Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-05-31
HirSt 10 Run
For Governor
Wisconsin's State Highway Engineer
Has Resigned and Announces
Gubernatorial Aspirations.

To the Electors of Wisconsin,:
| announce my candidacy for the
Republican nomination for governor
of Wisconsin at the September pri-
maries.
l make this announcement with
the greatest reluctance, because en-
tering the campaign involves laying
aside for period the practice of my
profession of highway engieer, which
has been my life work, and in the
practice of which profession | had
hoped to continue until the end of
my years of active service.
Nothing but an emergency fraught
with the gravest possibilities of evil
for Wisconsin and her people could
justify me in taking this step Such
an emergency does, in fact, exist.
The present executive is carrying
out a deliberately conceived plan of
building the state government into a
political machine devoted to advanc-
ing his personal political fortunes.
In the process he has already impair
ed the efficiency, lowered the morale
and almost wrecked many state de-
partments and institutions.
He attempted, by legislation, to
gain control of the Civil Service
Commission, but failed. However,
he has gained his end in another
way, and every civil service employee
of the state has reason to fear his
power Since 1921 the prohibition
department has been his for all
purposes. The state insurance de-
partment, the teachers pension fund,
the game wardens of the state, and
other departments have likewise been
brought under his domination.
Even the institutions which care
for the helpless wards and depend
ents of the state were used as pawns,
when he wrecked the State Board of
Control and the whole organization
and morale of this, the most i'm
portant state administrative body.
The protests of the aroused woman
hood of Wisconsin he sneered at and
disregarded. Only when a greater
mind and heart than his ordered the
disgraceful episode brought to an
end, did reorganization and re
construction start.
He attempted to make the Tax
Commission a one man body and
thus place in his sole control the
great assessing and equalizing power
of the state. "The power to tax is
the power to destroy" Today not
even our State University-the boast
of Wisconsin and the worlds free
from the sinister menace Of his
political designs.
Made ever holder by apparent nom
resistance, he has now turned his
practiced hand to the task of bending
the State Highway Commission and
the state and county highway or
CARNATIONS to his will and purposes.
The Governor desires, for his own
political ends, the control Of these
/ large highway organizations and Of
/ the millions of the taxpayers money
which they expend He purposes
to make the highway forces polite
al machine and the highway program
of Wisconsin and its counties q
/ political asset the trump card in
his political game.
/ This | shall help to prevent if the
power within me lies. cannot
/ effectively fight this program Of his
while a state employee. | have
therefore resigned and viii fight il
as a candidate for the Governorship
/ can then give to the people Of Wis
consin the real facts as TO this anc
many other very significant events
Of the last three years, and ! purpose
to do so, let the chips fall where thel
may.
/ twenty-five years ago there va
started in this state an era Of higi
ideals Of public duty, which has givel
/ Wisconsin vast amount Of in
/ telligent, self sacrificing publ
service. Because Of this, Wisconsin