The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-06
By WILLIS J. ABBOT.

Special to The Washington Herald.
Milwaukee. Sept 5.-Presumably there
are some Democrats in the State Of Wis
consin. In 1905 about l65.O0O voted for the
candidate for governor and a few more
for Mr. Bryan. But now It is difficult to
find any OF these thousands. for the very
simple reason that the voting population
Of the State is no longer divided on strict
party lines. The people seem to be either
for or against La Toilette. and the old
terms Of Republican and Democrat are
seldom heard
OF course, there are Democratic can
didates for the nominations for COVER
nor. for Congress. and for the United
states Senate. All nomination. in this
State are made under the system OF d.
rect primaries. But you could haunt for
hours the corridors Of the hotels where
politicians do now most congregate with
out hearing a word about any issue ex-
cept the election or the defeat OF Bob
la Toilette.
VIII Try 90 Reverse Peoples VIII.
A man Of great influence. OF so
high a standing that I cannot men
ton his name. said 10 me to-day: la
Toilette will win at the primaries. HIS
enemies viii try 10 reverse the peoples
will in the legislature. II they do try
Il. the capitol at Madison will be sur
rounded by thousands OF people from
ali parts OF the State and lynching and
almost civil war viii be threatened"
The man who offered that prophecy
is not La Toilette mamie Is a Dem
Ocrga who. like most Democrats hef-s.
accepts La Toilette as the candidate who
most nearly approaches Democratic
ideas. The same man. Democrat as he
is, told me thar the La gillette seuti-
ment is such that he doubted whether
the Democrats would cast enough votes
under their own party heading to-mor-
row 10 have a place on the official ballot
in November
They have IN Wisconsin a very curl
Gus primary election law. Il Is called
the % per cent law" and II is little
understood by active politicians and not
understood az all by the average voter.
] have secured from an attorney who Is
actively interested in politics a careful
Statement OF what the law means, and
what was the purpose Of its enactment.
This is Il:
Aimed at La Toilette Democrats.
The primary election law as originally
enacted did not require any particular
percentage Of votes in order TO secure a
place on the official ballot. At the last
session Of the legislature there were two
bills introduced, one by the stalwart
faction OF the Republican party. they be-
ing the majority in the assembly. The
purpose OF this bill was 10 exclude
Democrats from voting in the primary
1t being generally believed and known
that large numbers OF Democrats had
voted for Senator La Toilette This
measure could not have passed the SEN
ate, as the Democrats and progressive
Republicans had a majority in the SEN
ate
Senator Owen, an intimate friend and
champion of Senator La Toilette. intro
duced a bill in the senate providing that
no candidate should have a place on the
under his party designation
unless he received twenty per cent Of the
votes cast for governor at the last gen
eral election. The progressive RepubIi-
cans IN the senate and a sufficient num-
Der OF stalwart senators voted in favor
Of the bill and II passed through The
senate. The stalwart majority in the
assembly quickly realized that such
measure would keep the Democrats In
their own primary or else il would re-
senate The stalwart majority in the
cratic party IN the State They there
fore adopted It at once and II became
a law. receiving the signature Of the
governor. This is the first trial Of
the law and the Democrats are nat
urally anxious about the result.
"One branch of the Republican party.
namely, the progressive, is pleading
with them individually and en- masse 10
support their cause. Enother portion Of
the Republican party are pleading with
another branch of the Democratic party
TO support It's faction in the interest OF
personal liberty.
BON are SuCCettNlNS 10 certain eN-
tent. and hence the great anxiety on the
part OF Democrats who believe in the
preservation of their party at present and
in the future, and who also believe that
IL has been beneficial TO the State to have
two strong opposing parties. and are
naturally eager to get out as many Dem |
ocratic votes as possible at the Demo- |
cratic primaries This is the situation
here in nutshell.
May BE No Democratic Ticket.
'If the Democratic candidates DO not
receive twenty per cent at this primary, |
there VIII be no Democratic ticket in the !
field at the general election. The primary |
election law provides that no candidate |
can appear on the primary ballot unless /
his petition is signed by a certain per-
centage Of the votes cast for governor /
Of the party in the last election. The 1
failure to receive the twenty per cent at
tie primary will absolutely annihilate I
the Democratic party so long as these I
Continued on Page o. Column L.
Florida Shingles, Perfect (A) no. 1.
Frank Li5bey x Co.. 9Th and ". Y. ave,