New-York tribune., 1910-07-31
WISCONSIN FACES /
BITTER STRUGGLE
FactionaI Strife in RpublIcan
Party inspires Democrats
with HOPE.
LA FoLLETTE,s HARD FIGHT
In Effort fof Reelection He
Has Called on Fellow
Insuygent Senators
for Aid.
LA FoLLETTE'S HARD FIGHT
Tr-an a STAFF Correspondent. ]

3
Madison. WIS. July So,-For the next five
weeks Wisconsin viii be the scene OF the
greatest struggle in its stormy political
lis-o-v The groundwork for the cam
raigr was laid months ago and from now
,--tfl Sertember 6 the orators and organ
tzers vvsl camp on the trail OF Wisconsin
voters
Thee is bitter feeling in the Republi-
can ranks. and this fact has inspired the
Democrats with & hope that this normally
sr-onE Republican state may elect q Dem
cratic Governor. and Democratic Legis-
Hture IN Novembar. For a dozen years the
Wisconsin Democrats have been disorgan-
tzed. Senator La Follette's whirlwnd
sneechmaking worked havoc in the ranks
of the Badger Democracy. Old line Dem
ocratic leaders worked shoulder TO shoulder
with the Republicans Tor La Toilette dele
gates 70 conventions. Now the Wisconsin
Democrats have reorganized. and an ap-
peal Is being made to Democrats to return
n their party and quit flirting with a man
who is banking on Democratic votes to
elect him 70 Office as q Republican
Ask any OF the anti-La Toilette leaders
what viii be the result of the September
primaries and they viii tell you that IL
The Democrats and Socialists vote their
own tickets Senator La Toilette will be de-
feated by overwhelming majority.
There is little doubt that e decisive ma
5ority OF the Wisconsin voters who style
themselves Republicans are opposed 70 Mr..
Ia Toilette They regard him as q self
seeker. who is a Republican for Office and
= Democrat in office They charge that
most of his victories in recent years were
accomplished by the disruption Of the Re
publican party, and say that Mr.. La Fol-
-,
we're & not for the fact that Wisconsin is q
Republican state
Radicals Control Democracy
The new Democracy in Wisconsin is in
-he hands of young men Joseph z.
Davies. Of Watertovn. q young lawyer,
Who made q reputation as an orator when
he was 81 the University OF Wisconsin. has
feen elected chairman Of the Democratic
State Committee Burt Williams, Of Ash
land. also e young man. has been made the
ua--v candidate for United States Senator
he is q brilliant orator, intense adnirer
of William J. Bryan and radical in his
views on public questions In fact, the
Wisconsin Democrats are seeking in every
possible way 10 avoid the charge that their
rehabiIfraIed party IS under the dominance
q the so-called ''reactionaries," for they
realize that the only way 10 win back the
men who left the party in response TO the
la Toilette appeals Is TO put forward men
VINO are radicals and to advocate measures
which are even more progressive" than
those OF the La Toilette slate.
Senator La Foliette's Republican Op-
4louenr for the Senatorial nomination IS
samuel a Cook Of Neenah. Mr.. Cook is
wealthy manufe cturer- who has been
prominent in Wisconsin politics for many
f,a
Republican nomination for Governor, and
mis- Is his third attempt TO reach the
United states Senate. He served in tire
s4th Congress Nr. Cook Is not an orator,
hut ne Is ora Of the most effective politiCal
can1paigners in the Badger State In the
Senatorial primaries two years ago he was
second in = field Of four. The Cook head
quarters We're orened in Milwaukee last
week. and Nr- Cook has already made a
personal visit TO every county in the state
Since his election TO the Senate. nearly
SIX years ago. Senator La Toilette has
made few speeches in Wisconsin He has
sp@nr most of his summers on the Chau-
ralqua platform reading Senate rollcalls
and attacking his Republican colleagues
lie made nc Chautauqua engagements this
ear. and viii devote his entire time 10 +he
wisconsin campaign. II is his purpose IN
travel in al automobile, and 10 make from
six 70 ten speeches 2 day for q month.
Funds for Ia Toilette
There VII he 10 lack OF funds to finance
--e Ia Toilette campaign, although the
Senator - already charging that mis- pc
I-icaI opponents intend 70 buy the Wiscon-
SIN electorate In former campaigns Nr-
Ia Toilette was under the guardianship Of
Senator Stephenson, probably the richest
man IN Wisconsin M Stephenson admits
that ne spent half z mii;fon dollars in pro
noting the political ambitions Of Senator
Ia Toilette.
Now Senators Stephenson and La Fol
rette are enemies. and the Stephenson bank
account is no longer available for the
spread % the propaganda known in Wis
conein as La Folletteisrn. II Is generally
believed that Captain William NJ. Lewis.
% Racine. has succeeded Nfr- Stephenson
- NJ La FoIlerte's financial hacker Cap
tain Lewis IS z millionaire automobile
--snUfacrure-, who was practically IN
known N Wisconsin politics six months
ago He Is seeking the Governorship nonai-
rstlor on rhe Republican ticket. and Is
fo---rnz The state in automobiles manu-
fsctured a. MS own factor. For several
months he q rs been paving for expensive
aeadouarters a. Milwaukee. Mr.. Lewis e1-
uects Senator La Follette's help. and Is
telling Wisconsin voters that he is the
u Toilette candidate for Governor
Ress1es the Cook organization, the anti
Ia Toilette men Of Wisconsin have 4 gen
ersI organization in Milwaukee. which Is
fghtInE The Senator on the ground that he
has read himself cut Of the Republican
rarty by his course in Congress This or
ean;zstion Is the outgrowth Of a conven-
rion held IN Milwaukee last month This
convention was called ny men who felt
rhat Mr Ia Follette's bitter attacks on
The Taft administration placed the Re
r3blicans Of Wisconsin in q false light be
fore the courtry-
TIE convention was attended by more
than one thousand delegates, every county
IN The state except two OF the far distant
northern counties, being represented No
candidates were nominated or indorsed,
the convention taking no action except 10
ADOPT q platform indorsing the admnistra-
ton Of President Tart.
Enemies Of la Toilette.
Tire convention adopted as its slogan
we are against men who are Republicans
Co. Office and Democrats in Office" and ap-
scinfeG committee 10 organize the state
Along this line The so-calied staiwarts,
Tho have always opposed Mr.. La Toilette.