Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-07-21
PROGRESSIVE
MOVEMENT
The Real Issue---LaLollette and
McGovern sust be Supported
As One.

/ NEW L1SBON, WIS.,, July IL
Branding the introduction of the
County Option issue into the pres
| ent campaign for governor as an at
| tempt to defeat the Progressive move
ment in Wisconsin, the Rev Daniel
| Woodward, Omro, Wis.,, spoke be
fore a large number of Republicans
here tonight in favor ofthe candi-
dacy Of Francis E. McGoyern. DR..
! Woodward, who is a Methodist Epis-
copal clergyman, while himself in
favor of option legislation, argued
that the real issue in this campaign
IS the Progre essivernovement
1T is exceedingly unfortunate for
both the Progressive movement and
the true cause OF Temperance that the
County Option question has been fore
ed into this campaign said Dr.
situation that obtains in Wisconsin,
especially in the northern part of the
state, you must see that if we had
but one County Option candidate in
the field he could not win at this time
With three of them out it is clear
that not one has a ghost of a show.
Then if you are honest you will adj
init that the race is worsethan a
W eekotS Ol UOll UAlifC dlHl SlH6ISy.
The County Option movement spli
the true Progressive vote, and thus
renders more possible the nomination
and election of an Anti-Progressive
The more you urge the County Option
issue the more do you please the
'stand-patters" who smile as you
thereby weakenthe cause of La Fol.
lette.
o1,a
command | am persuaded that Coun-
ty Option was thrust into this cam
paign to down La Toilette and the
Progressive movement, in Wisconsin.
The enemies of the Senator do not
expect to defeat La Toilette at the
primaries but they do hope to elect
either a Stalwart or Democratic leg
dslature and governor who will down
the Progressive principles for which
some of us have fought for dur
Ing the past ten years. To accom-
plish their end they must split the
Progressive vote or La Toilette would
be reelected by an overwhelming vote
by an almost solid Progressive legis-
lature- For this reason the enemies
of progression in the state are urg
ing the County Option question, shield
but deluded county Option candidates
who have allowed their attention to
be diverted from the real issue. You
must see that the Progressive cause
lis ON trial for it's very life in Wis
conSln, and we are to render the de-
cision at the primaries, September 6.
''Do you want to be represented by
men like La Toilette who will flight
squarely in the interests of the vo-
ters? Or do you want mere figure
heads who are pawns for the Monied
Powers of this land? No temperance
question can be settled in this cam
paign, but the cause of truly Progress
sive government is upon us for iIf
mediate solution.
81 stand strongly in favor of the
candidacy of Francis E. McGovern,
who has always been found fighting
with Mr.. La Toilette for the Progress
sive movement. You may disagree
because he lis opposed to County OPP
ton. But l see, as does he, that
County Option was injected into this
campaign to defeat our Progressive
forces and with no real expectation
to win.
Il favor Mr.. McGovern because he
comes before us upon his merits He
is not a wealthy man like Mr.. Lewis,I
who has untold money to invest in
the campaign. McGovern does not
attempt to buy his way to the govern
or's chair but stands on his record.
II am supporting Mr.. McGovern be-
cause he has from the very first
showed his hand and declared HIM
self with the Progressives. To my
mind Mr.. Lewis should explain to
the voters, since he claims to be
a Progressive, whyhe has never talk
en- any part in the contest, not even
to cast a vote since 1902. Mr.. Nc
Govern is my choice over Mr.. Lewis
who without experience in the affairs
OF state, suddenly breaks into TIE
political arena and asks us through
his salaried workers to intrust to
him the high office of governor of
this Progressive state"
D. H. WITTE.