The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-10-04
GOVERNOR FAVORS
The PROGREoS|VES
lACGovern Gives Out Statement
Making Known His Stand.
SCORES TAFT AND WILSON
Declares That Neither of Them Are
Capable of Demanding Support of
the Progress,ves-Says He VIII
Vote for Roosevelt.

Madison.-A statement issued by
Gov. Francis +. McGovern, in which
he announces his support Of Col.~
Roosevelt for president is in part as
follows:
As the head Of the Republican
state ticket / feel that the people Of
Wisconsin are entitled to a plain
statement concerning my attitude on
national issues. The split in the Re-
publican party which resulted in plac-
ing two national tickets in the field
can no longer be ignored.
The paramount duty of the people
Of Wisconsin is to promote their own
welfare The first business of those
who believe in the high civic ideals
their state has espoused and exempli-
fed in recent years is to conserve and
still further advance what has been
50 we'll begun. The Progressive move
ment must not be checked or defeat
ed here at home. Not in form mere
ly but in substance and spirit it must
90 on. This is common ground upon
which all good citizens should stand,
whatever difference may tend to di-
vide them upon other matters. But
1t is no reason why they or those who
represent them III public station
should now dodge vital national is
sues. 1t is from this viewpoint that
| shall approach the consideration of
the national problem, fully according
to others the same freedom of choice
| claim for myself.
To begin with | cannot advocate
the reelection Of Taft and Sherman.
As a progressive Republican l find
myself Numerically opposed to al
most everything this ticket repre-
sents. President Taft's administra-
ton has accomplished some good
things; but in the main it's history is
record of political incompetence
and retrOgression. The composition
of President Taft's cabinet as origin
ally made up, his political warfare
upon progressive members of Con-
gress, in which patronage was admit
tedly used as club or a bride, the
Ballinger episode, the Charles R.
Crane fiasco, the passage of the
Payne-Aldrich tariff law, the Winona
speech endorsing this betrayal of par
ty pledges, his dismissal of Clifford
Pinchot from the public service, his
interference in the politics of Wiscon-
sin two years ago through the So
called telephone convention" engi-
neered by e. l.. Philip and w. D.
Conner, his vetoes of the wool, cot
ton, and steel tariff bills, his advo-
cacy Of the Aldrich currency scheme,
his political alliance with Senator Al
drich, Joe Cannon Boss Barnes, and
Senators Penrose, Murray Crane,
SmOot and Guggenheim and finally
his acceptance of a denomination in
the very teeth of a nationwide pro
test, make up record for laundering
subservience to selfish special inter
ests, reactionary personal inclination
and reckless defiance of the popular
will unexampled in the history of the
presidential office. AS a Republican
| cannot support President Taft be-
cause within the brief period of a sin
gle term he has wrecked a great and
historic political party. AS a Pro-
gressive ] cannot support him be-
cause he is utterly reactionary and
grows more so every day. Let any
one who doubts this compare his
speech of acceptance four years ago
with the one he recently made at
Washington. If Senator AldriCh or
Joe Cannon ever delivered a more
escaped
attention. He profoundly distrusts
the people and is utterly untitled to
lead them.
But multiplication of reasons is
unnecessary. The one objection that
he was not honestly renominated and
is not now rightly the head of the
Republican ticket IS enough. His re-
nomination was stolen | was in the
idle to split hairs about minor
wrongs, to bother about the debauch-
ing of common councils, to resent the
purchase of a senatorship or to waste
time talking about the right of the
people to rule if this nomination is
TO stand. The proceedings of the
nominal majority of the Republican
convention are challenge to the
moral sense and self-respect of every
member of the party. Not alone was
there dishonesty in the seating of
delegates; there was fragrant and
outrageous disregard of public opin-
ion and brazen defiance of the re-
corded will of the people that cannot
oe permitted to go unrebuked if rep
resentatiye institutions are to endure.
Nor can l support the Democratic
ticket. In Woodrow Wilson there is
much to admire. He is a clean,
wholesome, gifted and patriotic
American. But he is a free-trade
Democrat who believes in an anti
'quated theory of states rights and
relies for his election upon the sup
port OF boss-ridden political ma
chimes. AS a Democrat he is an adj
vocate of doctrines which if nut in
effect would enfeeble the government
at time when strong and efficient
administration is imperativelv re-
quiTed.
can see no prospect of ADVANTAGE
to the Progressive cause in the nos
sible victory of Wilson over Taft
Should it occur it will be a moral
victory only In such event the peo-
pie will have the satisfaction of hay-
ing rebuked President Taft for his
reactionary policies, his defiance of
public opinion, and his alliance with
corrupt bosses; but this will be all
The good they viii ever get out OF it.
There remains the new Progressive
party. Whether We judge it by its
platform, its ticket or the compost
lion of the convention that gave it
birth we are forced to the conclusion
that above everything else it is genU-