Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-15
Trouble Among the Repub-
licans in Wisconsin.
THE ISSUES INVOLVED
SENATOR SPooNER'S RE-FLEC-
TIoN ALSO A QUESTION.
GOV. La Follette's Friends May In
dorse Him for the Position
Wednesdays Convention.

Wednesdays Convention.
Deep interest is felt in Washington po-
htical and official circles over the factIonal
night among the republicans of Wisconsin.
which will come TO a head tomorrow in
the state convention. The re-electio, or
senator Spooner and the possible change
OF the political complexion Of two or more
congressional districts are involved.
The pending fight is said TO be unparal-
leled IN its bitterness. Nothing like it has
ever been known In that western country
The danger of a split in the republican
party Of Wisconsin, with its magnificent
present majority, is said to be imminent
If the split should assume such proportions
as TO cause republican detection a couple
of republican congressional districts might
be lost.
That possibility is worrying the WIseon-
sin delegation, several of whom are stfll m
Washington while others are in the east
keeping out Of the fight. AS the contest is
mainly upon state issues and as the rem
sentatiVes in Congress have friends and
followers in both factions, they are kept
busy endeavoring to balance themselves
evenly upon the fence. one or two mem
bers Of the delegation may attend the con-
Vention, but, IL is said, will remain strictly
neutral.
The Causes of the Fight
The fight is between two factions of re-
publicans, one led by the present governor
Robert NJ. La Toilette, candidate for re-elec-
ton, and the other representing the sup
porters of the old-line leaders, like Saw
yer, Payne and Spooner. The issues are
mainly confined to the proposition to nomi-
nate all candidates offices l.
primaries and to a reform in state taxa
tion. Senator Spooner's interests enter into
the equation because of the fact that his
supporters are largely opposed to the Ia
Toilette faction. and ii is assumed rather
than openly asserted that the latter may
oppose him.
The novel feature Of the situation is that
1t Is not even known yet whether senator
SpOoner is a candidate for reelection To the
Senate. He has not asked the Endorsement
of the convention. In July, 1909, I'm the
shadow of threatened domestic sorrow.
which happily did not matorialiZe he wrote
a letter stating that he would not seek re
election. That letter still stands as exhibit
A. in the case; IL has Rot been withdrawn
or modified by the senator. HIS friends say
that if the convention indOrses him he viii
accept but that he VIII not seek the office.
The Latest Development.
The latest development in the situation
was the issuance of a document from the
Friday, in which the following significant
reference was made to the senatorship:
$50 far as the United States sena atorship
is concerned. these issues must not be
subordinated to it, played off against L. or
in any manner involved in it. Those who
have in charge the interests of any candi-
date for the United States Senate Will. Of
course. look to such interests, as is their
unquestioned right The members of the
republican party may all favor one or more
candidates for the United States Senate, as
is their unquestioned right With the
United States senatorship the advocates Of
primary elections and just taxation do not
propose to interfere between candidates
unless forced so to do In defense Of these
measures But let il be plainly understood
now by any cand date, or the frie nds of any
candidate for the United States senatorship.
that the advocates of nomination by direct
vote, and of just and equal taxation. viii
endure no further opposition t. the plat
form pledges Of the republican partT by
federal officials in open violation OF civil
service rules and all decent party obliga-
ticns without such protest as shall COM
mand the attention Of the resident, the
party and the country. More than two hun
dred thousand republicans OF Wisconsin are
resolved not to allow these great issues,
which lie at the foundation Of represt tnta-
tive government within this state, To he
sacrificed a second time for any reaSn1
For once every selfish interest and am
btion shall give way to the cause Of the
people"
History of the Two Issues.
1t may be OF interest to recite briefly the
history of the two issues to which reference
is made in the foregoing manifesto. Two
years ago Robert NJ. La Toilette, after two
previous unsuccessful attempts, won the
for governor. He was nomi-
mated by acclaim, the forces Of the old-line
saders collapsing absolutely. He made his
campaign largely upon the issue that the
legislature should pass a law providing for
the nomination of candidates at the pri-
maries The legislature defeated his pro-
posed bill and passed a substitute, which
he vetoed as unsatisfactory and failing TO
meet the demands of the party platform.
Then an additional issue was hoated by
the La Follette faction, proposing sweeping
reform in taxation, something along the
lines of the Tom L. johnson proposition in
Ohio and in sympathy with the Pingree
ideas in Michigan. The railroads were
made the object of particular attack
The old-lne republicans charged that the
new schemes smacked of populism and de-
nounced them bitterly The fight became
hot. Then majority Of the republicans
Of the legislature signed a statement depre-
eating La Follette's reelection. and charg-
ing that the executive had infringed the
functions of the legislative branch Of the
government.
Senator Spooner's Friends.
The friends Of Senator Spooner recently
began to get active and had several county
openly indorse his reelection.
1t was noticed that in Gov. La Follette's
county three such conventions failed TO
urge Senator Spooner's reelection. That
strengthened the suspicion that the La Fol-
lette faction were after" the senator with
a knife.
Gov La Follette's fight practically is over.
1t is said that he controls two-thirds Of
the delegates in favor Of his denomination.
The question will be whether the conven-
ton shall indorse Senator Spooner or not.
The outcome Of the fight on that line holds
the possibilities of further trouble for the
republicans and that is what is worrying
them.