Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-02

for the governorshp. A study of the four
men provides remarkable contrasts.
La Toilette is now busy winning In, at
tention of the nation, which he hopes will
assist him to become President IN I!rs.
Dramatic in instinct, acknowledged by his
bitterest enemies to be a master of the
political game, n strategist, an orator,
whose hope of success lies in his ability to
become the national leader against the
corporations.
w. D. Connor. formerly his friend. now
almost his open enemy has won the name
of the IS lent Boss But me word boss
is not applied to him in the darogatory
YER. but the silent, shrewi business man
rather than u polite like La Toilette,
depending on the dra natic sense to win
office. Conner has political ambitions.
The Old War Horse.
Isaac Stephenson is the oil war horse.
Representative in Congress for 4 time he
hoped to go to the upper house. La Fol-
lette's enemies say Steph enSJn is the gov
ernor's dupe. Be that as l. may, Stephen
sons ambition to become senator for Wis
Consin has for time at least blocked the
political game of the governor and may
block the presidential campaign. Stephen
is old man. His career is nearly
ended. This gray-bearded politiclan-lum-
berman-tinancier has provided the capital
for the furtherance of La Follette's ambi-
ton. Now the contest involves three young
men and this veteran.
CCnnor and La FoIlatte are two Of the
young men in this fight, I'D the fourth
figure, Lenroot, is one of minor conse-
quence, as far as Inherent ability goes
though he has worked himself up from
court reporter on a backwoods judicial cir
cult into the law and To the sneakershiD
Of the assembly. Absolutely subservient to
the Will of La Toilette. N justice TO him
1t might b" said because Of his absolute be-
lief in the governor and his theories, Len
root is the man La Toilette ~4n-s to see as
governor.
Four strong men have clashed. This Is
the story of this spectacular fight, with the
presidency a prize. That La Toilette is
aiming for the presidency cannot be doubt
ed. He maintains printing establishment,
from which hundreds of thousands of
pamphlets are being sold on trains entitled
La Toilette on Railroad Rates" This, it
may be added, is not done In Wisconsin.
The nation is the field of this fight
Last winter La Toilette secured his cleo
ton as senator but retained the governor
ship. 1t IS understood that Stephenson was
promised the senatorship. So, when La
Toilette did not formally accept The sena-
torship, Stephenson. ii is said, was led TO
believe that La Toilette would resign and
turn the senatorship over to Stephenson.
Stephenson's claim on La Folle tie was this.
A political fight like La Foletta3 needs
funds Stephenson, the millionaire lumber
man, could spend half million in main
tanning newspapers. or other such means oc
furthering the La Toilette campaign Ste
p1enson has said that a Milwa ukee paper
launched in behalf of this campaign has
cost him heavily Conner was another In
weston it is said. When the time fo- The
opening of Congress drew near La Toilette
did not resign.
Here Lenroot came to the front After
conference with La Toilette he announced
his candidacy for the governorsho, Il light
not to be formally begun until next yea:.
Plans for Washington.
The Stephenson family had been making
plans meanwhile for a winter In Washing
ton. The announcement of the candidacy
of Lenroot fathered by La Toilette. was
sufficient evidence that La Toilette did not
intend to remain as governor The other
alternative was his acceptance of the sena-
torship. This left no excuse for Stephen
son having a home in Washington The
Lenroot candidacy did something else.
Common had been promised, 1t is said, the
governorship when La Toilette stepped
down. Certain 1t is that he expected it.
The anti-La Toilette men say that La Fol-
lette feared to leave an independent man
of strength as governor for fear Of the
danger to his personal machine Lenroot
would maintain the Madison end of the
La Toilette machine. Conner might not,
Common prepared to make independent
canvass With Lenroot out as the gov
errors candidate there was storm in the
party Inc independent La Foitett5 men
wanted Lieut.. Gov. Davidson to succeed
La Toilette. La Toilette wanted Lenroot
in the chair, and Conner. with the me-
chinery of the party In the state ar his
back, wanted the job himself. Connor,
Lenroot and Davidson were all more or
less openly in the field. At this juncture
came the crisis.
Stephenson, 1t Is said. raade his demand
for the payment of political debts This
demand was made through Milwaukee
man who has been the active mead of the
local La Toilette machine. He controlled
the paper which had been working sor La
Toilette. This paper, in a column editorial
one day. repudiated Lenroot as a candl-
date This forced La Toilette to action.
To turn down Stephenson meant the less
of his chief advocate in WISCONSIN, the cut
ting of of the funds necessary for the
wide campaign In contemplation. This
spelled disaster TO the presidential cam
paign.
The solution Is session Of the legisla-