The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-03-15

the successorship. Speculation is di-
vided as between the winner in the
pending contest and the reasons that
impelled the senior senator to take the
step he did. Senator Spooner has given
as his reason that he wishes to retire
from public life that he may, while
time is left him, make provision
against age and for his family. I'M
fortunately, or strangely, at least. the
people are prone not to accept the
statements of public officials as true.
The words of men in other walks of
life are accepted, but when a pOliti-
clan says anything Immediately some
other construction is put upon it,
Hence all sorts of reasons are ad-
vanced as to the cause of Spooner's
action. The most generally accepted
theory is that the senator saw trouble
ahead both from friend and foe, and
cleverly forestalled both by drol ping
out now. He fOresaw a bitter contest
in the primaries next year if hc re-
manned in the field He saw also that
any declaration from him that he
be construed by his foes as a retreat,
while his friends. and particularly his
appOintees who are dependent upon
him, would have listened to no such
proposition, but would have harried
him to distraction in their efforts to
make him stand again. BY resigning
now he has escaped sea of troubles
Two AvOwed Candidates.
However. there are plenty of me-,
willing to take up his burden. Although
but two aNowed candidates have come
out. Isaac Stephenson of Marinette
and w. III. Hatten of New London.
there is much strategic skirmishing be-
ing done in behalf of former Speaker
Lenroot of Superior. Governor David
son and congressman Esch and
Cooper.
Former Senator Hatten of New Lon
don is one of the promising candidates
and apparently the leader for second
choice On first choice the following
is guess of the prOportionate vote
for each man: Lenroot 80: Esch 10:
Cooper. IL: Hatten. 20: Stephenson.
20: scattering Is. There are 1903 Re
Dublicans in the legislature. "A Demo
Gratis and six Social Democrats. This
makes 81 necessary for choice, and ii
is believed here that while the legiS-
lature will be deadlocked at first when
the ranks begin to break Senator Hat
ten will greatly increase his following.
This New London lumberman has
been identified with the efforts for re-
form legislation carried on in WiscOn-
sin during the past ten years. He has
been a prominent member of the et1u-
cational committees and is largely the
author of the present railroad rate
commission law which operates so fa-
vorably in this state.
But lack of space" forbids specu-
lation as to the outcome. One guess
is almost as good as another yet. and
each man can have his own. The most
potent factor in settling the contest if
he chose to exercise himself, would be
Senator LaFOllette Indications are
that lie will take no hand in it, though
it is generally believed he favOrs Len
root as his colleague in spite of reiter
ated assurances from Marinette that
he is for Stephenson. However. the
next few days may show a crystalliZa
ton Of sentiment and develop some
thing.
Public Utility Bill.
The Leroy public utility bill, which
aims to put all public utilities under
the control of the railway commission