Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-09-04
ELECTION LAWS BUNCO PEOPLE.
Voters Compelled To Choose From
Those Picked For Them.
(By Ellis B. Usher.)

is the apparent failure to develop, or
push to the front, any new and young
er men of such force as to promise
new leadership and anything like
new growth in political promise for
the state. The time since January
10th has, by admission of practically
all the newspaper correspondents of
the legislative session, has been
largely spent in small politics of the
dickering and trading sort, or in OBJ
structive sud purely factiOnal contro-
versies. This appears to be a criti-
cism that applies about equally to all
parties, and to all factions of each.
There has been no apparent DISPOSE
ton TO obey what was undoubtedly a
very pervasive sentiment among the
people, and especially among the tax
payers of the state, in 1914, to reduce
the expenses of government and stop
at their source. by the repeal of laws
that made il not only possible, but
unavoidable, the rapidly accumulat-
ing force of higher and growing tax
es. The root of the system that has
made the present conditions possible
is found In election laws that have
removed farther and farther from the
people their ability to express their
desires in political platforms, and in
the choice of candidates. This tap
root of extravaganza remains undis-
turbed. The only candidates between
whom the people may now choose, UNI
der the existing system, are self
starters" They introduce themselv-
es, or are intOduced, by some small
clique of politicians, in the interest of
some candidate governor or senator.
1.-The people, whose mama is taken
so much In vain have sought none of
them, and the principles, upon
which they exploit themselves are
those which they think will appeal to
some class or organized self-interest.
Among field of candidates and plat
forms, thus fOisted upon them the yot-
ers are compelled to choose, not
whom or what they want, but whom
or what they think least dangerous,
in a field of candidates every one of
whom they would be glad to see de-
feated If there were possibility of
accomplishing that. They choose,
therefore, what seems for the mo-
ment, to be the least of the evils pre-
scented to them, or. as a majority now
often do, refuse to choose by absent
ing themselves from the pools.
NEED OF YOUNG MEN.
The feature of the situation alluded
to in the beginning, the reason for
which rests upon the explanation Just
given, is due chiefly to the fact that
the young men are in minority in
the present factions, and the old lea
deTs, after the manner of those who
led the Stalwarts to defeat in Wiscon-
ain, yield nothing to the generation
that casts the overwhelming majority
OF the votes, until they do it under
chsstisement. The governor has ap-
pointed men to the important posi-
tlons whose careers all began many
years ago. Many of them have been
responsible, as far as their abilities
warranted for the state and local ex
trayagance and the MeNieanized con-
ditions OF Wisconsin politics. and
some of them have been not merely
his political antagonists, but person
al enemies ON their treatment of him
OF these minor peculiarities of the
present situation little account needs
be taken so long as the general con-
dition of Wisconsin politics remains
in confusion. 1t makes little differ
ence to the average citizen whether
First Chief Carranza. or villa. or
Zapata, occupies the capitol for the
time being SO long as petty revolution
Is constant everywhere and in all
parties
There is another development of
the winters legislative controversies
that Is of grave Importance to the
welfare of the University Of Wiscon-
sin and to the state at large. 1t has
been charged, for some years. that the
University of Wisconsin was in DO
ltics. and there have been many de
mails from the president of the Uni
versity and others connected with the
institution and from among its alum
Mt Warnings from sincere friends
of the University, that its conduct
and that of many of its faculty. in re-
cent years, would in end involve the
Institution in practical politics, have.
during the hey-day of reform. " been
turned with a laugh, and well-inten-
TONED critics were met with the sheer