The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-23
IA TOILETTE SEEKING
MR.. BABGOCK'S SCALP
Bitter Fight on in Third
Wisconsin District.
THE GOVERNORS AMBITIONS
Present Representatives. Long Service
in House and on District Committee
Makes Him Popular.

According to reports received I'm
Washington. Governor La Toilette is
making a determined effort to retire
Representative Joseph w Babcock to
private life. The friends OF Mr.. Bah
cock are confident, however. that his
long and efficient service In the House
and in behalf of the Republican party
will be sufficiently appreciated by his
constituents 20 enable him to win an
ether denomination.
The district which Mr. Babcock rep
resents is so strongly Republican that
the nomination Of that party is equiva-
lent to an election. as It is not thought
that the followers of the governor would
dare 70 carry their fight beyond the
nominating convention.
On District Committee.
Mr.. Babcock is entering upon his fifth
term as chairman of the District Com
mittee of the House. and in the course
OF his eight years Of service in that ca
pacity he has become so thoroughly
familiar with the needs OF the District
and so wei acquainted with its citizens
that his retirement would be a loss to
be regretted. 1t is felt by his associates
in the House that his defeat would be
a still greater loss to tffs party as Mr.
Babcock has five times. as chairman
of the Republican Congressional com
mittee. successfully piloted his party to
victory and returned Republican MAORI
ties biennially for ten years to the
House Of Representatives.
Notwithstanding this. it is admitted
that Governor La Toilette is after Mr..
Babcocks political scalp. The griev-
ance which the governor holds against
the Congressman is that the latter does
not subscribe TO all OF the sociaIistic
doctrines advocated in speech and plat
form by Governor La Toilette. But in
this distinction Representative Babcock
has good Republican company In the
State. The governor Is said to desire
the defeat Of several other members Of
the Wisconsin delegation. but as Mr.
BabcOck is the most conspicuous mem
Der. he has gone cut with all his war
paint for the member from the Third
district.
Faces Hard Fight.
There are seven counties in Mr. Bah
cocks district and In each there has ap-
peared a candidate to oppose Mr. Bah
cock for the nomination. All are par
usans OF Governor L.aFollette and their
avowed purpose is to combine at the
proper time upon some one of their
number in an effort to defeat the pres
ent Representative. No candidate has
appeared in Mr.. Babcocks own county,
and il is conceded that he will carry
that. and his friends arc confident that
he viii win out in the others. They are
losing no time. but have already begun
the campaign.
1t Is said that Governor La Foletto's
ambition is to attain the Presidency be-
lore he is a decade older. He IS now a
young man. and is serving his second
term as governor OF the State. He was
in Congress when he was only twenty
nine years Of age. and is man of great
personal magnetism and energy. Al
though posing as reformer il is said
he has built up in the State the strong
est personal machine Wisconsin ever
had. II IS believed that he seeks a
third election as governor and then a
promotion TO the Senate to succeed Sen
ator Quarles. whose term expires in
March. 1905. Three years in the Sen
ate. he thinks viii make him eligible 70
the Presidency in 1905