The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-16
WISCONSIN HAS
 4 FAVORITE SUN
LafoIIette May Be Prominent
 Applicant for HonorS
HAS RECEIVED HONORS
terved Three Terms in Congress and Was Thrice Elected Governor of Wisconsin-succeeded
 QuarIes.
BY J. R. HoRNADY.

v S' i1s
 Milwaukee. June 15.-Secretary Taft's dip into Wisconsin has served to remind the people of this state that they have d favorite son, and they are beginning to ask Whats the matter with LaFol- letter. They have given LaFollette the best they have in the shop in the way of honors and are now of the opinion that the American people could do themselves proud and further demonstrate their fit ness for self government, by taking down the presidential robe. dusting it carefully and laying 1t across the shoulders of the Primrose statesman.
 Inc people of Wisconsin, are of the opinion that the office of President should be occupied by man of dignity, and they defy any state in the favorite son business to produce a man having as much dignity to the square foot as La Toilette has to the square inch. In the matter of profundity he is also said to be in a class by himself When he per- mits his hand to stray across his wide expanse of forehead Wisconsin knows that some new and mighty thought has been conceived and that when the lights have been properly adjusted and the orchestra is hitting the right pitch it
 
 dazzling beauty. For LaFollette does not toss his thoughts off on street corners | or from the rear end of street trucks. He l Knows and observes the where and the when and the how, first, last and all the time and is yet to be caught in heated controversy over the habits of the tom tit or the factional differences of canary birds
 Never Called Robbie"
 fs ish the thought that he has ever been called "Bobbie' He was born in Prim- rose, Wis, and like Knox of Pennsyl- vania, first ate at the public crib in the modest capacity of a district attorney. | He served three terms in Congress and was thrice elected governor of Wisconsin. | He succeeded Joseph Very Quarles in the United States Senate in 1906 His chances of climbing higher at this time | are somewhat remote but Wisconsin does not think so and wouldn't admit 1t if it did.
 In smiling his way through Wisconsin, MT. Taft made some highly compliment ary references to John c. Spooner, while maintaining a silence as to LaFollette that was as profound as that statesman This eulogy of Spooner and cold silence as to LaFollette has angered the friends of the latter but it has served to start some presidential talk as to Spooner. Spooner was in public life for many years but his lasting fame will probably rest upon the fact that he voluntarily re- signed from the Senate. A Spooner boom Is not to be attempted, at least not at this time, but his friends hope that an emergency may arise later which will serve to bring him into the arena. He and LaFollette are distinct types Spooner belongs to the class so often designated as safe and sane, while La- Toilette is in the lion tanning class, his delight being to get Into a cage of roar ing railroads and bring them to their knees pleading for mercy.
 Not Over Anxious.
 Aside from the bad taste left by his failure to recognize the virtues of La Toilette while heaping the laurel on Spooner Taft made a very nice impress sion this section. He came full of smiles and good humor and left long trail of pleasantries. He also left an i'm pression that he was not so "all-flred sot' on landing the presidential job. He charged that the newspapers were sponsible for his being in the race; that they had forced him into it. If he had left off the "s'' this statement would have almost hit the spot, and he might have added that the guilty newspaper was owned and edited by his brother.
 The Taft boom now has it's national headquarters in Columbus, O., and Insur- ance Commissioner Voreys Is in charge. He has opened an assurance department and between assuring the public that Ohio is for Taft and that Roosevelt will not accept another nomination, this de- | partment Is kept pretty busy. The third term talk bobs up on all occasions and | is proving embarrassing to the Taft boomers. It forms a cloak behind which ! all politicians who have not decided which |. l.. 1 will cover multitude of more or less ! influential politicians until the lines have been more sharply drawn. For be it l known that even the G. O. P, has some | members who would rather be keeper of l the axle grease on the band wagon than grand exalted ruler of the Down and Out | club q am for Roosevelt" Is the chorus | of the great army of pie hunters, and they will continue to sit snugly on the | fence until it is possible to pick the win | ner.
 Pushing Foraker.
 An effort is being made to push For aker boldly into the presidential arena, but he informs all corners that this is his busy day and goes right on with the work of laying mines designed to blow up Taft.
 Interest in Ohio centers just now in a speech to be made by F'oraker at Will berforce college next Thursday. He has been authorized by those in charge to go just as far as he wants to. and For aker with the bridle off is a terror. He is expected to explode a fine assortment of anti Roosevelt- thunderbolts. In this connection the Grand Army men of the Wilberforce neighborhood held meeting the other day and fired some pyrotechnics. They referred to Roosevelt and Taft as the National Boss and Heir Apparent" and endorsed "Comrade For aker" for the presidency. The Grand Army men are sore over the distribution of patronage and will make trouble for Taft in his home state before the fight is over.
 Among the democrats interest is keen as to the attitude to be assumed by New York toward Bryan. Since the visit of Bryan to the east and the launching of the Progressive Democratic league, poli- tics has lvened up somewhat in that quarter Some criticism of the Progressive league is heard it having been likened by few unto Hearsts Independent league and it does not yet appear that | New York is going to become wildly en- l thusiastics over the Nebraska statesman. Doubt is entertained as to the ability of | Bryan to lead the hosts to victory, and | New York democrats, fin common with the democrats of every other state. want 1 a man who can lead them unto the loaves and fishes, They are tired of remaining | outside the banquet hall and are of the opinion that happy change can be brought about with a good, conservative 1 platform with a good conservative can didate to fit it; a candidate who can close up the gaps left by factional diff ferences and present united front to 1 the enemy Where such a man is to be