Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-08-23
RESENTS FALSE CHARGES
SENATOR BENNETT CORRECTS
ASSEMBLYMAN
Says He is Grossly Misrepresented in
Henry Remit High Tax
Apology

bymsn Rentz who SAYS that he is a republican
/ candidate for the same position he now holds, has
issued circular which he denominates his Re
! cord" in which a number Of false statements are
made concerning myself and inasmuch as have
been thus wrongi ally attacked deem it proper
to reply. Permit me to say that have taken ne
part in Mr. Rentz' campaign for re election. either
! for him or against him. nor indeed that of any
other candidate. and cannot quite comprehend
why it should be thought necessary by those
who prepared his Record" for him to thus at
tack me.
This Record" of his has been sent throughout
| the county generally by mail and has also been
| given such publicity as the democratic columns
of the local paper at Westby affords. II the cor
rupt practice act is of such value as Mr.. Rentz
would have us believe IL might be well to ascer-
tain whether the penalty therein provided for
anyone who ill circulate false statements con-
corning another can be made to apply in his case.
but have never been given to petty things. and
as Mr.. Rentz is naturally small man. forgive
him.
havn't time to take I'D and review all Of mat
| tiers referred 10 in the Record of Mr.. Rentz but
| inasmuch as he has dragged me into the matter
| think IL proper for someone who has knowledge
of the facts. and who is entirely disnterested. to
refer briefly TO few of the misleading statements
made.
We are first told the Position o: Mr. Rentz."
and many would not know IL unless told. Permit
me to say that his position" before the last cleo
ton and his position" after election were vastly
different commodities Take his position before,
his election stated on bis campaign cards which
he distributed. and we find that he said / STAND
| FOR ECONOMY IN THE APPROPRIATION
OF STATE FUNDS" Aftsr election. he failed
| to vote for single economy measure TO my know
ledge. and as he refers as 70 none. il must be APP
parent that be voted for none.
However. he did vote against ECONOMY. and
thus violated his promise to the people when he
obeyed orders and voted to place an unjust tax
upon the people Of the state of 100000 for the
board Of control MORE than It needed. lie placed
his juSsmen: up against that of the board Of con-
troll and tried to force unjust tax upon the peo-
pie for the sole and obvious purpose of giving
Governor Philip black eye, 50 that he and 9TH
ers might say that the taxes were not reduced as
much promised But he is too polite 10 refer
| to the matter in his Record" and perhaps the
least said about it the better for him.
Mr.. Rentz says that assisted in the change Of
official state papers from the Socialist Madison
journal TO the Republican Evening Wisconsin.
which is true. Thisis about the only statement lit
orally true IN the article gotten out IN his behalf
where he repeatedly refers TO my legislative re-
cord. This change. contrary 10 the statement of
the assernbyman. does not cost the people of the
state penny more than the former plan. The
printing is matter OF patronage to be doed out
! by the party in power and as the Journal made
practice of telling daily anything but the truth.
misrepresenting every member who dared to vote
| for lower taxes, thought IL no more than fair
that the printing be given to q republican paper.
1 and one that has general circulation through
out the state. The assembiyman sheds alligator
tears about the change. of which any republican
ought to be proud. and wonder II It is because
he is republican in form orly and still has SYM
pathies with the prohibitienist and democratic
parties with which he associated until elected to
public Office ~'F-- r SEE
Next Mr.. Rentz says that he voted against bill
which authorized the governor TO remove county
mistaken, "a no such bill was introduced in the
assemy. II was already the law and no occasion
TO change it In fact before another Record"
is printed think il well for tine assemblyman to
Mask Senator Bosshard the hgh.tax leader, just
how he voted. the senator from Lacrosse usu-
ally controlled the vote Of our assemblyman.
Then again the assemblyman takes great credit
for voting against bill TO suthorize the governor
, to remote the state bank examiner without the
consent Of the serate. That bill should have
passed Renez voted againat II he says. II we
had large bank failure with losses 70 depositors
OF savings of many yeaTs.an1 due to the fact that
the state bank examiner was not attending to his
business. away ON drunk in prison or an asylum.
the present law would make the governor call the
! legislature in special session at an expense of
many thousands Of dollars to tire people in order
to remove worthless official. The law ought TO
be that the governor who appoints the official may
remove him for cause, without CONSULTING
/ TIE STATE SENATE Notwithstanding this
law IS unjust and wrong and the proposed change
clearly right. Mr. RenfZ oheyed orders and voted
sgin" everything the governor recommended tor
the benefit of the people.
