The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-28
National Leaders Pow
erIess to End the
Conflict.
BY S. w. WALL,
Staff Correspondent OF The Call.

MADISON, Wis. Sept. 27.-Mr
Cortelyou and Mr.. Taggart are both
exercising a pause in Wisconsin. The
Republican fractional fight in the State
has brought the national campaign,
so far as Influenced by both national
committees, TO this extraordinary pass.
20 date there has been absolutely
nothing doing here. And this in face
of some spirited editorials in Demo-
cratic newspapers that no doubt re-
fleet the opinion of somebody, labelling
her thirteen representatives in the
electoral college as ''Wisconsin's vital
vote
OF course this is rot, but nobody
who knows him will suppose that Mr..
Roosevelt, at least views the inane
spectacle with patience.
1t is this way-supposing you have
not noted it before: What the ma
tional committees have to do in pros
ecuting their campaign in each State
they do through the State central
committees. M Wisconsin there are
two Republican State central COM
mittees and it remains to be deter
mined which is the" central commit
tee. Each represents such a following
as to enlist Mr.. Cortelyou's profound
respect. And without regard to that
there are rules of propriety that must
be observed, even in politics, and, see
ing that the matter is in court, there
was nothing else to do save to do
nothing. The case was submitted by
the so-called Stalwarts and the issue
joined by the so-called Halfbreeds
and the Supreme Court is due to rem
der judgment tomorrow.
QUESTION TO BE DECIDED.
The decision will say which of the
two factions is regular. is entitled to
the name of Republican" and may
take precedence on the big Australian,
ballot. Mr.. Cortelyou will then know
with which chairman he shall deal,
and TO the address given will be con-
signed such a prize lot of spellbinders
and such tons of literature as will
keep the political digestion sizzling to
assimilate between that and election
day.
But the decision will by no means
clear up the situation in this ready
fashion. 1t all depends. s. A
Cook, who is the nominee for Governor
on the Stalwart ticket has announced
that he Will abide by the judgment of
the court and If the convention that
nominated him was not the regular
Republican convention he will retire.
The chairman of the Stalwart commit
tee has said that such action on Mr..
Cooks part would not end the matter,
but would necessitate the committee
filling the vacancy, as the convention
gave it power TO debut there are not
many who believe this
On the other hand should the court
say that the Stalwart convention was
the thing, as the Republican National
Convention said it was, nobody believes
that it would have the slightest effect
on the campaign of Governor La Fol-
lette, except to cause him to hustle a
little more. This. of course, adds i'm
mensely TO the interest in the decision.
TAGGART. TOO. is WAITING.
But why should Mr.. Taggart hold
aloof from Wisconsin pending the set
Element of a Republican dispute? He
is waiting TO discover il Wisconsin be
a doubtful State. With the two Re
publican tickets in the field Mr. Tag
CART will get very busy in Wisconsin,
hoping to capture those vital Is votes
With the Stalwarts out of it and La
Toilette left alone to confront his Dem
ocratic opponent, the Democrats would
make no extraordinary effort in the
State. It is reasonable to suppose,
therefore, that Mr.. Roosevelt is some
what interested in the decision him
self as well as all good Republicans.
And il is reasonable to suppose, too,
that a decision that removed Wiscon-
sin from the possibility of a doubt
would not be displeasing to him and
to them.
1t is frankly stated that these con-
siderations bring to the cause of the
Governor a heap of sympathy that
might not otherwise be on exhibition,
and, on the other hand, they work to
the infinite embarrassment of Sena-
tors Spooner and Quarles, Representa-
tive Babcock and their following,
Continued on Page 2, Column 5.