Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-10-29
LA FOLLETTE'S WEAKNESS

The greatest profteers this country
has ever produced were the breweries.
According to their own sworn state
ment from the census returns, 60 per
cent of the wholesale price of their
product was profit. In addition they
owned most of the saloons and retailed
their own product at from four to
eight times the wholesale price. In
other words, the wholesale price was
two and a half times the cost to the
manufacturer, and he himself then re-
tailed it for from four to eight times
that price. ten to twenty times the
actual cost, representing from one
thousand to two thousand per cent in
crease. Yet Mr. LaFollette, who at
lacks every other trust, today favOrs
the legalizing of beer, the trust OF all
trusts. Does he want to save to the
working man the money which now
goes for exorbitant profits in other
lines in order that he may spend those
savings for beer?
The LIQUOR business has been motor
iOusly the greatest debaucher Of poll
tics and corruption of legislatures. The
official report of the Overman Investi-
eating Committee was that enormous
sums of money had been raised by the
liquor business for the purpose of con-
trolling elections and cOrrupting legis-
latures; that twO-thirds Of the amount
was contributed by the brewing bust
ness, only onethird by the distilleries,
wineries, wholesalers, etc. Does La
Toilette hope to kill political corrup-
ton by reviving the chief political cor
ruptor? The recent paid advertising
attacks on the Anti-Saloon League
made by the LaFollette Progressive
campaign organization, to anyone
versed III political arts and articles,
could have but one object, viz, to make
the wet voters believe (with0ut saying
so in black and white), that all who
were therein Endorsed were favorable
to the vets. 1t is just the old game of
trying TO get votes from all sides with
out letting anyone know what the cam
didate really does Stand for. Some
candidates have tried it until they are
so cross-eyed that their tears run down
their backs.
No man is quite so human as a poll
tician But i'll times Of crises like the
present we need statesmen, not poll
ticianS.
Judge C. ID. Rosa was All open dry
advocate. He still is. When the de-
mand came that he espOuse beer and
light wine," he stood by his principles
even at the risk of losing the support
of LaFollette When Ed Dithmar faced
| the question of Wisconsin ratifying the
Eighteenth or dry amendment, he did
not seek refuge by hiding III silence.
When he was placed on the rack as
few men have ever been placed, Sen
ator Henry Huber stood openly bone
dry and still so stands. These are all
La Toilette men, too. We do not con-
denim the others. but we confess that
we admire those who had and have the
courage to stand and fight i'll the
open.
The same courage that is shown by
Huber, Dithmar, Rosa, Severson, {. e.
Hanson, J. G. Hanson, Olson brothers
and others is shown by LenrOOt for u.
S. Senate who unlike Thompson stands
openly against beer and light wine"
jokers, as does also w. j. Morgan for
attorney general. Nor are all the
brave men on the republican side.
Robert Bruce Mccoy, democrat for
governor, stands in contrast III open OPP
position to the beer and wine" decep-
tiOn-American Issue.