The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-08-09
POLITICS IN MADISON.
Opposition Movement Goes on
During Governors Tedious
Illness.
PFIsTER Is ENGAGING TALENT
Maria &c Act of 1897 Is Working Well
The College Graduate-Oil
Investments.

Madison, Wis, Aug. Ex-Governor
LaLollette has been practically con-
fined to the house now for over
month. He went out for a time to
a sanitarium for electric baths, but de-
sisted some weeks ago. His trouble is
from the liver and the urgent difficulty
ie finding things he can eat. However,
he is able to do some business morn
ings with his private secretary, Colonel
Murphy. The latter, by the way, is
proving acceptable in this difficult
post-doubly difficult, of course, by
reason Of the strained political rela-
lions. He is general and frank with
the newspaper boys, even Of the oppo-
sition; and the sharp quality which
made politicians dread his newspaper
paragraphs more than the lombard
ment of heavy pronunciamentos dis
appears from the personal relation,
save in conversation dry instantane-
GUS exposure of some personality
flashes across the camera of his funny
fancy.
Sentinel Pursuing Silence.
The political cauldron is still stir
ring, though some of the thunderers Of
the press have evidently adopted a pol
icy of silence for a while. There is no
question but that the Milwaukee move
ment is under way and Mr.. Pfister is
personally engaging the talent. A
manifesto is promised from this quar-
ter, which will likely claim that Wis
consin is in peril of Populism and it
will be worked up deliberately, for only
good reasons will be accepted for a
movement to unseat governor who
has been in office only seven months.
1t is replied to this that Mr.. LaFol-
lette himself urged warm war on a
governor (Scofield in 1898; to which
the LaFollette men reply that their
man offered a programme of reforms
as we'll as a man in 1898 and the La
Toilette platform became the platform
of the party, though the exponent him
self was refused, only to be nominated
two years later. 1t will be remem
bered that the fight between the pro
and anti-LaFOllette men was scarcely
less animated last summer than it is
now, yet LaFOllette was clever and
powerful enough to quietly amalgamate
ed that he may be able to do this again.
One can scarcely imagine another
modus vivendi with the discordant ele-
ments as gentle lambs about while
Governor LaFollette held a leyee in
the very sanctuary of the Pfster hotel
But all things are possible in politics.
There will be a growing pressure from
the rank and file, as election time ap-
jprOaches, especially if the Democrats
get together and prove menacing, as
they are in Ohio, to heal up the wounds
and present solid front to the enemy.
This cry from the ranks will be rein
forced by the congressman, who don't
care if LaFollette Or Billy Patterson is
governor, provided only they can go
into the next campaign without having
an ugly and rampant party behind
them. l have always maintained that
the best Spooner sentiment is on this
line, too. The federal officers of
whom so much is said, are not so ac-
tive in the present uproar as one might
suppose. If Senator Spooner gets
dragged into the opposition movement
it will be because the leaders force
him in. They are primarily after con-
troll of the next legislature and l sus-
pect individuals, even great big ones, |
will not be needed. The normal senti-
ment of the people of the state is con-
tinued service by governor and sena-
tor. The interests of the two are iden-
teal. 1t remains to be seen whether
they will stand together. No one in
Madison, even those close to things, |
knows whether MI. Stephenson will !
announce himself for the senate or not.
The confusion may induce him and
perhaps Judge Webb (and for all any
body knows Mr.. Babcock) to offer
themselves again. But those who are
calm and who have weathered even !
bigger storms than the present one,
look to see the status quo maintained. !
In politics, as III all else, TO dispossess :
is always q difficult task.
Oil Interests Many,
The talk of oil in Texas and CalifOr-
MIA and other states has interested a
good many Wisconsin people and al
most every mail brings proposals to
buy stock in ''sure things in pushing
Texas or Croesus California. There is