Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-31
WISCONSIN OUTLOOK
POLITICAL FIGHT EVER
WAGED IN THE STATE.
National Republican Ticket Will Ger
tainly Be Elected-State and
Congressional Contests.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
MILWAUKEE,, October p. 1904.
Only nine days remain of the fercest
political campaign ever waged in the state
of Wisconsin. When the Bennett law cam
paign of 1890 was in progress, ''old hands
In politics told their understudies that
there would probably never be more nota-
bic struggle in the history of politics in
the badger state The coalition of the Ger
man Lutherans with the Catholics of all
nationalities was certainly remarkable
event-something like mixing of oil and
water: but there Is more viciousness this
year, despite the fact that semi-rel,gious
struggles are invariably bitter. The fight
now in progress is a sort of Midshipman
Easy duel, only in this case one OF the
combatants is target for two. The stat
warts are making q pretenSe OF aiming at
the democrats, but they are saving their
powder for joint attack upon La foilette
by voting for George w. Peck, the demo-
cratic gubernatorfal candidate Inc WORK
done for Scofield is all superficial the
word has been passed that the stalwart
vote is to go to Peck
The situation in some of the wards OF
Milwaukee Is unprecedented. where the
friends of Governor La Toilette are IN con-
troll of the regular ward clubs there Is an
additional republican club, composed oI
stalwarts. working to get out every stat
wart vcte-for Peck, if possible. or Tor
Scofield; but in any event against La FOL
lette. In wards in which the stalwarts are
in control of the regular republican clups
the friends Of the governor have quetiy
yielded to the force of circumstances, ana
are working separate organization LOT
the La Toilette ticket. In these instances,
finding themselves unable to utilize the reg
ular organization for work against the
governor, notwithstanding their control OF
the offices, the Stalwarts have also formed
separate organizations. In the first ward,
for instance, there is regular republican
ward club, a La Toilette organization.
Roosevelt and ScOfield club and demo-
cratic organization.
Aggressiveness in Republican Camps.
The aggressivcness is mainly in the
republican camps. The democrats have
thus far not shown spirit enough to war
rant high hopes of success. The fact is,
party lines are wiped out to a large ex-
tent, and thousands of the so-called La
Toilette democrats" will vote for the
governor. A democrat of national
prominence, whose name cannot be
used without breach of confidence, re-
Gently expressed the opinion that Gov.
La Follete's plurality would reach 10000.
This is the maximum of conservative es-
timate which are from 10000 upward.
But it is only the rash who venture into
figures with their predictions. There is
general belief that La Toilette will be
elected, out Things are SO Dduly tOTH up
that few even of those who are in close
touch with fractional and party move
ments have the courage to make esti-
mates as to the size of pluralities. With
all this uncertainty as to the result of the
balloting for the state ticket there is abso-
lutte confidence that Roosevelt and Fair
banks will carry the state by the usual re-
publican majority of presidential years.
The charges and counterchargeS of the
stalwarts and half-breeds that side or
the other is knitting President Roosevelt are
simply campaign froth. Both sides will re-
main true to the national ticket.
In Congressional Districts.
The struggle in several of the congress
sional districts is getting very hot. Rock
county is the seat of one of the bitterest
melees of the campaign, owing to the eff
forts of the governors friends to defeat
State Senator Whitehead. the stalwart
leader, who managed to secure the nom-
Representative Coopers district and as
Mr.. Cooper. since the supreme court de-
cision making the La Toilette ticket regu-
lar, has come out squarely for the COVER
nor, he will probably lose hundreds of votes
of anti-La Toilette republicans. He is de-
nounced by stalwart hot-heads all over the
state. However, his district is strongly
publican, and his reelection is not a mat
ter of doubt The fight against Represen-
tative Babcock has not relaxed in the least
If Babcock is lucky enough to win out
despite this bitter war against him in his
own party, it will be by narrow margin.
The fight against Representative Minor is
not quite so bitter, as Mr.. Minor has rather
grudgingly accepted the decision of the SUI
preme court and declared that he will sup
port the regular ticket. But as it is gen.
orally believed that he will vote against
La Toilette he will probably be cut by
hundreds of the governors supporters
In the fifth district, comprising portion
of Milwaukee county and Waukesha county
N a , IN
apparent; but notwithstanding Representa-
tive Stafford is having hard run. There
is nest of socialism in this district, and
the candidate of the socialists, Victor Ber-
ger, is brilliant and active campaigner.
Berger is working as though he expected
to be elected, and 1t is possible that his ac
tivity may be the undoing of Stafford. Rep
resentative Often, in the other Milwaukee
district-the fourth-wil have a closer run
than usual, but he will probably win, as the
democrats are not particularly enthusiastic
over their candidate, Peter j. Somers who
served the old fourth district during one
congressional term.
Temper Of the Struggle.
The temper of the struggle is illustrated
in the republican support of their ticket for
the offices in Milwaukee county. This ticket
comprises both stalwarts and half-breeds,
but the stalwarts are said to be cutting
their old adherents because of their preS-
ence In bad company" This break in the
dfdateS on the democratic county ticket
The stalwarts are trading the county ticket
for support against the governor who is
their chief enemy. In the state at large
they would prefer to capture the senate as
that is one of their objects in maintaining
third ticket. The movement is supported
by the railroads. which are anxious to
block La Follette's proposed freight-rate
legislation. The railroads would not care
rap for the governorship if they were
sure of capturing the senate, and. vice
versa, they would not waste tears over the
loss of the senate If they could capture the
governorship.
The Case of Kempf
In the case of ex-State Treasurer John J.
kempf, who sued the regular republican
state central committee to compel it to keep
his name on the ticket, despite the fact that
he had resigned therefrom, as he claimed
under pressure, Judge Ludwig yesterday
decided that Kempfs name could not be
removed from the ticket because his resg-
nation was premature. According to the
decision nominees for state Offices cannot
resign until the ticket Is certified to the
secretary of state. 1t will be recalled that
Kempf was removed from office by Gov
ernor La Toilette for irregularities in his ac-
counts and compelled to resign from the
ticket by the state central committee. The
decision will have little bearing on the cam
paign, except, perhaps, to make closer the
affiliation between La Toilette and the re-
form democrats and increase La Follette's
strength in that direction. The La EolletteS