Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-25
WILL WIN RADICALS
Effect of La F0IIette's IndorSe-
ment of Taft.
BLASTS DEMOCRATIC HOPE
Wisconsin Now Regarded as Safe for
Republicans.
NOMINEES TRIP SATISFACTORY
His Campaign Devoid of Dramatic
Acknowledgements the Secret
Religious Campaign.
Special From Staff Correspondent.

NIL" " "A 4 hf-E, WIS, september %
Put Wisconsin in the Taft column and
keep it there. Democratic hopes went
glimmering yesterday when Senator La
Toilette In his speech at Madison gave
most pronounced. unequivocal and cordial
Endorsement to Mr.. Taft. Senator La
Follette's action is of the greatest sig
nif1cance. His Endorsement was gracious
and ungrudging.
We have been hearing great deal late
ly about the possibility of the radical
La Toilette vote in this state going to Mr..
Bryan because of dissatisfaction with the
action of the Chicago convention in turn
ing down the La Toilette planks. Demo-
cratic hopes have been based largely upon
this alleged prospect. Reports have even
gone so far as to intimate that LIE Fol-
lette leaders would secretly encourage
their followers to take this course. After
yesterdays magnificent and manly state
ment of Senator La Toilette there can be
no reason to think that his friends in this
state will be any less cordial to the re-
publican candidate and ticket than he
showed himself yesterday to be.
La Follette's Hearty Endorsement.
There was considerable speculation as
to what the senator might say in his
opening remarks, and some republicans
were fearful that he might take advan-
tage of the occasion to give utterance to
some of his Independent opinions. In
deed. for few moments, he had the
politicians quite worried. In the opening
of his speech, he announced with marked
gravity that desiring to be absolutely ac-
curate he had written his speech and
would read from his notes. Well. you
could almost hear the cold chills creep
ing down the backs of the politicians on
the platform and they looked at each |
other with anxious faces. But the sena-
tor soon disabused their minds of any |
fear and proceeded at once to give his |
hearty approval of Mr.. Taft.
His remarks took on added significance |
from the fact that only the day before |
the state convention. assembled TO frame |
the platform for the coming fight had re-
jected the senator's tariff planks and had |
approved the Chicago platform. Some |
people thought that the senator would |
voice his resentment Whatever his feel |
inSs upon the subject, he did not reveal |
them in his remarks. 1t was rather a del |
icate position that the senator found him
self in when he took the platform. The |
charge had been made that he was losing |
his hold upon the people, as shown by |
the recent primaries. when his candidate |
for senator was defeated and by the |
action of the state convention in turning |
down his planks. Perhaps it was not bad |
politics for him to come across as he did |
and attach himself to the Roosevelt-Taft |
movement.
Taft's Tip Satisfactory.
Mr.. Taft's trip through Wisconsin was
eminently satisfactory to the republicans.
Wherever he spoke he was well received, |
and although there was not a great deal
& IA ed
to be sincere. Anyhow. these people are
not demonstrative as a rule, Ind do not !
go up in the air very easily. Mr.. Taft
certainly made hit with the labor peo-
pie, whom he addressed in the great shops
at West Allis. He talked tariff 20 them
and they seemed to like it. At Milwaukee
last night he was given an ovation and
made a rattling good speech.
Mr.. Tafts campaign as thus far de-
veloped, is entirely lacking in any ele
ments of the dramatic. He does not at
tempt flights Of oratory, but talks to the
people in a straightforward business-l like
way. When he started out there were
great promises that he would put gin
ger" In the campaign. He has hot done
it yet, however. The fact of the matter is
Mr. Taft is not politician. He de-
spises politics and some of his friends
think he is not enamored of his job.
"a God-Fearing Man"
There was one feature of the meeting at
Madison which cannot be passed over
without comment. Senator La Toilette in
his Introductory speech referred to Mr..
Taft as God-fearing man, and empha-
sized his remarks by turning around and
pointing at him. The occasion for that
arises from the fact that the Norwegian
vote of the state shows signs of becoming
disaffected account of the religious
crusade which is being secretly waged
against Taft in all this western country
1t is very delicate subject not often re-
ferred to in print. but 1T is discussed
quietly wherever you go. Mr.. Taft abso-
lutely refuses to take cognizance of it in
any way.
Speaking for myself, ! can say Mr. Taft
feels that if the voters of this country
want to defeat him on that score they
can go as far as they like. He will not
utter a word in his own defense nor allow
his friends to do it for him.
n. o. NJ.