Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-05-12
SCORE DUPLICITY OF
LA Toilette.
Republicans of the State De-
nounCe Treachery in the
Attempted Deal.
HIS SUPPORTERS DAZED.
milwaukee Sentinel, May sth.)

milwaukee Sentinel, May sth)
The letters of H. G. Kress, Robert M.
La Toilette and Henry G. Payne pub
lished in Wednesdays issue Of the Sen
tinel, showing the attempt made to Sc
cure the machine" support for La Fol-
lette i'll his candidacy for governor, fur
nished subject for general discussion
in political circles in Milwaukee and
throughout the state yesterday To many
who take more than a passing interest
III politics the publication of the letters
was no surprise, for the existence Of the
letters was known. Their publication
furnished unmistakable evidence how
ever, that the rumors for so long current
were based upon facts.
The exposure of La Follettes double
record was received with varying emo
tions by those who style themselves Re-
publicans. To those who did not know
Of the correspondence carried on by La
Toilette to secure combination with the
forces he had bitterly fought, the dis
closure came as a sudden surprise. To
the sincere La Toilette followers it was
a decided shock. That their idol had
been irreparably shattered many Of them
admitted with sorrow Others in charity
withheld Judgment until the governor
had had a chance to explain, but an ex-
PLANTATION was demanded before the gov
ernOr could be restored to their conf
dence There was little attempt in any
quarter to conceal the chagrin felt by
the men who had been deceived, though
few of the most faithful henchmen of
hn ad mi ctr off p6 t0 hn
WINGED.
But whatever the feelings with which
the disclosures were neutrality-suspicious.
those of humiliation, or surprise, or re-
sentiment, or, as in the case of a large
number of old-time Republicans, the fact
of the governors treachery came upon
them like the fulfllment of prophecy
there was one point on which nearly all
agreed yesterday. That was that-a case
Of absolute duplicity and treachery had
been proved, This morning the Senti-
mel publishes the views of scores of rep
resentative Republicans from every Sec
ton of Wisconsin, gathered by it's CORE
spondents without reference to fractional
distinctions, and from every quarter. come
words of denunciation of the political
hypocrisy which has been practiced by
one who makes such great pretensions Of
reform.
POSED AS OPPONENT OF MACHINE. "a
The expressed desire of La Toilette, in
season and out, for a good many years
has been to impress the general public
with the idea that he purposed to demol-
ish political machines" and was the OPP
ponent of all machine" politicians.
Largely because of this agitation, con
Quoted for the specific object of. achley-
ing political identity as the anti4machine
leader in Wisconsin, his addresses made
before the student body of the Chicago
University, as we'll as before that Of
the Michigan University, his campaign
speeches and the literature which mas
been sent out in his behalf and under his
direction, have been based upon the idea
of the destruction of the machine" in
politics.
His contention in behalf of the estab
lishment of the primary election system =
according to his oft-repeated assertions
during the campaign was for the purpose
of curtailing the influence of the political
machine" During Gov. La Follette's
several campaigns, the combined effort Of
himself and immediate friends was direct
ed against Henry G. Payne, who, accord
machine leader and the 'boss'' in Wis
consin politics. During his campaign
against Gov. Scofeld, the columns Of the
State a publication edited and controlled
in the interest of La Toilette, contained
many denunciatory articles of Mr.. Payne
and he was refefreQ TO as one VI Cuc
four big bosses who manage the machine
in this state" and as being closely iden-
tilted with the larger corporations and
monopolies."
This was the public attitude of Gov.
La Toilette in his relations to the ma
chine and to Henry G. Payne as one
of the leaders of the Republican party
in this state, who for years had been
denounced as a menacing danger to rep
resentative government" by La Toilette
and his supporters. La Follette's desire
to be governor and to be placed in con-
troll of the politics Of Wisconsin made
him a not unwilling party to the negotia-
tions carried on by Fl. G. Kress Of Man
itowoc, acting as a friend Of both Payne
and La Toilette.
ACTED IN DUAL ROLE.
In his letter to Mr.. Kress, under date
of May 25, 1900, he says: "Should you
go further with the matters you have
written me about it would necessarily
whom you have met. He knows my
as there is anything to say in regard
to the proposals which you have made"
The extract from the letter cited shows
the private and personal relations de-
sired by La Toilette as regards the
friendship and influence of Mr.. Payne.
Publicly Mr.. Payne was denounced as
'boss' and a machine corporationist."
Privately his good Offices were solicited
to make La Toilette governor.