The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-07-07
FIRM FOR COUNTY OPTION
Also Declares That He is in Favor of
the Reelection of Robert M. La Fol
lette to the United States Senator
ship.

Wisconsin, the home of big breweries,
is to BE the scene of a state wide cam
paign for the adoption of county OPP
ton law and saloon regulation. Capt
William Mitchell Lewis of Racine,
wealthy manufacturer, made this clear
| in speech at Milwaukee in which he
opened his campaign for governor by
charging that the breweries are domin-
ating the politics of the state, con
trolling legislation, and interfering in
the election Of public officials, from
members Of the legislature to United
States senator.
Incidentally Capt. Lewis has effect
ually stopped the reports Of a rupture
with the La Toilette men by boldly de
claring for the reelection of Senator
La Toilette. Friends Of the senator
say this shows there is no serious de-
lection among his followers and that
now the sole opposition to La Toilette
in Wisconsin is confined to small
coterie of politicians who follow the
leadership of w D. Conner of Marsh
field, former lieutenant governor and
Republican state chairman.
Capt. Lewis charges that the brew
ers have exacted written pledges of
candidates for the legislaturej that
they attempted to defeat the nomina-
ton of Congressman /. L. Lenroot Of
the Eleventh district two years ago,
and that they did interfere in the cleo
tion Of a United States senator in that
campaign
He likened the domination of the
brewers to the domination exercised by
the railroads until they were driven
out of politics by La Toilette.
He contonded that, like the railroad
political bureaus of dozen years ago,
the brewers affiliated with Republicans
Of either faction, with Democrats, and
with Social Democrats, regardless of
everything excepting their chances to
win and their probable actions in office.
If rival candidates both sign the
pledges, he alleged, then the liquor in
terests choose the man most subservient
to their will and aid in his election
Then, alleges Capt. Lewis, if they can
not have a majority of the members
of the legislature, they can use log
rolling tactics, trade votes, and win
anyway
Beermakers Defeated Home Rule?
Capt. Lewis accused the brewers of
defeating the Milwaukee home rule
bills in the last legislature, and charged
an alliance with the faction which de-
feated the binding Irvine plant pro
ject.
Capt. Lewis ridiculed the brewers,
who have asserted that county option is
prohibition, and quoted the platform
Of the Prohibition party to prove it.
He said country option was nothing but
majority rule, given in the hands of
the people affected by the question at
issue. Whether a county should be
wet or dry should be determined by the
people in that county, he said, because
the county is the tax unit, and all the
people of the county pay the expense
resulting from saloon evils, while only
the city people get the benefit Of lie
ense fees.
This, he said, was unfair to the rural
residents who come within the sphere
of influence of the saloon. AS mat
ter of legislation and preservation Of
individual rights, he argued, county
option was a matter to be decided BY
the legislature AS a matter of eco
Monies, the problem of "wet0 or
dry" should be settled by the peo-
pie of the several counties.
Praises Theodore Roosevelt.
In concluding his speech Capt. Lewis
won great applause with the following
tribute to Theodore Roosevelt:
There is one citizen of this country
one great American citizen of whom
| must speak on this occasion; man
whose versatility in manly traits, in
accomplishments, in bravery Of speech
and personal courage is an example for
every youth of the landau American
citizen known in the uttermost corners
Of the earth for his wisdom and learn
ing and honesty and honor-a man Of
men-a worIdman-a man respected bv
the peoples Of every country under the
sun-Col. Theodore Roosevelt. I am
for The party Of RoosaxeltIl1