Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-02-08
PHILLIPS STEAM ROLLER
C,l II. d. Tair Watches 1t In Motion
At Madison Last Week and Finds
some Comfort at the 0bsequies.

was among those patriots who
fo.ogathered in Madison last week
M an effort to save the country, and
would have written you an account
inf our experiences sooner but for the
fact that | did not return home with
the other patriots, but went to Mil
Yankee thinking that possibly Pres
idput Wilson might desire to consult
me- as | see that he has at last come
M NV way of thinking, and in
tact is out advocating the very poll
rias / mad previously outlined for him,
and which he at that time ignored,
hut now deigns to accept. You will
remember that | warned him against
Brvan. Think how different things
might now be, had he listened to me
and had he chosen me as his counsel
Ior instead of the orator of the Platte.
Bat that is carrying me away from
Madison and the gathering of the pa
trjots who seek to save the country
and incidentally pay off a few old
scores. You know that two years ago
I was the logical candidate for the
honor Of being the standard bearer
of my party in this state, that l was
the one who discovered the issue up
on which it was possible for the par
tv to win, and how at the eleventh
hour and forty-seventh minute l was
ruthlcssly pushed to one side, and
how subsequent to the election, the
usurper. who was carried into office
on the issues raised by me, refused to
be- guided by my counsel, and in fact
showed most base ingratitude. 1t is
with deep humiliation that | am for
ced to confess that | unwittingly al
lowed him to again run the steam roll
Ter over me, but with this explanation
there are extenuating circumstances
which may relieve me of the odium of
being an unmitigated ass.
1t happened thus: | had no thought
of taking part in this republican con-
yrntion at Madison, primarily for the
reason that | was short of funds be-
cause of the neglect of the party to
reward me for my services, and par
TALLY because of remembrance of
what had previously been done me.
| was determined to stay home and
saw wood. However | Succumbed to
the siren voices of a few of my local
stalwart friends, who were much
distraught because they feared that
without their interposition and pre-
lmmary guidance. the common rab-
bic consisting of farmers, laborers,
merchants, mechanics, and in fact all
that common horde who in times past
have responded to the cry of such
arch traitors to popular government
as LaFollette, Roosevelt and their ilk,
might select any old Tom, Dick or
Harry to fill the offices of the COM
mOnwealth. This touched a patriot
iC chord within me. No man better
realizes the danger of allowing the
common people to choose their lead
ers. They have not been properly fit
ted for this task. l doubt if even my
self would be considered by this mob.
Ii is all right to let them vote, provid-
ing they are limited as to whom they
can vote for. and these parties have
been selected by men, of intelligence
and acknowledged leadership, men
like myself
| question whether | would have
gone to Madison had it not been that
my stand-pat friends implored me to
do So and were so moved by patriotic
teryor that they quietly informed me,
II | would go and help swell the
crowd, would lend it tone with my
presence, lay aside my past griev7
anceS. the trip would not cost me one
cent, that in some manner my rail-
road fare, hotel bills and the neces-
sary expenditures for liquid refresh
ment in pursuance of the patriotic