The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-03-17
COURT TO DECIDE NEXT WEEK
Ruling Of the Court is Expected to be
Especially Interesting as Referring
to the Office Of United States Sen
ator.

ferences in Washington there can be
no question that considerable hopes
are entertained by the opponents of
Senator LaFollette there that the deci-
sion of the supreme court, in the suit
which has been brought to test the pri-
mary election law, will at least declare
that portion of the law is unconstitu-
tional which demands that candidates
for United States senate, although to
be elected by the Legislature, obtain
an endorsement from the people in a
primary election. In discussing this
portion of the law his opponents have
claimed that while it has never been
contended that this primary election
endorsement was binding on the legis-
lature the real intent of the law is to
take away from the Legislature it's con-
stitutional right of election and place
it with the people and that the law is
therefore unconstitutional.
There can be no question either that
the anti-LaFollette politicians do not
desire to face the public in fight on
LaFoilette, but instead that they far
prefer the battle shall be before the
legislature. No matter what the de-
cision of the supreme court may be
in the primary election case there can
be no question that the opponents in
tend that the final fight over the Unit
ed States senatorship shall be before
the legislature.
1t can be said that if the decision
Of the Wisconsin supreme court is
against the primary election law that
the plans of the opposition to Senator
LaFollette for it's campaign are already
made. 1t is the idea to bring out a
large number of candidates before the
legislature for United States senator
and then have each candidate strive
to get as many legislative candidates
as possible nominated who are favor
able to him, the idea being that in
this way safe majority of the Repub-
lican members of the legislature can
be secured against Senator LaFollette
and that finally in the Republican
legislative caucus these members be
combined on some anti-LaFollette Re
publican to bring about the defeat of
the senator
It is even said the candidates who
will he brought out before the legisla-
ture have been discussed and that the
anti-LaFollette people have in mind at
least four men who are willing to par
ticipate in a legislative fight against
Senator LaFollette.
Who the men are who would be will
ing to make the battle before the legis-
lature but will not come into primary
election contest the men who are now
discussing the anti-LaFollette cam
paign refuse to say. They think, how
ever, that in case of a legislative cam
paign, local pride will cut q great deal
OF figure in the contest and that each
candidate will rally around him some
members from his own section of the
state who will support him because
they desire the United States senator
shall come from the part of the state
in which the members live.
If, however, the supreme court up
holds the primary election law as con
stitutional, there win be only single
candidate brought out by the opponents
of Senator LaFollette to fight a duel
with him for the senatorial endorse
ment.
Although the men who are planning
the anti-LaFollette can paign will not
yet say who they have in mind as the
candidate whom they will support be-
fore the primary election against Ser.
ator LaFollette from their irtimations
in regard to the matter there can be
no doubt that they intend to give their
allegiance to Samuel A. Cook if he de-
cides to be a candidate before The pri-
mary against the senator. What is
more, these men who are now looking
after the anti-LaFolette campaign
seem to take it as pretty definitely
settled that Mr.. Cook will be can
Gidate before the primary election
against the senator n ease the primary
election law is held to be constitution
al
There is some mention of the name
Of former Gov. William D. Hoard as a
ean&idate before The primary election
against Senator LaFollette, but it can
'e said that none of the -LaFollette
leaders seem to have any very serious
belief that former Gov. Hoard can be
induced Co enter such a fight. AS
far as the LaFoIette people are
concerned it can be said they pro-
fess the strongest kind of belief
that the decision in regard to the
constitutionality of the election law
will be sustained by the Wisconsin SUI
preme court and they profess to have
no fear whatever in regard to what