Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-07
sPOONER'S SUCCESSOR
SOME INTERESTING FACTS OF
WISCONSIN SITUATION.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MADISON. Wis, May 7.-After over three
weeks OF deadlock over choosing a successor
10 'ohn {. Spooner, whose resignation from
i the United States Senate became effective
on the 1st the situation is apparently more
hopeless than ever The republican portion
OF the Legislature is strongly half breed"
which means that 1t Is composed of follow
ers OF Senator La Toilette; but on the ques-
ten OF the senatorship 1t is no longer soldly
half-breed-that is, 1t is not united, and it
cannot be controlled by La Toilette, even
with the aid of former Representative Isaac
stephenson, the wealthiest man in the state,
who has spent more than 100000 in financ-
ing the La Toilette programs
AS the deadlock grows tighter there is
! more and more growing against Spooner
for resigning. Those who are now angry
because he got out tried their best at the
iast senatorial election to prevent him from
getting In. This part of the situation is in
teresting, for there can be no doubt that
MI Spooner has put the half-breeds in a
hole, to use the vernacular of the day. He
mas put their ability to control themselves in
SITUATION which occurs regularly every
two and four years, according to law, to q
severer test than they relish
The job of electing senator is as
sumeo by his followers to belong entirely
to La Toilette, although he himself is a SEN
ator, and senators of the United States are
supposed by some to be selected by the leg
Isiature IN response to the sentiments or
Wishes or the people who elect it's members
RMS job Is complicated. At the moment
besides the election of a senator, Mr.. La
Toilette has rebelious stomach and a Sc
rfes of very lucrative lecture engagements
on hand. His own wishes are also said to
be divided He Is under strong obligations
TO Mr.. stephenson and has publicly an
nounced that he favors the election Of that
gentleman. At the same time a large seq
ment of his followers vote doggedly for
Irvine l.. Lenroot. young stenographer
from the Lake Superior region. Mr.. Len
root was made speaker of the assembly two
years ago by La Toilette because of his
scandinavian parentage and constituency;
and the large Scandinavian following thus
created Is sticking to this came Scandina-
Wan instead OF going, as La Toilette directs,
to Stephenson.
The Real Cause of Contention.
Mr.. Stephenson is seyenty-eight years old,
and declares If he could be chosen now for
the short or unexpired term he would not
be candidate for reelection. This looks
all right on it's face, as Mr.. Lenroot Is
very young man, and can afford to wait
couple of years. But that Is not the crucial
point. The next senator will be indicated
by primary election. Last fall Mr.. Len
root was La Follette's candidate for COVER
nor under the primary election law and not
wtthstanding the fact that La Toilette him.
self made vigorous county-to-county canvas
Tor his favorite, he could carry only two out
of the sevehty-three counties in the state.
The fear of the La FOlletteites Is. therefore
that the people may not go to the primaries
Two years hence, any more than they did
last fall, and elect any man that Mr.. La
Toilette may select for them.
On the other hand, the simon-pure La
Toilette managers believe that IL Lenroot
can be elected now he will have prestige
enough, with the aid Of La Toilette, to Sc
cure reelection two years hence. and
thus enable Senator La Toilette to have as
his senatorial colleague a young man of
his own liking land some are heartless
enough to say of his own Manipulation for
eight years. These facts are well under
stood here, and render the situation one of
extreme difficulty. The outcome is involved
in doubt, for although it is said Mr.. Stephen
son would spend s5.OO0.OOO for the senator
ship. if he could land it by making that ex-
penditure. there seems to be no way for him
to spend that or any other sum.
The Four Candidates.
Thus far the four leading candidates
Esch, Cooper, Stephenson and Hatten-
stand about even, having from sixteen to
nineteen votes apiece on every caucus and
every legal legislative ballot The half
breeds and "stalwarts" are scattered about
among the four senatorial camps, according
to geography or personal preference, and
the democrats are voting solidly for their
candidate,~Col. George w. Bird. The demo-
Gratis and stalwartS can elect any one of
the four candidates. and there are intima-
lions that they may unite and break the
deadlock.
The understanding here is that all of the
stalwarts will go in a body to Representa-
tive John ]. Esch of La Crosse whenever he
has or can secure enough other votes to
elect Whether all of the democrats could
be induced to vote for Esch is problemat-
ical There are several members of Ger
man birth or parentage, and they are ex-
pected finally to land in the Esch column.
His chances, therefore, seem to be stronger
than those of any other candidate. Mr..
Esch himself Is good natured and diplO-
matte, and has made no enemies-not even
in the Stephenson camp.
An African in the Woodpile.
That there is great deal more than the
BILE is recognized by all. A large club has
been organized here to promote Mr.. La
Follette's candidacy for President. SO that
there is United States senator to elect now;
another senator to be lected two years
publican national convention to be controlled;
Representative E. 8. Minor and ]. w. Bah
cock to be defeated again or prevented from
securing denominations: another legislature
to be chosen in accordance with the half
breed program, and Isaac Stephenson to
be SO handled. even if defeated. that he will
continue to shell out for the La Toilette |
newspaper in Milwaukee and the La Fol- |
lette campaigns generally.
II the first Of these objects shall fall 1t Is /
predicted that all will fail. In other words. II |
Senator La Toilette shall not succeed in |
electing his man for senator to succeed
Spooner he will be unable to accomplish |
any of the other big things on his program,
and will be at the end of his political rope. |
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