Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-08-31

lively offer our service to the great
cause of government. We are here to-
day with steadfast resolution that
Wisconsin shall take no backward
step; that these laws which have been
written into our books by the popular
will of the Progressive citizenship of
this state shall not be repealed; that
Progressiveisrn shall not be a lost
cause; that this state shall not be
turned over body and soul to the cor
pOrate interests, who, marching under
a false flag pretending that the high
cost of government is due to the pro-
mitigation of Progressive principles,
are seeking day and night to misdirect
the electorate of the state of WiscOn-
sin with the view and purpose of again
vesting with the power to rule and
ruin the state and it's people. They
are insidiously planning to write into
the statute books laws which will
grant to them their Especial privi-
leges," and laws which will again
make our state as reactionary as it
was before the people concluded to
take control of their government and
make the will Of the people the su-
preme law of the land.
With these primary purposes in
mind, and loyal to the great principles
which our great cause represents, we
come here today to nominate a candi-
date for governor. We want most of
all one candidate. That is why we are
in conference assembled. That is why
we come here to talk the thing over
together, to reconcile our immaterial
differences as to men, to counsel to-
gether and find one man for whom all
Progressives can stand, that we may
meet our common foe, big business in
politics, on an equal footing.
Favorite Candidates.
We have all had our favorite candi-
date. We have voted for him; we
have discussed his candidacy with
others who are here assembled. We
have placed his cause before you. We
must go away from this convention
now, when our work is done, of one
mind. Each and every one of us must
highly resolve that the battle in be-
half of the nominee Of this convention,
must start tonight, and must not stop
until the foes of popular government
have been overwhelmed at the polls at
our September primary. (Applause.)
We cannot afford to carry any per-
sonal fight further. 1t is not SO i'm
portant that McGovern should be the
nominee, or that Hatton should be the
nominee, or that someone else should
be the nominee, as it is that some one
Progressive republican Should be
Il l. - H. CHal n1o Of
Progressive Republicanism for the
time being and in this campaign. And
this conference has by more than a
twothirds vote, now declared that
Honorable William H. Hatton shall be
that man. Great applause.) l de-
clare myself for him from this mo-
ment on Notwithstanding | have vot-
ed for another, and have favored an
other consistently, | am for the can
didate | voted for no longer. Mr..
McGovern, Mr.. BOsshard, Mr.. San
born and all the other candidates and
their respective friends should go out
of this convention and forthwith enter
the ranks as privates. (Applause.)
They should fight just as hard, and [
believe they are all loyal enough to
the cause to fight, and fight hard.
Mere defeat here is but the defeat
of a man. To name a single candidate
here is victory for all of US. | ask
these men who honestly voted with me
here, or for any candidate who has
been here defeated, and who came to
this convention to serve the cause Of
Progressive Rcpublicanism, to go out
of here tonight with the resolution set
in their hearts that they viii carry the
battle of Progressive NcDublicanism
throughout the valleys and over the
hills of Wisconsin, with the cOnvic-
ton that they can best serve that
cause today and in this campaign, by
fighting for, and voting for the nom
inee of this convention, Honorable
William H. Hatton. Great applause).
We should send the word out over the
wires tonight, that we are all Pro-
gressive Republicans; that we are for
the principles of Progressive RepubI-
canism because we love our state and
our country, and because we believe
these principles will best serve our
government for this and future gener-
ations. Because we believe that the
will of the people should be the su-
preme law of the land; because we
believe Wisconsin should keep her
place in the first and foremost rank
of the civilized governments Of the
world. The news should be heralded
broadcast over this land and to other