Mr. RentZ says that proposed several amend
ments to the corrupt practice act to weaken it.
This is false. as / proposed none His record"
must he judged in The light OF this statement.
Amendments were proposed by others to take
from the la the provisions which the courts
have held were unconstitutional. and supported
the amendments. Most any lawyer knows, and
supreme court has repeatedly decided that the re
I
I act that are palpably absurd. Those who have
no knowledge Of the constitution. and not
spectacle suspicion in the absence of knowledge
of constitut onal guarantees of liberty of the
press. freedom of speech etc would not let a
little thing like the constitution of the state and
of the United States stand in the way OF brand
ing man as felOn for doing the very things the
constitution saws he may lawfully do. Thank
God. this is land of liberty under law. the SUI
preme court still exists and preserves our eonst-
tutional rights.
E2uf ofir =. e
the constitution and our form of government any
way. in my opinion judge this from his vote
/, in favor of the Noidman amendment 70 the con-
stitutitn which might visit the affection of sin
gle tax system upon the people. The farmers Of
Vernon county can say whether they approve
this vote Of Mr.. Rentz. The single tax would
place all the taxes upon the farms and real es-
tate. exempt all other property. This theory, as
all other theorias of socialism and anarehism has
some supporters. but believe it wrong. Had
there been enough people with the views of our
assemblyman as judged by his vote living in
Wisconsin, this fake reform would have been
adopted long ago.
Rentz takes great credit for voting for the bin
TO regulate and fix the premiums of FIRE inknr-
anee companies. 1t was a bill introduced and sup
ported by progressives like himself, he saws He
does not tell the truth, that the bill was No IS s
and that it was introduced and fought through
the senate by myself II passed the senate unan-
imously II was killed in the assembly by the
politicians who wanted an issue and who would
not permit the dotting Of an ~ or the eraesiul-
leading LaFollette senators tried 70 line ND Mr.
Rentz for this bill that he was agin IL because IL
stalwart measure" and when il was point
ed cut that 1t was really one Of the most progress
ST laws ever proposed. notwithstanding it was
introduced by myself he reluctantly obeyed or
ders and voted for it.
havu't the time patience to take up the
whole list Of mis- statements that he makes
Everyone is entitled to square dear and our
assembyman ought to have been fair enough 10
have supported the governor when he was right
and oppose him If wrong without regard 10 petty
politics The fact is that he knew less about
more things that up for legislative action
than most any other member. due. TO the fact
possibly that his wife sick and he wasn't
there This was not the fault Of Mr. Rentz but
his misfortune. | regret that'I have been at
tackled when have never uttered word 10 any
man either for or against Mr.. Rentz. taken
any part in his campaign for reelection.
Er Rentz seeks the vote Of our law and order
people by saving that he opposed and voted |
against the Stemper bill. which Iegalized thoUs-
ands Of saloons in the state. The Anti-Saloon
League paper The American Issue" saws this
bill that Rentz opposed was the greatest temper
ance legislation ever passed in Wisconsin While |
in Madison the other day was informed By the |
attorney for the Anti-Saloon League Of many |
cities where the laIoons were decreased by the |
act and there were fourteen that lost their heads
in the city of Madison alone. think man seek |
ing reelection ought TO make some attempt at
telling the truth and had Mr. Rentz written this
"recJrd" which bears his endorsement am sure
he would not have made such breaks." The !
governor refused 70 approve the original Stemper
bill notwithstanding 1900 citizens of MIL l
waukee petitioned him to do So and only approv- |
ed It when re written ard changed 80 as to make /
the ratio Of saloons one for each 500 people in
stead Of one for each 20. snd in other respects !
30 that II became. according TO the AntfSaOon /
League paper, the 2reatsst temperance law ever /
passed IL the state
In conclusion desire to say that am after all |
not very much concerned in Mr.. Reotz notwith- !
standing his petty attacks upon me. He Is q /
oil sulF and FIzh 70 70 / tiuk