The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-09-02
MAY keep HIS HANDS Free
Senior Senator However Will be the
Man to Decide Between the Claims
Of Morris and McGovern for the Sup
port of Progressives.

When Senator LaFollette returns to
the state in September he will be
brought face to face with a demand for
decision on two important questions
which may have decided bearing on
his political future.
Shall he keep out Of the gubernator-
ial fight altogether? If this question
is answered in the negative, then shall
he select Senator Thomas Morris OF
Francis Il. McGovern as the man he
will favor for the place, or take up
some one else?
The situation will be the more deli
cate as it is certain that whichever way
he answers the questions he will be
certain to cause an ugly feeling among
many of his followers and they will be
all needed back Of his senatorial can
didacy next year
Arguments are being offered by the
friends of the senator on both sides of
each question. In behalf of his keep
ing out of the fight it is said that the
state ticket is something with which
he has nothing to do. Whether one
man or the other was elected governor
of the state it would have little or no
bearing on the question of the senator
ship.
1t is the legislature which governs,
this class say, and it is to the election
of members of that body that the SEN
ator should address himself, leaving
other contests to take care of them
selves.
On the other hand it is set forth
that it is necessary for the senator to
take part in the gubernatorial fight
lest his friends be torn up into smaller
factions to his great detriment and
possibly to his defeat for the senator
ship.
BY sidestepping this fight, they
claim, the senator will have gained
nothing, but will have the i'll feeling
of each candidate and his friends who
think he might have been selected in
case the senator took hand in decid-
ing who should run
Yet the opinion appears to be grow
ing that Senator LaFollette will de-
eide to maintain neutral attitude re-
garding any of the prospective candi-
dates of his wing of the party. AS
no one is able to speak with authority
for the senator it is an interesting
problem, making fine subject for dis
cussion wherever and whenever two or
three politicians of either side gather.
Speaking of gubernatorial candidates
there appears to be no dealth of avail
able timber Of that description. Up
to date there have been mentioned -
). A, Cook, George B. Hudnall Thomas
Morris, Francis E. McGovern, James H.
Frear, A. II. Dahl and John Hicks, with
the possibility of Gov, Davidson feel
ing that a third term would suit him
wonderfully we'll
This does not mean that the field
has been by any means exhausted.
There are a dozen other prominent Re
publicans at least whose friends would
like to bring them to the front and
may do SO if the opportunity offers
through the process of elimination.
just at present, to be sure, the paddock
seems just triao crowded, but there
may be more room later.
Col. Hicks is a late conner in the
mentioned" class and the governor
has not been especially prominent, but
some of his friends have been "feel-
Y around" and in a big field his
chances might be good. That there
will be a big field when the flag falls
is not likely. Before that time some
OF the present entries will unquestion-
ably be drawn"
But the man who can not find a can
didate to his liking next year is
mighty hard 70 please. 1t is worth
noting that little attention is being
paid in this off year campaign to the
makeup of the balance of Ithe state
ticket. Just now all energies are cen
tered in the picking out of possible
candidate for governor.