The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-11-08

WILLIAM T. Villas.
is no question that as the year Of cleo
ton draws nigh-the convention is but
eight months away and the fighting for
nominations is already taking shape
there is no question, l say, but that
grim worry is in the hearts of those
who have most at stake.
The fear is OF Democratic success.
1t seems ridiculous at first blush that,
protected by over 100000 majority,
Wisconsin Republicans should fear q
Democratic victory, but there has been
some serious consultation by Republic
ans and it is understood ex-senator
Villas friends have vague hopes that
he may get back to Washington. If
the anti-LaFOllette and the LaFOllette
forces should fall to cutting each 9th
erS' threats before and after convention
agine a disgust and fever SO agitating
the electorate, skillfully fOstered by
the Democrats, as to make the return
of a Democratic senator possible. 1t is
for this reason that the Madison Jour
naTS war cry "SpOOner and LaFOl-
lCtte," which was at first ridiculed and
then denounced as impossible, is be-
ginning to commend itself to Republic
an factiOnalists as the only hope. 1t
has long been accepted by the rank
and file of voters. Henry c. Payne
is credited with a distrust, genuine Or
assumed, of the Milwaukee opposition
movement, engineered by his friend.
AS he is associated in the popular
mind with a cabinet position, he is nat
urally ayerse to having President
Roosevelt discover that in Wisconsin
Mr.. Payne is out of touch with great
numbers of Republicans by reason OF
being a cornerstone of an effort to de-
throne Republican governor. Sena-
tor SpOOner has fortunately not been
actively identified with the eleventh
story i'll the minds of the rank and
state, though it is not the fault of
some OF his appOintees, who, in their
blindness, have put the admiration and
appreciation in which he is held to ID
severe test i'll some quarters.
The sentiment is growing that while
Governor LaFOllette has made some
mistakes, he should be reelected. Both
the SpOOner men and the LaFOllette
men are willing to fall into a pro-
gramme of harmony, but there is yet
considerable hanging off for tactical
purposes.
Tax Reform Hangs Fire.
AS to what will become of the elev.
enth story i'll its most critical function
the choice of a legislature free from
any inflammation along tax reform
l1heS-l confess the horoscope is too
hazy to be determined. Using the
torchlights of the past, the chances are
its effort, organization and money will
likely enough succeed. With Governor
LaFOllette SO long ill., the effort to Sc
cure his return so considerable With
the tax commission so unfortunately
conditioned, and the public mind on the
subject of taxation so beclouded, the
chances of an intelligent, determined
and triumphant legislature prepared
to perform the needful in the way OF
tax reform in the winter of 1908 is not
good. However, progress is being made
and the state tax commission will
gradually do its mission.
Who Will Succeed Adams?
Interest in the succession to the pres
idency at the state university contin-
ues, though little is said publicly. The
committee to recommend a man con
tains Senator Stout, Colonel Villas, and
others, and while their report will, of
course, be subject to the approval OF
all the regents, nevertheless a recon.
mendation on which they could agree
would be practically conclusive I,
may be they cannot agree. Because
time is being taken, wisely, it does
lot follow that an appointment may be
reached before long. The regents are
being much advised, by faculty anG