The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-05

InCnI.
Mr.. La Toilette speaks also OF the
Granger movement in Wisconsin as ono
which inspired his efforts, and from
which he derived immense advantage.
And in n reference 10 this movement
he says that it "went so far as TO
cause a political revolution and cleo
tion in 1874 of Democratic Cover
nor. - Now, we do not believe that
Senator La Toilette wishes to do any
thing else in his autobiography than TO
state the exact facts; but in this he is
altogether wrong. The movement which
elected William n. Taylor over the
then Governor, the Hon. C. G. Wash
burn (in 1873, not 1874, as La Toilette
says) was not n result of the Granger
movement, but of the liquor movement.
The previous Legislature had passed an
anti-treatiug law known as the Graham
law. at the instigation of Col. Graham,
who Is well known in Utah rs having
had control Of the Homansviile smelter
and mine cast of Eureka in Tintic.
Governor Washburn was at outs with
the ring; he denounced the interference
of Federal office holders in the State
conventions. and was as near a fore.
runner Of La Toilette himself as one
man could we'll bc of another man. II
was Washburn who fought the ring.
who exposed and opposed the Federal
manipulation OF politics in the state,
and who despiSed bossism in politics ms
much as any man could do. lie won
on his own merits, and was elected
Governor of Wisconsin in 1871. in spite
Of the utmost efforts of the ring TO
defeat him. The man whom Senator
La Toilette refers TO as 1.-The Boss
was especially distrustful of. and an
tagonistic to. Governor Washburn. And
vet so thoroughly had Washburn broken
up the ring in its opposition to him,
that in 1913, when the question came
up Of his successor, there was not only
no opposition to him in the Republican
ranks. but the Democrats themselves
were willing TO lie down aud let him be
reelected without opposition, But, two
posed an old swindling claim against
the State, and had denounced it in
scathing terms, he had thwarted the
efforts of swarms of lobbyists, and had
vetoed the bill passed TO pay il.
The chief Of those who smarted under
that castigation was a Democrat, and
he was able TO rally Democratic sup
port in his opposition to Washhurn,
those Democrats not necessarily sup
porting his swindling claim, but acting
against Washburn because they were
partisanS and wanted to see Democrat
elected. This faction, however, was
very small, though bitter, and it would
not have been able 10 effect much if
it had not been for another thing. Gov
ernor Washhurn had signed the anti
treating bill referred to above and the
busy nucleus referred 10, which the
would-be CRATER had been able 10 rally
around him. succeeded in arousing the
liquor interests and the German oppo.
sition in the State against the Gov
ernor on account of his act in signing
that anti-treatine measure. But even
so, Governor Washburn was so popular
that no one thought that he could be
defeated, especially as the man nomi
mated against him, William II. Taylor,
had been exposed and denounced as
Copperhead during the war, as mem.
Der OF A traitorous Copperhead society
in Wisconsin, pledged to and effective
in opposition TO the war and in aid Of
the Southern Confederacy. But the
prejudice aroused on the liquor ques
tion pat all liquor interests in active
opposition TO Wasbburn. and the ring
saw in this a chance TO get back at
Washburn, and while not opposing him
the polls most scandalously, and Taylor
was elected The German localities in
the State were almost solidly against
Governor Washburn, although liking
him personally. and although he was
entitled in party sense 10 their sup
port. It was combination Of graft, |
Of liquor interests, and Of rovcngeful
bossism in his own party that defeated
Washburn, and not at all the Granger
On the contrary. it was
expressly in the Granger counties and |
election districts that Washbum held |
his own, and it was in the city of Mil. |
waukee where the liquor interests
have always been so prominent and so
marked, that Washburn S defeat was
assured. Ordinarily he would have car