The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-05-18
CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT
No Longer A Doubt That the Wis
consin Senator Will Announce
the Fact Soon,


political LCs.&Cn of 1912 is the
Hon. Robert NJ. LaFolette. of Wis
consin
The pioneer Cr inst cncy in the
American Serate was not cxtraor-
dinarily prominent in the public
utterances OF tie last session of
the Sixty-first Congress.
Few men CT his pr minence in
that great assembly made fewer
speeches or were so seldom on the
floor of the Senate. But if Mr.. La
Folette has been quiet he has not
been inactive. His policy has evil
IDENTIFY been to saw wood and say
nothing"
He begins, however, this extra
session with the external promise of
taking larger part in senatorial
discussions ard of occupying
greater place in the public eye.
He will probably begin his ac-
tivity for the extra session in Il
vigorous appeal for the uplift of
politics and the purity of elections
in a great effort to oust Lorimer,
of Illinois, from his senatorial seat.
1t is noted by acute observers
that Senator LaFolette's manner
and tone have grown greatly in in
tensity and force in the last six
months. There is about him a
greater depth than he has illustrat-
ed in public life before. Nor has
the Senator been more radical, but
less radical, in these recent months.
That he is a candidate for Pres
ident of the United States, seeking
the nomination of the next national
Republican convention, there is no
longer q shadow of doubt. When
he will announce this candidacy is
merely Il matter Of discretion with
himself and his friends.
Will Stick to the Party.
1t is known that Senator LaFol-
ette does not desire to leave tn;
Republican party so long as there
is or appears to be a chance to
impress his progressive politics up
on the councils and platforms of
that organization. He has been
studiously careful to avoid any act
or utterance which would seem to
indicate for the present a break
with his party.
One of the greatest OF the far
Western Senators, who is a cordial
friend of the Wisconsin man, tells
me that he believes if LaFolette
should announce his candidacy, that
President Taft, who is not particu-
larly enamored OF his lofty station,
would recognize the leadership that
could carry thc Republican party to
victory and would retire from the
race himself. However daring this
theory, there are many to support it.
Upon the other hand, it is urged
that the President is not a man t.
retire under fire. He is a devoted
Republican, ilyal to his party, and
the only consideration that might
possibly induce him not to become
candidate would be the convic-
tion that another. man might bring
republican success in 1912
Would Make n Striking Campaign
That Mr.. LaFolette, if he shot
enter the Presidential race either
the single candidate or as the cau~
didate against the political chief
ecutive, would make a striking an,
remarkable campaign no politicl!
observer will for a moment doUr
Of the fact that LaFolette is can
didate. There can be no doubt of
the fact that he has grown enorm-
ously upon the confidence and ad-
miration OF his party within the
past two years, and that the pro-
gressive sentiment which he un-
doubtedly leads has also increased
to an amazing degree.
have before this pointed in
Mr.. LaFolette entered the Senate
these columns to the fact that where
Mr.. LoFolette entered the Senate
five years ago a single and lone
some pioneer representing one-sixti-
eth of the Republican majority. he
" Ni "iS ho" plC-louI III
OF the Republican Senate and are
strong enough and bold enough to
split his party ranks in that body.
He is playing his hand with con-
sumate boldness and Skill And
whether he makes open announce
ment OF his candidacy before the
close Of the extra session or wheth-
er he carries it riding a dark horse
to the door of the national Repub-
hcan convention, it may be written
as at once a prophecy and a fact
that the RenubIicoD ybo wilma +bc