The Washington times., 1904-05-19
is FIRST
TO BREAK THE P1
Discord in Republican Ranks Threatens DisasteA
in State-Two Party Tickets Assured-South {
lima Fails to Instruct for Parker.

In Wisconsin has occurred a serious
break in the general Republican scheme
OF harmony and good feeling. Disaster
! threatens the party in the State. The
breach Is so wide that neithar faction
believes 1t can be healed before election
! daY.
Elsewhere. with minor and unimpor-
/ tant exceptions, peace has prevailed
among Republicans, on the surface. at
| least 1t has remained for the Repub-
leans of the Badger State to sound the
note Of discord and to start the fight.
There Governor La Toilette is the is
| sue, and the opposing faction, headed
| by Senator Spooner and Senator Quarles
| and Joined by nearly all of the Repub-
| lican members Of Congress from that
| State, bOlted the regular convention,
and purpose nominating a separate State
/ ticket, including Presidential electors
and anu-La Toilette delegates to the
Republican National Convention
Fight to Be Carried Up.
Their fight for admission and regular
| lty will be carried 10 the national com,
mittee. and TO the floor Of the eonven-
| ton, If necessary. The struggle over
the nominations for State Offices viii
Whatever may be the judicial decision
upon this matter there. now seems to
be no other probability than that there
VIII be two Republican State tickets
in the field this fall In that event. the
prospects for the election of a Demo-
cratic governor and an entire set of
Democratic State officials seems not only
possible. but extremely likely, as both
p v-aFr
would prefer to see the State go Demo-
cratic rather than yield to the other.
Governor La Toilette, who is serving
his second term and seeks reelection, is
a radical OF radicals, but withaI. a man
of powerful personality. a gifted orator.
an able organizer, a shrewd politician.
He has large following amcng the rank
and file of the party He is the sworn
enemy of trusts and combinations. 1t
has been charged that his radicalism |
borders on Socialism.
He has built up a strong political ma |
chine while decrying machine methods. |
He has fought the denomination of near
~ all Of the Republican members or /
Congress from that State, but without /
success.
An Exciting Campaign.
ing campaign has been going on for 1
the election Of delegates 10 the State 1
convention. with the result that the l. O45 /
delegates were nearly evenly divided be-
tween the La Toilette and anti-I.a Fol- |
lette forces. The latter. led by Senator |
Spooner. declare they elected an actual /
majority. There were numerous con-
tests. and the State committee. which is
a La Toilette organization. acting as a
committee on credentials, seated the
major portion OF the governors follow
ers. and gave him an actual majority
in the convention.
Anticipating a fight. the governors
friends carefully planned TO keep out
those who did not hold properly certi-
fed credentials. They fenced in the con-
vention hall with wire netting and
placed athletic guards at the entrance
10 throw out anti-La Toilette men who
did not have proper papers. AS a re-
suit several fights are reported 70 have
occurred.
Finally, finding themselves outnunn-
bered, Senator Spooner's followers bolt
ed the regular convention. They win
today nominate 4. separate ticket. with
either N-Representatt tive 5. A. Cooke or
Emil Baensch for governor. The regu-
lar convention will reEominate Governor
La Toilette
National Vote Safe.
1t is not improbable that. no matter
which side wins before the national
convention. a compromise may be eff
fected in respect to Presidential elec- ;
tors. No national issue IS involved in
the Wisconsin trouble. both factions in I
dorsing the Republican National Ad- {
This will probably save the State to
the Republicans so far as the national
ticket is concerned. II the fight IS car
ried into the legislative districts il may
defeat Senator Quaries for reelection. /
His successor viii be chosen by the
Legislature TO be elected this fall.
In the last two Presidential cam !
paigns the Republicans have carried i
Wisconsin by major!ties of more than !
10000. Governor La Toilette was re- ,
elected two years ago by majority Of
more than q, 600 out OF a total vote Of
10000, and against the strongest Demo- I
David s. Rose Of Milwaukee Repub- .
lean leaders are greatly disturbed over :
The situation, particularly as there ap- :
pears TO be no way out OF the present e
difficulty. L
South Cardinals Course. l.
The first Southern Democratic con- !.
-entiOn of this year occurred yesterday c
IN South Carolina with the result that
IN uninstructed delegation was chosen to +
he ST. Louis convention. The Hearst n