The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-01-22
GOSSIP OF CANT A|GN
The StalWart Leaders and the
Baensch-Cook Move.
nrent.
LUsE OR KIRwIN FOR JUDGE
Equitable Insurance Case-Sturtevam
Letter Expose-Plans of the
Prohibitionists.

Madison, Wis, Jan. 19.-Things are
moving up politically. Judge Baensch
has named a campaign committee
headed by Philip c. SpoOner, a broth
er Of the senator, with headquarters
in Madison. and the ten gentlemen of
the committee are active ones. Mr..
Spooner himself was formerly mayor
of Madison. He is bachelor, a quiet
reserved man, much resembling the
senator in appearance, and his friend {;
say it is a case of equal abilities, eA
cept that the senator can talk in pub
lie and Philip never makes speeches.
The latter is the active spirit in the
Madison street railroad and effective in
getting results-industrial or political
He is a man of faultiess habits, gen.
tlemanly and friendly, and capable of
fine friendships. Of course, he is a
pronounced conservative. His Offices
have long been the place where things
are done and the big men Of the state
of the stalwart persuasion make quiet
pilgrimages, and the city knows not
has been good deal of protest be-
cause Senator SpOoner does not get out
in the active fight to retire Governor
LaFOnette. It is reasonable to believe
that the active leadership which Phil
ip Spooner is willing to undertake will
be very acceptable.
Some of the Active Workers.
J. 3. Treat of Monroe is one Of the
veterans of the committee. George b.
Clementson of Lancaster is a bright
young lawyer, son of the circuit
judge, though as yet there is nothing
officially to show that the father has
renowned any sympathies formerly
claimed by the state administration.
M. B. Rosenberg, the Wausau attor-
ney, is a partner of Senator KreutZer,
and a strong worker. 0. w. Johnson,
the Racine manufacturer, treasurer or
the organization, a man of wealth, Of
influence and of worth, has retired
and Senator Beach of Whitewater sub
stituted. The opposition movement,
with Judge Baensch at it's head, is GER
tainly starting out with care to antic-
ipate the charge of more eleventh
story" It's manifesto does not men
ton the governors name and puts the
issue on the ground of reunited par
ty. After some weeks research the
conclusion is reached that Mr.. Cook
of Neenah is q candidate in good faith
without connection with Governor La
Follette's plans. The manifesto speaks
80 H. p@r vrrlx sy1%S
mates that if it appears that Cook is
more acceptable than Baensch, such
an outcome wouldd be accepted by the
Republicans whom the committee rep
resentS
For Supreme Court.
The judgeship contest, unfortunate
ly, is taking on factiOnal flavor,
though the home people of each can
didatc are standing by their own, ir-
respective of politics. Mr. Luse for
merly lived in Stoughton. a city Of g.
600 in Dane county, and his simple,
sincere ways, matching a big, rugged
personality, make him very popular.
Mr.. Kirwan. the Neenah attorney, is
also strong among the people of Win
nebago county. He was delegate to
the Republican state convention and
is regarded with favor by the La Fol
lette administration lines, though it
would be unjust to both men to say
the line of cleaverage certainly among
the lawyers of the state follows the
partisan line.
The SturteVant Letter.
A ripple of excitement has been
caused in these parts among the poll
ticians by an incident to which the at
torney general of the state pleads
guilty, though with smile 1t seems
that a Lacrosse Republican editor
wrote Mr. Sturtevant Of the Baensch
committee a letter with reference to
Republican literature. and the likeli-
hood of his county gong right" and
addressed it to "Mr. Sturtevant." The
gentlemen spell their names different
~. 1t was delivered to the attorney
general He turned it over to The
Free Press. That paper printed it.
And now the stalwart leader contem-
plates either prosecution in the feder-
Is n court, or turning the matter over
to the postoffice authorities. Reading
other peoples letters is not approved,
The average citizen. however, it is
to be feared, will think the old ada sc
Of love and war somewhat relevant.
The American people SO dearly love a
joke and the effort of the two factions
is so alert to steal march on each
9ther that the incident can hardly be
more than q ten days wonder, unless,
indeed, the federal postoffice authori-
hes once get the case in its mill, which
has been known to grind with re-
morseless persistence
The Insurance Suit.
The interest of the country is now
enlisted in the case of Wisconsin
against the Equitable Life Insurance
company. Ex-Insurance Commission
er w. A. Fricke has recently been
in the state, which recalls that his S4