The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-04-06
GRABBING A PARTY

GRABBING A PARTY
"Why engender the pains of bearing new
party, if YOU have the technique by which you
can take one of the old aarties, write it's plat
form and select its candidates 2" This is the
question put by Chester Platt, Wisconsin, State
Chairman of the non-partisan league and Ches-
ter was speaking about Wisconsin. He I'M
doubtedly knew just what he was talking about
and he insisted that if you were looking for
successful non-partisan chicanery the place to
find it was Wisconsin and not North Dakota.
Chester told Washington newspaper men that
the non-partisan league had stolen the Repub-
ican party in Wisconsin. He admitted that
the league had named the candidates and writ
ten the platform of those candidates and found
it lot easier and a lot cheaper than building
UP a political machine of it's own.
Chester volunteered to state that he believed
insufficient amount of wool had been pulled
over the eyes of the people of Wisconsin to
make them believe that non-partisan league
dressed up as an elephant would be taken for
the Republican party. Chester was rather
chesty for fellow who lived so near to North
Dakota but he seemed to have complete conf
dence in the gullibility Of the people of Wis
consin.
In fact Chester seemed to be considerably
elated over the political grand larceny which
the league has committed in Wisconsin. He al
so seemed to be inclined to think that the nom
partisans would be able to keep the swag and
have men in office who would be at their beck
and call.
1t was evident that the logic of the non-part-
isan was that good parasite with good pair
of lungs was a lot better than political party
which IUac o1yuaUc rated aS q loser
The gentleman in Washington brings out
the fact that the non-partisan league was a
great "unifying power" behind Senator La
Toilette and Governor Blaine to highly salts
factory extent
It must be little distressing for the great
rank and file of the Republican party in Wis
consin to hear of how it has been duped into
being the tool of committee of theorists sent
over from North Dakota Of course Chester
and the rest Of his gang are hopeful that the
"great unifying power" can be kept working
for at least another administration up at Madi-
son and by that time there will be enough of
the unifying power to kick out the Republican
name and let the gang work under the real
colors of the league.
The leagues conquest of Wisconsin has been
made easy by the failure of the right think
ing Republicans Of the state to see their dan
ger. This fellow is waving red light and
calling on them to save themselves. There is
only one way to do this and that is for the
Republicans of Wisconsin-and we do not mean
the anarchists, socialists, and theorists who
have tried to steal the name to get together
with that same kind of unifying power The
power they need is one which will bring sup
preston of selfish interest for the common
good. If the Republicans of Wisconsin go out
to reclaim the state from the non-partisans
with the understanding that this is the thing
to be done, rather than some one man or clique
of men are to be nominated by them for office
much Of the chestiness IF chester will be drop
ped in the discard afte- the primaries next
September, A division among sane Republi-
cans is certain to add to the chestiness of Ches-
ter and his non-partisan league