The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-06

questions of the war | maintain, how
ever, that no safe judgment of his
action can be secured by merely sub
hitting the election of a senator to
fill the present vacancy. from the state
to vote of the people. No man can
represent another as a candidate in an
election. The candidates personality,
the issues that would be brought into
the campaign outside of the question
OF war and Mr.. La Follette's attitude
toward it may determine that election,
and l do not propose to subject the
people of the state to the indignities
and the insults that would be heaped
upon them if the result of the election
might be made to appear that it was a
vote of disloyalty by the people of the
state of Wisconsin, when in fact the
result was obtained upon some issue
not related to Senator La Toilette or
the war.
There is only one way to determine
whether the people of Wisconsin ap-
prove OF Mr.. La Follette's course or
not, and that is to submit his name to
the people in order that they may ap-
prove Or disapprove of what he stands
for without taking into consideration
any other issue.
If | were Senate La Follette's po-
litical or personal friend, I would ad-
wise him to insist upon immediate dis
position of the case that has been
brought against him in the senate, and
II he retains his seat or not, he should
resign and come back to the state and
ask the people for a reelection There
is no better way to determine whether
be represents the will of the people of
the state or not. No doubt he thinks
he does. l think otherwise. However,
enough has been said in criticism of
his action, that only vote by the peo-
pie, which passes upon him directly
can settle the question beyond any
further dispute.
Asks Radical Move.
1 have been urged by a member of
the executive committee of the Loyal
ty Legion and the press representing
them, in order to meet the senatorial
emergency, to put a provision in my
call for special session of the legis-
lature which would permit the enact
ment Of statute that would practical
ly wipe out all political parties in Wis
consin, and would further provide for
non-partisan elections or fusions. Such
plan would compel a complete re-
vision of our election laws, and as far
as the primary law is concerned, it's
practical use would be necessarily
| wiped out. The plan submitted provid-
ed that the two candidates receiving
| the highest votes, and they only, shall
have their names placed upon the bal
lot for the regular election without
party designation.
[ confess that fusion by law leaves
no other method open. The effect OF
| the law, however, would be this:
First: The emasculation of the pri-
| mary law to the extent that it might
better be repealed
Second: The abolition of all polit-
ical parties by statute.
Third: Minority parties would be de-
| MED the right of ballot.
l will state very frankly that 1 will
| not agree to any of these propositions
| L have always opposed the primary
| law, and am not in favor of it now.
| However, the law is upon the statute
books. 1t was adopted by direct vote
| of the people. l promised in both my
| campaigns that l have made for gov
\ hot r
peal by legislative act, because it was
| adopted by vote of the people, and if
| it is to be repealed it should be done
by the same tribunal
In reply to the second proposition
l am republican. I owe my election
| to that party, and l shall not agree to
abolish that organization in Wiscon-
sin by legislative act, nor would l
wish to be so politically selfish as to
wish to abolish other political par
ties.
FINALLY, | will not agree to any law
that will deny to the minority party
| or parties the right of the ballot l
believe such g. proposition to be un-
American and contrary to the spirit of
our institutions. Judging by the cleo
lions of the past, the Prohibition par
ty and the Socialist party would be
leglslated out of existence, as neither
could put the names of it's candidates
before the public through the medium
OF the ballot under their party desig-
| nation. I am not a member of either
party l am, however, unwilling to put
them out of existence by gag law
methods.
In further answer to the argument
that we must call senatorial cleo
ton to fill the vacancy in order to get
referendum on the attitude of Sena-
tor La Toilette because of it's in
f1uence upon the United States senate.
l will ask: Is the state of Wisconsin,
which has proved itself loyal in every
lnsta nee, going to be judged in the
united States senate by the attitude of
one of it's senators?
II that is true, then those who pre-
sent that argument will, l assume. be
willing to admit that if a senator's
loyalty is not questioned and the
state is disloyal it would be accepted
as loyal state nevertheless.
Has it come to pass that a state is
going to be judged upon so important
question as loyalty to our country
IN time of war by the attitude of one
in