New-York tribune., 1905-07-17
GRAFT" In MILWAUKEE
What the Plan of the Investigators
Leads Up To.

Milwaukee Ju1v fs CspeciaD.-T-he story OF tne
graft investigation i'm Milwaukee, coupled as y
Is with the bringing of scores OF indictments @e
the men who figured in dozen aeaiS III -,
there was a profit TO the offcehoiderS' uOe -
have for its chief point OF interest the eonV'cton
Of a set of ''boodlers.' but a deep laid plot 70 -
tain control of the State government fOr Sen"'O'
elect La Toilette. This. in brief. is the plan
District Attorney F. E. McGOvern. who IS manu-
ling the "anti-graft' cases Is TO be bon.Aeu III 'i
next campaign as a second Folk. McGoVern Is 10
try TO land in the graft net one Of big srai'-
ers:' or more II possible. To do this he VIII nave
the help OF the State authorities and assistant
counsel from the Office of the Attorney Seherai-
This assistance will make il more easy for MN
TO land some of the big 'boodlers and IN return
for this helm he will be kept in the debt OF Senator
La Toilette Thus La Toilette viii have strong
man to place at the head OF the state admlhlsus-
tion and vet will have such hold on his man
that the next Governor will be unwilling to dispute
the power OF the political boss.
Meanwhile there is a merry war on In Inc Sta'e
for the place left vacant by La Toilette James
o. Davidson Lieutenant Governor. will retain MS
office until January /. 1907. Having served TWO
terms as Lieutenant Governor. he would seem 10
have some right to expect promotion. especially as
he Will fil the Governors chair for year before
he will be forced to give up his seat. But there
others who want the job and who may WIN
Secretary OF State Hauser is one but the strongest
rival TO McGovern is Irvine Lenroot, Assembly man
of the lower house He has the scandinavians and
Germans back OF him. but McGovern has the more
petite Irish and Scotch, who will defy any rival
wrest the honor from their man. Governor
La Toilette is trying to remain out OF this nsht
for his place but cannot, SO undoubtedly ms
strength and support will go TO McGovern.
Preferably Governor La Toilette would be FOR
Ienroot because of the support given him in the
last legislature by the Speaker. but the lack OF
an issue on which to advance Lenroot IS the chief
IN he GaC n
McGovern. This is believed to have decided the
senator-elect to espouse the cause of McGOvern il
he Is forced by circumstances to speak openly on
the proposition.
The graft investigation has taken many strange
turns At first it was announced by McGOvern that
he was going to land some big politicians. incIud-
ing the leaders in the city Democratic administra-
tion, and others, in the Republican camp or the
faction opposed to Ia Toilette. His campaign mas
been fought in a measure by the anti-La Toilette
Republicans because OF his refusal to make gen
eraI sweep against the "grafters" 1t Is charged
ty the ant-La Toilette that the McGovern
graft investigation is being directed against the
opponents Of the Governor while all arrangements
are made to free the supporters Of La Toilette
In support Of this argument it is noted that OF the
first 105 indictments returned all were on the evil
dence of two La Toilette supporters, who confessed
under promise of immunity from protection B0th
OF the men who told tales admitted having been the
dispensers of all the brbe distributed in the
county board and in several outside deals and ad-
mitted retaining half of the total brioe In every
instance for their services in acting distributors
Yet these men have been allowed TO go free because
they made it possible 10 prosecute The antl-La
Toilette men with whom they dealt
This situation has tended to revive in a measure
the now almost forgotten factonal row in the
party There IS another side to this phase OF the
"anti-graft' hght however which comes out with
tho telling OF the McGovern side Of the immunity
pledges. He declares that he wants to get the big
men who were willing to pay for the favors- By
convictinR scores Of those who were brtbed, II IL
believed that evidence will be secured against the
few big 'grafterS" who far have not been In
volved i'm the charges at least not Officially To
secure this result wholesale promises of immunity
have been made if confessions implicated the men
sought, but the promises have far brought forth
no results MI McCovern. however says that he
will probe every legislative deal he touch until
ne reaches some who will tell the story OF big
graft TO save himself from prison.