Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-01-13
NOTABLE BANQUET
TO EX-COV. HOARD
Home Rule--Taxpayers' League
Celebrates Victory.
Strongest InteIIects in Wisconsin Par
ticipate in Oratory.--Party
Politics Absent.

A most notable ga thering was that
which took place at Madison last
Thursday evening at dinner given
at the Park Hotel, under the auspices
of the Wisconsin Home Rule and
Taxpayers League, in honor Of
former-Governor w. d. Hoard, one
of the most earnest and consistent
advocates of the things for which the
league contends.
The good old ex-governor was
prevented by poor health from attend
ing the meeting, but prepared an ad
/ dress for the occasion which was
read by his son, Halbert Hoard, who
represented him at the banquet. We
had intended printing this address in
The Herald today, but extraordinary
conditions, incident to moving our
office to its present new location,
have so upset our plans that we find
it necessary to carry the address over
for publication next week.
Many prominent men of Wisconsin,
men who are leaders in their several
communities and have won eminence
in their respective political parties,
occupied seats at the banquet table,
the meeting being bipartisan one,
but composed of those who are in &C
cord with the movement which, dur
ing the recent campaign, and in the
election, triumphed so decisively in
the interests of the overburdened tax
payers Of the state as opposed to che
system of bureaucracy that has be-
come so obnoxious in state govern
ment.
At the speakers table were 7. C.
Richmond, of Madison, who presided,
and on his right Governor Philip,
Prof. Burr w. Jones, of Madison,
Neal Brown, of Wausau, and M. G.
Jeffris, of Evansville. On the left of
the POSTMASTER were Halbert Hoard,
foimer-Governor James O. Davidson,
former congressman j. w. Murphy, of
Platteville, and James M. Clancy,
of Stoughton. Facing them, at the
other tables, were about two hundred
and fifty men who had come from all
parts of the state to be present on
the occasion.
G. RICHMOND OPENS PROGRAM
At 9:05 p. m. 7. c.. Rich mond
called on DR.. Sheldon and his choir
to lead in singing America. All rose
and joined with enthusiasm in the
singing the national anthem.
Mr. Richmond said that such a
meeting as this at any time and
under any circumstances was almost
epochal. 1t was not party meeting
of any kind-not republican or
democratic meeting.
''We have not come as partisans
we have not come with the slightest
bitterness of feeling; but we have
come as citizens of this common
wealth to consider questions vital to
US all, = said the speaker All be-
lieved in Wisconsin, which was a
great family in which each mem
er was interested. The people all
had a right to think of public policies
and of the rights they ought to enjoy.
This he said was meeting of the
Home Rule and Tax Payers league.
The league wasn't born, it "growed.
Things had come to such pass that
the people of all classes were dis
satisfied and had become stirred as
never before and made up their minds
they would know no party until some
OF the wrongs they believed existed
had been righted. A grim determine
tion grew that a change should be
brought about. The only way was
for the people to use their power.
No one, no ten, no twenty men called
the league into existence. 1t organic
ed itself in various parts of the state.
No man in the state denied the
financial burdens of the state were
too heavy-there was too much public
extravaganza. 1t made no difference
whether republicans or democrats or
stalwarts or progressives were to
blame-the fact was there. Yet the
question of taxes was a secondary
matter. The most important ques-
tion by far was that the power of
government was taken year by year
from the people and real, genuine
democracy was being lost. Money
might be taken from the citizen and
it might go on, but too much govern
ment was the supreme question today
in this state; there was nothing COM
parable with it (applause.) Money
is nothing, men everything % 1t was
felt that action should be taken re-
CARELESS of party utilization.
Continuing Mr.. Richmond said
! seven or eight questions in an even