Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-07
La Toilette and Spooner Both
Claim the State.
BITTERNESS OF FIGHT
MOST STRENUOUS CAMPAIGN IN
STATES HISTORY.
Result of Balloting Will Probably Be
$4,000 for Roosevelt and $1,000
for La Toilette.
speeia, DISPATCH to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, November Tine
most strenuous campaigning in the history
of politics in Wisconsin came to an END To-
day and the personal and party questiohs
at issue are now in the hands of the voters.
So much bitterness has been injected into
the contest that personal considerations VIII
in many instances develop more weight
than the platform principle. Governor La
Toilette has stumped the state for nearly
three months, travelling by rail-. by auto
mobile, and by team, and he has main
tanned throughout this time steady nre
Of criticism and denunciation OF MS politi-
cal opponents. The stalwart wing OF the
republican party carried on desultory
campaign until the supreme court rendered
its decision and change OF candldacy IroIh
s. A. Cook to Ex-Governor Scoffeld was ne
cessitated. Since that time they have cam
paigned the state with vigor that mas ied
superficial observers to believe that La FOL
lette has lost ground. But there Is no
basis, whatever, for that opinion.
La Follette's Closing Speech.
Governor La Toilette delivered his closing
address in Milwaukee Friday evening ana
drew to the exposition building crowo
that packed that large auditorium TO the
DOORS Senator Spooner closed the staiWart
campaign at the same place on Saturday
night but the gathering that greeted MIN
was much smaller and far less enthusiastic
The difference in the size and the spirit OF
these meetings seems to indicate that the
governors strength in Milwaukee county Is
greater than has been generally supposed.
AS usual, on the eve of battle, the repre-
sentatives of the various political organl-
cations have given out estimates as to the
probable result Although these predlc-
lions are known to be mere buncomDe,
thrown out to nerve party workers for the
final struggle, they are always interesting.
Chairman Connor of the La Toilette state
central committee declares that President
Roosevelt and Governor La Toilette VIII
each have 1900 plurality, and that the
governor will have placed behind him
clear working majority in the legislature.
This would mean the defeat of Senator Jo-
seph V. Quarles, whose successor is to be
elected next January. In any event. the
chances for Quarles seem slim, because II
the La Folletteites are beaten the winners
will probably be democrats.
Defeat of La Toilette Claimed.
Secretary Bentley of the stalwart state
central committee predicts that while Roose-
welt will carry the state by $4,000. La Fol-
lette will lose the election by 10000, that all
the republican candidates for Congress will
win but the legislature may be democratic
warts and half-breeds. Chairman Warden
of the democratic state central committee
predicts the election of Ex-Governor George
w. Peck over La Toilette by 5000. and
expresses the belief that Parker may carry
the state because of the republican mix-up.
The congressional situation is very in
teresting in the third district. Senator Bab-
cock will be badly cut. Four years ago the
counties which constitute Babcock's pres
ent district gave him about 10000 plurality,
but it is estimated that fully that many
voters failed to go to the polls. The can
vass has been so hot in the district this
year that a full vote will undoubtedly be
polled. In which event the political COM
plexion Of the absentees of 1900 would count
heavily In determining the result.
Socialists Are Active.
In the ninth district Representative Minor
has been trying to placate his opponents.
but in SO doing he has offended some of
his friends. However. he is likely to be
returned as the feeling against him is not
as bitter as that against Babcock. The
other districts concerning which there is
anxiety. If doubt. are the fourth and fifth
respectively, the Milwaukee and the Milwau-
kee Waukesha district The vote in the
fourth is uncomfortably close with harmony
in the republican ranks. What the lack of
jens calculation remains to be seen. In
the fifth district the result will depend
largely on the size of the socialist vote.
There is nest of socialists in the Mil
waukee end Of the district. and Victor Ber-
ger, the socialist candidate, Is making a
stirring canvass
From an outside standpoint the result of
the balloting will probably be about 1900
plurality for Roosevelt and 10000 plurality
for La Toilette, with the legislature very
much in doubt and the congressional strug-
giles in the districts mentioned full of anxi-
ETY., but with the chances favoring the re-
publicans.
The latest pill of bitterness in the strug-
gle Is the attitude of the stalwarts toward
the county tickets, which have been aban-
doned to the stalwart workers for trading
purposes. This may be resented by the va
rious county candidates. to La Follette's
advantage. JULIUS BEYER.