The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-17
LAFO[LETTE SURE
 ID BE CANDIDATE Will Follow Taft Around
 the Circuit GETS IN LIMELIGHT Presidential Primaries in Several States Are Expected to Give
 LaFollette Candidacy
 Big Boost
GETS IN LIMELIGHT
By RopERIoK CLIFFORD

| by hODEhiCh tbiF 1T oho | Washington, September 16.-(special.)- Although Senator Robert NJ. LaFollette of Wisconsin has made no public an nouncement of his candidacy for the Presidency, he is in fact a candidate or the progressive ticket. He will emulate President Taft by making a swing around the circuit late in the fall, just after President Taft completes his jour- ney to the Pacific coast and return.
 The announcement of Senator Jonathan Bourne. Jr- that he would favor the nomination of LaFollette, and the an- nounoement of Senator Cummins of Iowa that LaFollette is the foremost pro- gressive and a logical candidate for the | Presidency, together with the fact that the Wisconsin senator will tour the coun- try on a big speech making trip, definite ly puts LaFollette fin the Presidential race.
 LaFollette has not publicly announced his intention of becoming a candidate, preferring, 1t is said, to await a more propitious time to launch his boom. It is thought that he will announce his can didacy immediately after he makes his trip
 On this trip he will follow closely Pres dent Taft's route, and if possible speak in opposition to the Presidents views l. is thought that this kind of a pro- gramme will tend more to bring LaFol- lette into the limelight, and make him a great national figure a year hence.
 At present, LaFolette is only vaguely known to the great mass of the people It i5 the intention of those who are man. aging his campaign to have him appear in the role of champion of direct control of elections by the people instead of an advocate of delegated powers, such as is favored by the regular republicans, and upon which platform President Taft is firmly planted.
 The political importance of such a trip as planned by Senator LaFollette would be great. He Is now the only likely can didate in the field against President Taft for the republican nomination, and as his personal following is large and enthusi- astic, it Is believed that If he does make the trip it will be possible to gauge in a measure the extent of the revolt among the republicans against the nomination of President Taft.
 In Washington 1t is represented that President Taft's hold on the voters in many parts of the country, especially the west, is weak. Whether that allegation is true doubtless will be more or less clearly demonstrated when the President makes his long trip this fall So it is plain that if President Taft's trip should emphasize his weakness, while that of LaFollette shows the senator's strength, or that the anti-Taft movement in the republican party Is growing, 1t would | throw serious obstacles in the way of the Presidents renomination
 The Presidential primary Is likely to cut much larger figure than many of the politicians have realized
 For some time the republican insurgent leaders have been diligently engaged in promoting the Presidential primary. They have done this for the avowed purpose of crippling the movement to renominate preference for a Presidential nominee cealment of their purpose, and they have pressed hard in numerous states for the enactment of a Presidential preference law, whereby the voter expresses his preference for a Presidentian nominee just as he would for nominee for any other office through the primary system.
 But it Is not alone republican insur- gents who are expecting to help their cause through the Presidential primary, The progressive or radical democrats are hopeful of advancing their cause through the same means, and efforts are being made to get Presidential preference laws passed in large number of states.
 This democratic movement Is distinctly anti-Harmon, and appears to be in the interest of Governor Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey. It may work out, too, to help Champ Clark.
 The states having Presidential prefer ence laws are Wisconsin, Nebraska New Jedsey, Oregon and North Dakota Through special sessions of the legisla- lures. California and Kansas may be added to this list before next spring In each of these states the progressives are laying wires. They are going to use their utmost endeavors to boom Senator La Toilette, and 1t is expected that In the course of the proposed trip he will make 1t a point to cover these doubtful states thoroughly.
 The anti-Harmon democrats are also making an effort in large number of the southern states having no preference law to have the democratic state com mittees arrange for Presidential prima- ries.
 Tennessee, Arkansas Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma. Florida, Mississippi and in fact most of the southern states the movement is on. and on seriously, for the purpose of, having Presidential pri- maries. Little is. heard of the movement in the northern states that do not have the preferential law, though there has been consideration of 1t in Indiana.
 Through the promotion of the primaries 1t Is thought that the progressives favor- ing the boom of Senator LaFollette will find an easy way to force action on the senator's name in the republican conven- tion and the only stumbling block to the acceptance of the nomination would be the support of the delegates. This is to be obtained, it is pointed out. by LaFol- lettes big swing around the circuit in the wake of President Taft.
 The fall Is looked upon for big things in the way of political stump speaking. Headliners will be on speaking tours. Champ Clark, Governor Harmon, Cover nor Wilson, President Taft, Senator La Toilette, Senator Bourne, Senator Cum nins and lesser lights are to take the { field.
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