Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-15
LAFoLLETTE WILL SLIP INTO
j. SENATE AGAIN WITHOUT
OBSTACLES.
OPPOSITION OF ENEMIES
REPEATEDLY GOES AWRY.
Every Scheme Set Up to Defeat sena.
tor for Re- Eeleetion Proves Boom
erans-No Available Candidate in
Sight to Oppose Him-Davidson
Eliminated.

Especial Correspondence

Washington, April 15.-There is
ments for retiring Robert M. LaFol-
lette from the seat in the senate
whence he inaugurates so much trou-
BILE for the scheme of things, have all
gone wrong, and that Senator LaFol-
lette, instead of having the bitter con-
test which d few months ago was fore
casted for him, will come back for an
other siX-year term as smoothly as If
the ways had been creased and then
tipped to an angle of 80 degrees.
The legislature elected in Wisconsin
next year will choose a successor to
LaFollette. His enemies have been ex-
ceeding active, both in the state and
outside, for two or three years. 1t is
said that people who don't live in Wis
consin, or within many hundred miles
of it, have indicated their willingness
to do more than pray for his defeat.
When Senator Stephenson carried the
state last year for q reelection, despite
LaFollette's rather more than tenta-
tive opposition, it was regarded as
conplicating the problem very much
for LaFollette. The opposition be-
lieved that it would be possible to
place three or four progressive repub
leans in the field, divide the forces,
and then. by putting up a single stall
wart candidate, get away with a good
plurality of the votes for the stall
wart
No Candidate in Sight.
Various people have been canvassed
with reference to running them for the
senate. Representative Esch, pro-
gressive but factor in the LaFollette
organization. was regarded as very
likely successor if he would run and
stated positively that he will not run.
Governor James o. Davidson, once a
lieutenant of LaFollette but latterly a
determined opponent was the chief
reliance of the opposition. But he has
suddenly been removed from all possi-
bility of making the run. And this has
been looked upon as settling the whole
thing in favor Of the scrappy pompa-
dour senator.
Davidson was elected lieutenant gov
ernor when LaFolfette was chosen gov
ernor; and when LaFollette resigned as
governor to become senator, Davidson
became governor. Naturally, he wanted
to be elected at the end of the short
term, and announced his candidacy.
LaFollette declined to support him, and
instead stumped the state for Lenroot,
now a congress member. Davidson was
nominated by an overwhelming ma
jority and LaFollette's banner was
dragged In the dust. On the heels of
this came the unsuccessful effort to
prevent Stephensons election; and 1t
began to look blue for LaFollette
But the LeFollette supporters in the
legislature which chose Stephenson
senator were strong enough to force an
investigation of charges that an I'M
reasonable and scandalous amount of
money had been used in the Stephen
son campaign. The investigation has
been going on at Madison for weeks.
1t has finally brought Governor Dav-
idson to the stand; and the story he
told is accepted as retiring him from
the lists for the senate senatorial
fight.
Davidson Not a Factor.
Some time ago, one of the state game
wardens was called and told story of
how the game wardens received money
from the Stephenson campaign fund
and what they did with it. He got
tangled in his testimony when pressed,
and finally was suddenly taken i'll and
had to be excused from the stand. He
did not come back for about three
weeks When he came pack, he testi-
| fed that at his first hearing he had
perjured himself extensively He had
not told the truth about essentials, and
now desired to correct that testimo ny.
| He proceeded to tell wonderful
story, part of which was that hecarried
an envelope containing $1,000 to Gov
ernor Davidson at his office, and left
| it, never hearing of 1t again. The money