Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-03-21
sENAToRSHlP STILL SUBJECT
OF COMPLICATIONS.
MeM8eRS KEEP SILENT
Refuse to Be Lined Up or to Declare
lhemselVes-La Toilette Openly
Working for Stephenson Without
apparent Result-Time Remains
Doubtful.
Madison, March 20.

\
Mystery is written all over the
senatorial situation. If one may
briefly size up outward appearances.
1t Is case of four announced candi,
dates-all Of them friends of the
La Toilette movement-and two
annaunced "availabnites," also
OF known records in favor of the La
toilette movement. senator La Fol.
lette IS frankly for Mr.. Stephenson.
but he is in no manner lighting
MeSsrs. Hatten, Esch or Cooper
These are the facts apparatn. but all
over the situation, in the innumer.
able visits and conferences, in the
refusal of members to declare them.
I selves and in the persistence of Gov.
eronr Davidson's admirers, there IS
impenetrable mystery,
| No senatorial contest that Wisco,.
sin has known in a generation has
been characterized by so much sus.
pense and at the same time So little
real excitement as now marx the
present contest. There is still un.
certainty as to the time for holding
Doth the republican caucus and the
election. There is still some doubt
as to whether all the so-called La
FolIette candidates will go into pre-
hlhinary caucus and agree to make
the election only by what are termed
halibreed votes Up to this time
there is no indication of what the
mai result may be which might not
be changed in a caucus. With all
these elements of uncertainty as to
| ume, support and general plans,
there is no excitement worthy of the
name. There is dearth of the rum.
orS and reports which go to make
up the usual senatorial contest and
there Is also a dearth of comforting
information for any of the candi-
dates, The result Is still in the bal.
ance, but the situation narrowly es.
Capos dun and uneventful.
Senator La Toilette was in his law
office early yesterday and remainoI
there all day consulting with polir.
tcal leaders and members of the leg
lsIature. Interest centers around
his attitude and the curiosity ex.
/ pressed is largely as TO what his in.
/ tluence will be able to accomplish
He is for Isaac Stephenson of Mari.
nette. No question appears to longer
/ exist on that point, though now and
/ then a charge is heard that he was
4 not playing square" with the rich
! old man from Marinettc. The con
tYersation of members of the Iegisla.
/ ture who have visited the senator
offsets ,nese charges, for they say
that the senator is for Mr. stephen,
son and is using all the influence lie
can 70 secure the election OF his
! friend
All the candidates on the ground
called at the senator's office yester-
day. Congressman Cooper and Esch
met MIN in the morning, and some OF
their supporters called to see him I'm
the afternoon. The office Las been
swarming with Stephenson men and
friends of Mr.. Lenroot, but straws 10
indicate which way the wind is blow.
ing have been few. The members,
with the exception of a few are
keeping their own counsel. This sill
ence is interpreted by some as be
ing portentious and likened to the
calm before a storm.
The senator will leave Madison to.
/ day, either at O'clock in the morn
: ing or at ! O'Clock, for Red Wing
Mimi, where he will lecture, and
from where he begins his tour of
the western states.