Evening star., 1903-10-08
TO BE AN UGLY FIGHT
GOV. LA TOILETTE OPPOSING BAB-
COCKS REELECTION.
Comment on the Outlook by Wiscon-
sin Republican-Thinks Babcock
Will Win in the End.

Wisconsin republican of prominence,
who was in the city today, commented to
a Star reporter upon a special dispatch
from Baraboo. Wis, which appeared re-
Gently in the New York World and otheS
eastern papers, and which said that Gov
ernor La Toilette has openly declared war
on Joseph w. Babcock representative from
the third Wisconsin district.
The Wisconsin republican remarked that
he was not surprised at the dispatch. as
he had known for some time that Gov
ernor La Toilette was after Mr.. Bah
cock and intent upon defeating him.
1T is certain to be an ugly fight said the
Star reporters informant, and it will be a
close one, but believe that in the end Bah
cock will win. l do not think that Gov. La
Toilette, in all the circumstances of the
situation, can defeat Babcock, although ne
will make the fight of his life to do it.
MY understanding of the is that
Gov. La Toilette charges Babcock with be-
ing the cause of the defeat of some legisla-
ton at Madison last winter which the gov
ernor desired. He also suspects Babcock of
being allied with the faction which is bitter
ly opposing La Toilette and which indeed
is determined upon La Follettes eimina-
ton from republican politics ii possible
Babcock on the Ground.
1T is evident that Babcock saw this storm
coming, for he has spent the entire summer
in his district, visiting every town and get
ting into close touch with his people. He
went to Wisconsin right after the close of
Congress. and with the exception of a week
two has attended strictly to business,
mendng his fences. Babcock is politician
of skill. and has let no tricks escape,
1T is pretty certain that Babcock will lose
the support of Vernon county, which is an
important county in his district. He will
have a fair fighting chance in Iowa and
Crawford counties. He will control Grant,
Sauk. Richmond and Juneau. and that will
give him a control of the district. All this
in my opinion.
La Follette's Fads
"Gov. La Toilette is fighting the railroads.
He wants authority to appoint a commits
sion to regulate rates. The governor is go
ing around the state addressing the farm
ers alleged discrimination. | will give
you an example of the misleading state
ments the governor makes. He will quote
to the farmers the railroad rates on a con-
Signment of hogs from their farm to Chi
cago, or for a hundred-mile haul on the
road. Then he will show that farmer in
Iowa and Nebraska gets as cheap or cheap
er rates for a two-hundred- mile haul iii his
state Well, everybody knows that railroad
rates vary according to circumstances and
that the long haul is as cheap as the short
haul. If he would quote the rate for the
same distance in Nebraska or Iowa, it
would be fair comparison
From these alleged determinations, the
governor draws the conclusion that the fix
ing of railroad rates should be left to
state commission. and that is the keynote of
his present campaign. He is after Bah
cock because he thinks Babcock is opposed
to his fads and because the defeat of bab-
cock would be an object lesson. he thinks,
to demonstrate his own power"