyone, from Congressman to boot
black, must put his shoulder to the
wheel, The ward heelers, the priv
ileged lieutenants, the rural agents
and the high officials in the Machine,
alike, We're driven as never before.
No stone was left unturned, no chance
ignored Nor was this all. Forth
went the call to all the hundreds, rich
and poor, whom Conover at various
times had privately aided.
The capitalist whose doubtful bill
he had showed through the Assembly;
the coal-heaver whose wife's funeral
expenses he had paid; the Italian
peddler whose family he had saved
from eviction; the countless poor
whom his secretly-donated coal,
clothes and food had tided over hard
winters; the struggling farmer whose
mortgage he had paid; the bartender
he had saved from murderer's fate;
all these benefciaries and more were
commanded, in this hour of stress, to
remember the B0ss's generosity, and
to pay the debt by working for his
election.
Checks of vast proportions drawn
ostensibly for railroad expenses were
cashed by Shevlin, Bourke and the
rest, and the proceeds hurled into
every crevice or vulnerable spot in the
voting phalanx. The pick of the At
lantic seaboard's orators were sum-
moned at their own price, and COM
missioned to sway the people to the
Machine cause.
On waged the fight DISTINGUISHED
outsiders beyond the scope of the Ma
chimes attractions were daily drawn,
by hundreds, into the Standish camp.
In the country districts his strength
grew steadily and rapidly, The peo-
pie at large were aroused, not to the
usual pitch of illogical hysteria Incl
dent on a movement of this sort, but
to calm, resolute jealousy of their
own public rights. Which latter state
every politician knows to be immeas-
urably the more dangerous of the two.
Conover's efforts, on the other hand,
were already bearing fruit. His tire
less energy, backed by his genius and
| the perfection of his system, were
hourly enlarging his following. The
railroad wards" and slums of Gran
| lite and of other towns were with him
to a man, prepared on Election Day
| to hurl mighty cohorts OF the I'm
washed to the polls in their idols be-
half. Loyalty, self-interest party al
! legiance, and more material forms Of
| pressures were binding throngs of
others besides these underworld deni-
gems to the Conoyer standard Not
even the shrewdest non-partisan
dared forecast the result of the con-
test.
It was on the eve Of election. The
campaign work was done. One way
or another, the story was now told.
The last instructions for the next
/ days duties had been given. Conover,
returning home from his headquarters.
felt as though the weight OF weeks
had rolled off his shoulders. Now