The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-22

president of this company, and Charles
Pfister has been his loyal supporter. The
latter is millionaire, and one of the prin-
cipal stockholders. Mr.. Payne has acquired
practically all his distinction as a successful
lobbyist in Washington and Madison. He has
not thus far shown his hand openly in the
war on La Toilette, but it is we'll known that
his syppathies are with the machine that
has made him wealthy man and given him
position. .. .
Mr. Pfster is the recognized head of the
organization to defeat Governor La Toilette,
and he glories in the distinction. $3.50
Trend of Sentiment.
The recent city election in Milwaukee is
suggestive of the trend Of public sentiment.
Governor La Toilette had occasion during
the winter to appoint a circuit judge for Mil
waukee county He appointed with the APP
prevail of the bar strong and able repub-
lican attorney Mr.. Tarrant, who, as was ex-
pected became a candidate for the position
at the spring election. He was strenuously
opposed by Mr.. Pfster and the boilers league
for the reason that he was an exponent of La
Folletteism and it was necessary to defeat
him to rebuke the governor: The boilers are
perhaps stronger in Milwaukee than In any
other part Of the state. The result was that
while the league candidate! &for mayor OF
| Milwaukee was buried by7over 5000 plurality
JuuS6T lfIuIlpHeu ny over c,oVV.
spooner's Attitude.
| strange feature Nof the situation Is the
| attitude of United States Senator John c.
| Spooner ;Spooner hates La Toilette with the
bittern ess of great small man. Both reside
| in Madison. During every campaign since
| 1894 the senator has bitterly opposed the La
] Toilette influence in their home county, ana
! has as regularly been defeated. He has not
| as far as anyone Except perhaps his most
! CONFIDENTIAL partizans) knows any opinion on
| any of the questions now foremost in Wis
consin politics. But every federal Office
! holder in the state Joined with the railroad
lobby in 1901 and helped to set the platform:
promises at raught. Naturally the voters
| begin to wonder whether the senior senator is
in sympathy with the people in the movement
to purify the campaigns by a primary election
| law on the lines OF the Minnesota statute,
| and in the effort to secure from the railroads
and other public service corporations their
| just share of taxes. His reticence on these
| subjects-the fact that he spent very little
| time In the Wisconsin campaign in 1900 when
1 Mr.sLa Toilette was the candidate of his
PARTY; his service as attorney for leading
western railroads for many years before his
election to the senate: the fact that he spent
many winters at Madison in the interest OF
| corporations and was one Of the most adroi'
| and successful lobbyists; his prediction fol
i the New York stock market and practica
i abandonment Of his Wisconsin home for his
| summer homes in New Hampshire and OF
4 the sea shore; his public announcement tw'
years ago that he had determined lire
voeably'' not to be candidate for reelection
while an active campaign is now being mad
for.41m by the boilers without a word from
him that he has changed his irrev ocahle de
termnation-Gll these things naturally ten
to raise the inquiry whether after all TIL
brilliant senator is not playing into the hand
of his former employers the railroads, an
whether his distinguished abilities are no
used to the detriment rather than for TIL
best interests of the state. He fas Eimsel
not openly allied himself with the league
but his most intimate political friends AM
appointees are it's leading and most activ
members. 1t is hardly conceivable that the
would display their unusual activity agains
the governar and the reforms he represents
they were not satisfied that such action OF
their part met with the approval of tn
senatorNto whom they owe their positions.
4 HopeIessly Divided.
The party now seems almost hopelessly di
u Yfied. On ore side are Senator Spooner, tn
federal office holders, and the railroads an
other public utility corporations and ia
dodgers coptending for the continuation {
present conditions. On the other side arc til
= forces LED by Governor La FOllelte. StanCln
for definite and we'll defined measures an
having behindsthem the great mass of citizen
Who have for years been patiently paying be
sides their own large share of taxes a larg
part of those taxes which should in equi'
have rested on the public service corpora
. tons.
The old machine element and the youn
! progressive element of republcanism ar
> whetting their axes for the final contest. TIL
I struggle will determine whether old abuse
:. shall have another lease of life in Wiscor
sin, or whether the citizen under the preser
: caucus and convention methods, in the mar
! pulations whereof the old machine has il
strength, will be able Nto break the bono
which have heretofore shackled his polite;
: action With primary election law 1
4 Toilette would sweep the state as he did
! the polls two years ago. He wouN preft
{ a direct appeal to the people, but that h
> opponents are determined he shall not hav
3 But as he defeated his opponents at the
i own game two. years ago his devoted follow
] ing feel confident that his record for faithf!
Z service ~ such that he can doIso more easil
Z this ,yeaf.