Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29
AFTER HOME DELEGATION
His Lieutenants in Close Touch With
the Country.
THEY KEPT HIM WELL POSTED
Stories Rife Over Recent Conference
With Isaac Stephenson-Rumor
of Break-Taft Men Active.


MlLN Az NEE, " SeptempeI 90
Senator Robert NJ. La Follette's determina-
ton to have his name presented to the
next national republican convention as
presidential candidate is no longer in doubt.
His personal organization of the movement
to secure al least the Endorsement Of the
Wisconsin delegation and his establishment
Of headquarters at Madison which will
carry on a national campaign in an effort
to organize the La Toilette sentiment in
the various states, have made certain the
fact that the senior senator from Wiscon-
sin has his ambitious eye on the White
House Speaker Herman l.. Ekern OF the
last legislature has been selected by Sena-
tor La Toilette as his campaign manager,
the Madison headquarters have been opened
and the dissemination of literature through
out the country Is about to begin
Even those closely in touch with the La
Toilette boom do not believe that he has
any idea of landing the nomination plum
this year. seeing instead in the aggressive
beginning which he is making but a fore
runner of the fight which is to be made in
earnest in 1912 Memories of the repeated
defeats which lay between the struggling
young lawyer and the gubernatorial chair
at Madison, and which instead of dscovr-
aging him aroused the spirit of dogged
persistence which has won him every VIC
tory in his political career, strengthen the
the way.
At a secret conference recently held in
Milwaukee where the movement to present
his name to the national convention started
with few of his henchmen several weeks
ago. reports covering the entire national
field are said to have been submitted. These
reports, 1t Is declared, revealed 4 surpris-
ingly strong sentiment for the Wisconsin
senator in all parts of the country and
his lieutenants assert that if this sentiment
can be organized and induced to cypress
itself in the selection of delegates to the
national convention he will be candidate
to be reckoned with.
Even while the conference was in session
men connected with the Taft campaign
were in the city working energeticalIy,
and there is every indication that Wiscon-
sin will be regarded one of the storm
centerS of the coming campaign. Methods
to be followed by La Folette's bureau will
be marked by the same thoroughness and
attention to detail which have been such
vital factors in his former successes. 1t
Is known that La Toilette men anticipate
opposition to the senator's control of the
state, and Speaker Ekern has power to
call to his assistance all the lieutenantS
who have been prominent in the La Toilette
movement from the start. Each county
is to be organized.
In Wisconsin the contest will be more or
less along personal lines, but while the
exact nature of the campaign to be waged
in other states is not known it Is gen.
orally believed that advantage will De taken
of the popular feeling of discomfort against
existing conditions, the trusts and tie
railroads 1t is held that Senator La Fol-
lette's views are extremely popular.
Plenty of Funds Despite Poverty.
It has been a peculiar fact connected
with La Follette's career that while per-
sonally a poor man his political interests
have never suffered 70: lack of funds 1t
is announced now that the Wisconsin cam
pagn will be financed by local men, the
senator's supporters in each county, and
that in addition to this. money in subs
stantial amounts will not be lacking to do
tho work in the other states. Closely
identified with the financial side of the
campaign is general curiosity as to what
took place at lengthy meeting between
Senator La Toilette and Senator Iraac
Stephenson. his special political angel, at
the time of the general conference.
Two stories regarding this meeting are
current, one that harmonious understand
ing was reached and the other that break
occurred d. Those VINO believe that La Fol-
lette still has use for Uncle Ike, the man
| who has born the bulk of the expense of
the La l'ullatte movement in Wisconsin,
assert that the man from Marinette Is
expected to secretly contribute 100000 to
the presidential fund in exchange for the
promise that he shall succeed himself In
the United States Senate after the eXpra-
ton of his short term as the successor to
former Senator John c. Spooner.
Two vrrsio lis of the break between the
two senator's exist. One which is known
to be author'z by La Toilette himself
Is that he has refused TO support Stephen
son for the long term and that he has
served notice on him 10 this effect and that
he will refuse all offers of financial as
sIstance from Uncle likes millions. Others
assert that 1t was Stephenson who did the
| serving of notice, he declaring that he in
tended 10 pay his obligation to Lieut.. GOV
w. d. Connor, who threw his support in
the last legislature to Stephenson and
broke the deadlock, with the understand
Ing it Is said that he was to have Ste
term. 1t Is known that Como plays no
part in La Follette's political plans with
the possible exception of his present posi-
ton as lieutenant to Gov. Davidson, who
Toilette and his henchmen. Indications
are that La Toilette has succeeded in get
ting Davidson back into the fold In fact,
there are wheels within wheels in the poll
tical situation in Wisconsin.
Lost No Time in Planning.
Immediately after his return from Wash
inston La Toilette began laying the foun-
dation for the political program which had
as It's first step the executive mansion at
Madison. He announced himself rs a can
didate for the republican nomination for
governor in 1896 and was defeated. He an
nounced himself again In 1893 and again
he was defeated. Then came two years
more of quiet campaigning, and in 1909 his
biennial announcement was followed by
the nomination and election.
Reelected twice in spite of opposition
which rent the party in Wisconsin III twain
he had scarcely entered upon his third term
as governor WI the le egislature was called
upon 10 elect & successor to Senator Joseph
Very Quarles for whom the political knife
was unshcd he'd. and when the smoke of
the contest lifted La Toilette had decided
to leave Madison for Washington. -issun-
ing his position in l@oJ he became the
senior senator from Wisconsin year later
through the resignation of John c. Spoonor
His term in the United States Senate cX-
pires In 1912. II" has two national conven-
tions before then in which TO make good
in his aspiration to step direct from the
Saenate house 4rto the White House. To
those who have followed the relentlcssness
of his career tie outcome is fraught with
a personal interest outside of the national