The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-12-09
WILL Bl3 MOST INTERESTING
FIGURE IN UPPER HOUSE
An PRESENT SESSION.
Ne IS NOT LAUGHED At NOW
HAS "a strong Grasp ON His Own
State and is in No Sense Il
Party Man.

M. La Toilette, beginning with the
present session of congress-. Will be-
come the most conspicuous figure in
She senate, regardless of party, is the
deliberate judgment Of men of clean
political vision
These expect the Wisconsin SEN
ator to attain national prominence
IS a senatorial power. coupling with
This an ability to demand the atJen-
tion OF his colleagues and The coun-
try, in which respect he failed in
he first few years OF his service.
1T is unlikely That he viii be offici-
ally designated or recognized lead
CT OF any element of his party, but
Iorcible reasons are advanced as to
Why he Will De the popular hero Of
The senate with a vastly increased
political influence extending farther
outside than that OF any other man
IN it. Backed by popular endorse
ment from the people of his state
such as came to no other senator,
Did or new, in that body, the La
Toilette policies and measures will
possess a strength they lacked be-
fore. Friends OF this militant pio-
neer OF the insurgent movement are
saying: Keep your eyes on La Fol
!ette from now on And it seems
well worth doing.
itidicuied Years Ago.
Six years ago when he came to
the senate he stood for exactly what
he stands for now, but he stood alone
IN the chamber. There were no in
surgents then The Aldrich grip was
mistaken, and the furility of buck
ing the organization was such as to
smother any signs Of Independence
upon the part of the senators with
independent inclinations and a de-
sire to rebel against the ''humbug-
gerry that dominated the party and
the subserviency with which it legis-
lated for the special interests. These
We're the days when La Toilette did
his fighting by himself. He was
sc0ffed at, sneered at, and openly in
suited. He was looked upon by
many as pompadoured anarchist,
a demogogue Of the worst type,
menace to the welfare Of the people,
and the prosperity Of the country.
His Remuneration Of trusts, the tar
if and the railroads aroused only
open contempt, but he fought along
with far clearer idea Of the real
trouble with this country than his
colleagues, and the proof Of this
that the country has, to an amazing
extent, swung around to La Toilet
te's viewpoint. There has arisen a
group of republican senators who,
while not yet ready to go 20 the eX-
tent La Toilette goes, still reflect
and stand for many La Toilette
ideas and have aided in the creation
of nation wide movement that has
changed the political map.
Ahead of Other insurgents.
Id L OllGtle is sun ScN SldI steps III
advance of the other insurgents, and
will probably keep about that far
ahead of them, for the reason that
he is the only one upon whom the
party ties weigh not at all When It'll
comes to question of La Toilette
principle or idea or measure, if the
party fence is in the way, he does
not even hesitate about hurdling.
He goes right over. The rest of them
halt to think it over and speculate
about where they will light after
they leap. A good many have the
courage to take the jump, but they
do not do it without due consider
alton. La Toilette is ready to leave
his party at any time to follow a /
principle, and for that reason is in
a class by himself in the senate. He
will not be the floor leader for any
element of his party, but then no
one else will be his floor leader, be-
cause he is SO constituted that he
will not follow any one.
Won Over Powerful Enemies.
In his fight for reelection in Wis
consin there was arrayed against
him every corporate influence and
railroad in the state. His opponents
had unlimited money, and it was
no secret that the big moneyed in
terests would rather see La Toilette
knocked out Of public life than any
President Taft went to the liimt in
using the influence of the admins
tration to prevent the return of La
Toilette, and it will be a long time
before La Toilette will cease to re-
member what was attempted there