Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-10-23

Vas GCIE y IN 1t 1t LlldL llL1G- ne OC-
gan to worry about the approaching
election. What to him was the pass
ing of the bill at that timei COMPARED
to the control OF the city for the next
TWO years? If he let it sleep NOW
and the election went his way then it
could be passed soon after. b the
time another election rolled around.
Belmont would have forgotten.
So it came about that the Kerr ad-
herents tried to forget the franchise
When the bill disappeared they we're
loud in their denunciation of the OPP
position thieves who had stolen it.
With this outburst they were willing
to subside and forget the matter, but
this the News would not permit.
Wright kept it to the front and they
we're forced to accept it as an issue.
The continuous attitude of apology
uecessitated by this was weakening
them every day. The independent
wave which had been sweeping over
the country had been late in striking
belmont there having been 10 news
paper 10 marshal the forces. but now
it was Increasing to the volume Of q
Tidal wave which Kerr would have
hard work pouring oil upon.
The editor OF the News recognized
hat it was only a Pyrrhic victory he
had won by securing the shelving of
the franchise for the present. He was
not blind 10 the fact that the fran
chise would bob up serenely after cleo
ton Now that he had aroused the
town and had committed himself TO a
fight against the ring, ne determined
to carry it on. It had not been his
purpose, before the franchise bill had
heat into the coming election cam
paigR. but he saw that the impetus
given the opponents OF the machine
would carry them well on toward vic
tory at the polls. Carrying the cleo
ton would DE = great advertisement
for the paper Il 1t lost, the News
| could not be any worse Off than it was
now.
Kerr forgot none of the precautions
he had taken in being prepared TO EN-
! harraas Wright in his work if the oc-
casiOn should arise. The merchants
who. through Kerr's influence, had pat
| ronized the News, suddenly withdrew
their advertising Many who had been
| in before the paper had changed hands
now ceased to use its columns. If a
store was using the News and furnish
ing supplies 10 the workhouse OF the
! jail, IL faced the alternative of losing
| = fat account or combining its adver-
| Using TO the Banner. The proprietor,
| being part of the machine, else moth
! ing would ever have been purchased
! from him for the city's use. promptly
/ save up the News. 1t was the same
/ with meat markets. Other lines OF
! business we're approached in ether
| ways, but the result was always the
| samoa loss of advertising revenue
! to the News. Even the railroads we're
| derelfct in delivering his white paper
ana Wright spent many an anxious
| hour tracing cars from the mill to
md them lost in the Belmont yards.
! One valuable source of information
was developed by the News in a for
mer machine hanger-on named Jack
| Durken He came to work in the cir
cuIation department OF the paper, and
| Wright first heard OF him through the
circulation manager. At Wright's re
/ quest the man came to his Office an6
from his story the editor gathered
| that he had not received fair treat
ment at the hands of the other sang
! STEERS. He had lived in the disrepu
table first ward and had had trouble
| with Mike NOCnan. q ward leader
For his work he had been made {
street cleaning inspector. but after
having incurred the ire OF Noonan haC
lost his job.
Nothing the enemy did was able
to keep Wright from publishing a pa
per every day. Every issue was {
constant reminder TO Belmont tina
things were not as they should be anC
that the way to remedy conditions wa:
to defeat the city machine at the polls
The editor spent all his daylight hours
/ at his Office, and often was there unit
late in the night in conference witt
various leaders. The opponents o
Kerr had some old scores to settle
and this was their chance. The post
master was usually to be found OIL
/ Kerr's side, although under cover, bu
this time he could not afford TO u.s.
his influence for his party in city al
fairs-even for a consideration. Tn
boss knew the game too we'll to pres
him.
IN the last days of the campaign tn
anti-kerr leaders learned with SUI
prise that Senator McMinitry, Ihei
state boss, was coming to Belmont 70
[ day They had not sent for hin
2 and were at a loss to account for tn
' visit He had not taken any one int
| his confidence, merely saying ne wa
: coming on business. Why he shout
journey from Washington TO Belmon
: for so short a stay they could not III
&. derstand. He gave it out that he wa
. making a flying visit to his home, bu
: ne came straight to Belmont. Onl
, two men besides the senator knew hi
i mission. the emissary who carried tn
2 message to Washington and the ma
/. who sent for him. David Kerr wante
/ TO see him.
e It was only three days before elet
e ton when Senator McMinitry vtsite
5 Belmont. He went to the Hotel Be
!. mont and took suite of rooms, br
did not register. After talking TO D.
5 vid Kerr over the telephone, he o
e dered an early luncheon for two serve
" in his private parlor. Kerr arrive
e before the table was spread ana in
~
/ ton. All through the meal the Nv
. men talked, McMinitry questionin
! and Kerr explaining.
d Practical politics was the bushes
h of Senator James McMinitry just s