The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-07-20
POLITICS IN WISCONSIN
MIR. LaFolIette's Big Task and
Splendid Oppor-
tunity.
MAY UNDERMINE OPPOSITION.
By Doing as Governor Rusk Did, and
Heap Goals of Fire-The Tax
Commission.

Madison, July 17.-These are stir
ring times at the Capital City. One
political sensation has followed an
other. 1t recalls that play of Shakes
peare where a succession Of mesSen-
gers rush on the stage, each the bearer
of more alarming tidingS than his pre-
deceSSOr. The announcement Of Sen
atOr SpOOner'S proposed retirement was
the climax and each man was asking
his neighbOr. what it all meant, but
perhaps AsSemblyman VandercOOk Of
the north country summed it up as
sententiOusly as anyone.
with most public men," he said,
politics is Il comedy. With Senator
SpOOner it is q tragedy"
His idea was that the senator takes
life too seriously and political move
mentS too literally. There has been d
world Of talk Of political cOmbina-
tons to cover the next decade, and
much of it has been manufactured by
curbStOne debaterS, who have never
been in Washington and who imagine
that politics is such an easy thing to
cOnjure with in back office that the
sentiment Of great commonwealth
even in the selection Of United States
senators can be made of no avail.
Senator SpOOner came back from
Washington and a good deal of this
light gossip came his way until he
himself fell into the idea that the peO
pie of the state cut no figure in the
making Of a senator. and unless he
had a disciplined army of leaders at
his back the ground was cut from I'M
der him. Every Republican paper in
the state was shouting for him and
some of the strongest LaFOllette pa
perS repeatedly wished it understood
that no advantage must be taken of
SpOOner, Myrick, the editor of the
Milwaukee Sentinel, is a warm admir-
er of SpOOner and has treasured him
of support and discredited the posi-
bility of any combination to defeat
Senator SpOOner.
Too Busy Big Matters.
But SpOoner is a statesman, not
politician. He saw the little fellows
Scampering to and fro on political mis-
SiOnS and Well-meaning friends wore
long faces. Had SpOOner been nine
spot in the senate: had he not a life
time Of service in the party at his
back he might have been worried. But
he is Of a sensitive, proud, tempera-
ment, and flushed with the congratulate
tons of the great of Washington and
foreigners who had heard his speeches,
the reaction on coming home to find a
teapot tempest raging was too much.
Some of the timid ones told him his
own Dane county was in danger. The
teapot was mistaken for a common
Wealths arena, and the surface bub-
bling for a CONFUSION of nature.
Never enamOured of public station for
what Tom Reed calls "a ribbon to tie
to owns coat" really distressed by the
illness of his wife, chafed by the du-
ties of office, tired with labors for his
country, and disguised with what
seemed to be the ingratitude of his
people for whom he has won a brilliant
distinction, SpOOner wrote his letter
and no doubt said something pardon
ably profane about the dear people,
went to ride with his family and
breathed the first long, deep, enjoyable
breath since he succeeded Colonel vi
las in the senate with every vote of the
full senate and assembly except Halls
of Dunn county, who said he was sorry
he was tied up by past utterances and
had too much regard for SpOoner to
vote against him and so sat silent.
The Affairs of Corporations.
It is said there are other considera-
tions entering into the matter, notably
the failure of the stalwarts to enter
into an organized opposition to Mr..
LaFOllette. This is reflection of
that hurtful fallacy that the state is
not big enough for a number of peO-
pie, and that to be a friend of one
leader, loyalty demands an abiding
hostility to every other man with am
billions.
There have been rumOrs that the
tax commission is the meat in the CO.
cOanut; that the railroads and corpora
tiOns are more interested in what the
administration may do next winter
than as who is to be governor, or SEN
ator, or any other outcome; and that
annoyed by Scotield, who framed the
plan and afraid of Whitehead, who
furthered it, seemed wise on the
whole to accept Mr.. LaFOllette's init
nations that he was no Pingree, and
as Bob was strong in delegates, the
wise thing was to join the shouting
crowd and pray for the best.
A New Chapter of State History.
1t seems to be agreed by the thought
full that Wisconsin is on the threshold
VI new pOllIlCdl cudploE, executing
without doubt, and long and beneficial
to the state, or short and disastrous,
according as Robert NJ. LaFollette is
equal TO the stupendous task before
him. For six years he has sought
the position, finally now we'll in hand
and the crush for place will be some
thing tremendous. Governor Upham
sought the governorship only six
months in advance of the Office-dis-
penSing January but he was wrecked
by the people who thought they had
claims on him. Mr.. LaFollette is I'M
der heavy obligations to friends in ev-
cry county, if not community, in Wis
>consin and his magnetic and gracious
way only makes it harder for him, for
one can't shake hands with the man
without a quiet feeling that he can
get on the pay roll any time he pleases
1t is a winning excellence before cleo
ton but the fatal gift of beauty after
wards.
LaFOllette's political enemies are
SAVING bn iS an Indian r