Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-08
sen. LAF0LLETTE
HIS ELECTION IS A SOURCE OF
QUALIFICATION TO The NATION
The Reform Governor of Wisconsin
Was Forced to Break His Promise,
and 90 to Senate, Where he will
Greatly Strengthen the Reform
Forces.

The selection OF Governor Robert M.
LaFul lete, o. Wisconsin, for United
States SENATOR, to succeed Quares, con-
Germs not Wisconsin alone, but the whole
country; and greatly strengthens the
cause OF reform in congress.
LaFoliette has on y just been reelected
governor OF Wisconsin, after one OF the
hottest campaigns ever known in this
country, in which the republican party
was badly split and disorganized. His
victory was brilliant one, and has made
him the political dictator OF Wisconsin,
for opposed to him were all the republic
can leaders of the state, including the
entire Wisconsin delegation, both in the
senate and the house led by Senator
Spooner, man OF great national repnta.
ton and power. Governor LaFolette
prevailed from one OF the strongest poll
teal combinations ever organized. and
wholly through the popular support he
received from democrats as we'll as re-
publicans, for he was first of all re-
former, a strong advocate and support.
er OF democracy, that is, OF the will OF
the people as against the rule of the cor
poratons and monopolies. This reform
movement, as we have shown, is much
stronger among the republicans OF the
west than is popularity supposed, and is
now in control OF the party organization
of Wisconsin, Illinois and several other
states.
When LaFollette became candidate
for reelection as governor he promised
that he would fill the position to which
he was elected by the people and that he
woulo not abandon Wisconsin for the
United States senate. 1t is not surpris-
ing however, that he should have broken
this promise, for conditions have chang
ed so in " Wisconsin Of late as to torce him
into the senate-perhaps it did not re.
Qulre much forcing to induce him to re-
consider his intentions, for the senate
just now offers him far better field to
carry out his policy in regard to control
OF railroads and other corporations than
the governorehip of Wisconsin.
Governor LaFollette's worst foes were
the senators and representatives from
Wisconsin, who fought outrance, and
would give no mercy. They read him
out of the national republican convention
and they would have read him out Of
the party could they h ave done SO. 1t is
true that when the battle was over and
LaFollette was victorious Quarles begged
for mercy and asked to be allowed to go
back to the senate Governor LaFolette
refused to consent to this. To do so
would have been to strengthen the rail-
road interests has been transferred from
the Wisconsin legislature to congress by
the presidents demand for legislation on
this subject and extension of the inter
state commerce law. When, therefore,
it became question OF sending Quarles
back or going in his stead, Governor
LaFollette determined to go himself. AS
a matter of fact he has accomplished
nearly all the work he set out to do in
Wist onsin, and can now turn his atten-
ton to the federal side of the problem,
which is looming up into such import.
ance. He is we'll qualified to do this.
Mr.. LaFolette has already served in
congress; indeed, it was at Washington
that he received his first lessons in poll
tics and inaugurated his campaign OF
reform. AS a member OF the house he
was especially active in probing the land
frauds which have since been brought to
light. He found the entire influence OF
the federal officials in his state turned
against him to prevent the disclosure of
the system OF fraud that prevailed. They
defeated all his efforts to secure reform