THE CHALLENGE OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS
Kyle, Jack
The Challenge of Wisconsin Rapids [An EDITORIAL By JACK KYLE] SIX YEARS AGO this weekend a courageous band of men and women gathered at Fond du Lac to weigh the future of the Progressive...
...Heil and charge him with all the blame for the mess in which the state finds itself today...
...But the same case applies with equal logic and equal force to the Republican machine as a whole...
...Promise after promise has been betrayed...
...It will have been the laying of a sound and lasting foundation for a glorious future...
...They voted to break away from the Republican desert, to stake out their own claim as an independent political movement to be known as the Progressive party...
...SIX YEARS have rolled by since that historic weekend in May of 1934...
...They have pounded Wisconsin's long famous taxation program based on ability to pay into a shambles...
...In the one field of relief alone, the Republican administration has saddled the local units of government with an additional burden of $2,000,000...
...It must leave with every man and woman a fighting determination to roll up their sleeves and wade into the fight of their lives when they get back to their home communities...
...They announced that the Progressive party would be formed only if 50,000 men and women affirmatively petitioned for its creation...
...The budget has reached the highest point in history, and still the Republican administration refuses to meet its promised obligations to the counties, towns, cities, and villages of Wisconsin...
...There must be organization down through the counties, towns, and precincts, and along with that organization there must be an intelligent program of education to bring the real facts to the rank and file of the people...
...Reaction is in the saddle...
...TF THIS birthday celebration at Wisconsin Rapids this week-end does one thing and does it well, it can be reckoned an outstanding success...
...The Challenge of Wisconsin Rapids [An EDITORIAL By JACK KYLE] SIX YEARS AGO this weekend a courageous band of men and women gathered at Fond du Lac to weigh the future of the Progressive movement...
...Heil...
...But belore making the final break, they voted to counsel with the rank and file of the people...
...Since taking office nearly 17 months ago the Republican wrecking garig has smashed away at Wisconsin institueions with the reckless and ruthless piracy of a lumber baron devastating a stand of lofty trees...
...This weekend in Wisconsin Rapids tne Progressives of Wisconsin will gather to celebrate their sixth anniversary as a full-fledged political party...
...It will be found in the spirit which moves those who come, and it will be found most of all in the frame of mind in which they go home...
...The case against Heil is devastating...
...1,500 per cent more than required by law...
...Looking back over more than 40 years of bruising struggle to reform and liberalize the Republican party, they concluded that Progressive principles could not grow and flower on political soil that was weedy with corruption and reaction...
...Every wrecking gang measure which Heil signed into law had first to pass through these Republican-controlled houses of the legislature, and Republican legislators who are now trying to duck their responsibility must share the guilt with Gov...
...were filed with the secretary of state, petitioning for the establishment of the Progressive party...
...The same Republican-controlled legislature which handed out nearly $4,000,000 in refunds, rebates, and reductions to wealthy individuals and corporations increased the taxes on small incomes as high as 60 per cent...
...TN RECENT weeks there has been a growing tendency on -l the part of some Republican politicians to point an accusing finger at Gov...
...The Republican party had air-tight control of both houses of the legislature and of every committee in both houses...
...The measure of success of this Wisconsin Rapids gathering will be found not so much in the number attending, although that, of course is important...
...On June 18 of that year, a day which also marked the anniversary of the death of Sen...
...Robert Marion La Follette, Sr., the signatures of 50,000 men and women...
...This approaching campaign" of 1940 calls for a greater ana more intensive program of organization and education than ever before in our history...
...If such a fighting, organizing, educating mood can come out of the Wisconsin Rapids gathering, it will have been much more than a celebration of the past...
Vol. 10 • May 1940 • No. 20
