Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-03-31

would find 1t doubly hard to hold the
electoral votes of these states
LaFoIIette's Aspirations.
And LaFollette will be in the race
as regular candidate or as a pro-
gressive on an Independent ticket All
Washington comedies that Twice he
has tried for recognition at the hands
OF a Republican convention to no
avail In the last convention he was
not only set aside, but, with his fol-
lowing, grossly insulted by the speak
ers for the administration, SO that for
days thereafter it was an open ques-
ton whether the Little Giant of Wis
cons1n would support the ticket. There
Is no longer need for him to submit to
like humiliation There is an or
ganization growing, ready to his hand,
for use either in securing the Re-
publican nomination or running on his
own ticket. For him there is already
an enlightened public sentiment,
powerful press and not few influen-
tial politicians, both Republican and
Democratic. In some way he will fig
ure largely in the next campaign.
Today the Democrats would nomi-
nate Gov. Harmon if the opportunity
were at hand. But the same forces
that are attacking Taft are decrying
Harmon on the same ground. 1t Is
significant too, that Bryan, whose
voice and aid have always been at La
Follette's disposal, is openly opposed
to the nomination of the Ohio gov
ernor
All signs indicate that Taft, Harmon
and LaFollette will be problematical.
LaFollette would draw heavily from
both old parties. From which one
the more heavily is hard to tell,
though as a lifelong Republican he
might be expected to attract more
members Of that party
And to think, after all, that ma
ch1ne-made war scare, and a possible
war, may prevent the political battle
being fought on it's merits.
Battle In Extra Session.
The nearer the extra session ap-
proaches the more certain it ap-
pears that it will be a period of
between the parties. By this I mean
that while the Taft reciprocity plan
is sufficiently satisfactory to the Dem
ocrats Of the house to pass that body
without much delay, it will be fought
in the senate by Democrats and Re-
glad to get rid of it in order that the
real revenue measures dear to the
Democratic heart-wool, lumber, cot
ton, steel, iron, and wood pulp-may
all have attention. They will get
attention all right. They will
get marked attention from those emf
nent standpatters and masters of par
Elementary procedure, Messrs. Can
non, Mann, Dalzell and Payne on the
floor of the house. Each bill will get
attention to the point of a flibuster
to prevent its passage. Of course the
Democratic majority is sufficient to
adopt the Republican tactics Of the
enemy now in retreat it's own favorite
cannon--a special ruIe-to stop debate
and force vote. But after that the
senate is still to be reckoned with
which means more delay.
Furthermore, from Augusta, Ca
come vague hints, between the crack
of the golf balls, that President Taft
wit oF hot
the Democratic ways and means COM
mittee is now preparing. This report,
if we'll founded, Is a marked change
from the sentiments attributed to him
by his spokesman in Washington only
a few days ago. 1t was then said that
the president was dissatisfied with
the Payne-Aldrich law, and would sign
any reasonable measures for it's cor
rection. Curious isn't it that he signed
the bill which he personally disap-
proyed-for his dissatisfaction was a
matter Of common notoriety-and
threatens to veto any measures de-
signed for its correction.
At any rate between the house and
the senate, the clash Of rival clans in
the latter chamber and the vacillating
position of the president, it is safe to
guess that the Taft extra session will
last not less than five months. The
organization of the first Democratic
house in sixteen years will take some
time, even though the committees
shall be practically arranged On the
Goth as is the present purpose. The
general opinion of the few public men
now in Washington is that after this
prolonged struggle the reciprocity
treaty will fall through the bitter
hostility Of Republican senator's from
New England and from the wheat
growing states of the northwest
Massachusetts fears Canadian fish,
the northwest breads the wheat Of
Winnipeg and Manitoba. The lines
are forming east and west and the bat
tie will be almost as fierce as that
over complete tariff bill.