Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1924-03-05
Reading Blaine's Record
(Dodgeville Sun-Republic)
Some of Our Reasons.


From the Grant County Herald,
Lancaster:
''The Dodgeville Sun-Republic, a
really Progressive sheet, is devoting
considerable space to shooting it
into Governor Blaine. We have
such faith in the Suns integrity that
we assume the Governor has erred.
But we wish the Sun would tell us
how"
The above query has been answer
ed in advance in this column, though
of course a publisher with a rapidly
expanding business cannot be expect
ed to make note of the editorials in all
Wisconsin newspapers.
In short form, and avoiding the ly-
rical, our objections to the governors
course are mainly the following:
BY insisting, against the advice OF
his supporters, that two tax bills be
introduced instead of but one, he
created a division of the most serious
character. On top of that, while his
supporters were working faithfully to
pass these two bills, which had re-
ceived his encouragement and were
introduced at his request, he sudden
ly called a halt and injected bill OF
his own Later he made the situation
finally hopeless, by proposing two
more.
In the hope of getting something
done Robert La Toilette, Jr., came
from Washington and held a confer
ence, in which Blaine's representa-
tives in the senate took part, and a
compromise tax bill was framed. All
present agreed to support it. Yet
when it came to a vote, just few
days later, all Blaine men turned
against it.
Those who had been making the
fight for tax law, at all times ex-
pressed a willingness to support any
workable bill, no matter who propos-
ed it. They withdrew their own b1llS,
prepared at Blaine's request, and gave
his measures the right of way. But
the few men to whom Blaine turned
announced that they would not sup
port any tax bill unless it bore
Blaine's name.
These men have since been appoint
ed by Blaine to good state jobs as
their reward for blocking tax legisla-
ton.
1t has now become known that a
certain newspaper man gave his
friends a tip as early as December OF
1922, that no tax bill would be allow
ed to pass Blaine evidently was saw
ing the tax issue for campaign use in
order to land a third term.
Blaine won reelection as Pro-
gressive, and it was only by holding
the Progressive forces together that
he could hope to carry out his cam
paign pledges, yet he went far out OF
his way to split those forces hopeless
ly asunder by raising the liquor IS
sue. That alone would have been ia
tai. Also in raising this issue, he was
acting entirely without a mandate
from the voters.
His bill to establish a One-man tax
commission was also gratultlous,
without authority and a further at
tempt to break the Progressive front,
as it's only object was to remove from
office Judge Charles D. Rosa, lie
thine Progressive, who is esteemed by
every loyal adherent of the movement,
or faction, if you prefer to use that
term.
Blaine's campaign pledges have not
been carried out, and for this no one
but himself is to blame.
The Moran scandal, also, has far
darker aspects than were brought out
at the time 1t is plain the Governor
did not dare to have it investigated.
We predict that much more Will be
heard of this.
There are other things, which could
be listed, but these are enough for the
present. In short they amount TO
| this: Blaine has shattered the SOLID
Progressive front to bits. He has
created doubt of his integrity He has
violated his campaign pledges. lie
has been an awful blunderer or some
thing worse. He has had TWO Terms
already and has no shadow OF rlght u
third.