Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-06-20
IA FoLlETTE'S ANNOUNCEMENT
EXPECTED TO cRYsTALIZE
SENTIMENT.
DOES NOT
EXPECT TAFT'S DEFEAT
Man Will, If He Loses, Be
in Position to Lead Rcorganized
Party Should Republicans Be De-
feated in Presidential Contest-Spee-
ulation as to Roosevelt's Attitude.
Especial Correspondence

is practically settled that Senator La
| Toilette will be an active candidate LOT
president and will oppose President
| Taft for the nomination, it is expected
there will be speedy drawing or the
lines as between the Taft supporters
and the La Toilette supporters.
Up to now. there has been certain
lack of disqualification Of support. Men
friendly to La Toilette have not peeH
in any haste to declare for him openly.
And large numbers Of republicans VINO
have not in the past been particularly
| friendly to Mr.. Taft but who 40 not
want to fight him have been slow TO
indicate that they would not oppose
him for denomination. But in the sit
uation that now obtains, with the Taft
leaders doing all they can to get dele
gates surrounded and with the La
Toilette forces trying to break down
the Taft fences and stampede the TAFT
support the lines are certain to be
drawn and that quickly. Who Will
support the president and who Will
support La Toilette will soon be made
plain
Will Not Have Enough Votes.
The best judges OF the situation ex-
pect La Toilette to make strong
showing Of delegates but not to get
enough to shatter the plans Of Mr..
Taft's friends for renominating nm.
Senator La Toilette can not get tne
south nor can he get the east. he
will not be able to get Illinois. he VIII
not be able to get much OF the ROCK!
Mountain country. Under the clrcum-
stances, his nomination can not De
brought about unless there should De
complete disarranging of the plans
of the Taft leaders and there IS mus
far no Indication Of this.
1t can not be denied that Senator La
Toilette Is steadily growing in strength
in Washington He has many admirers,
however, who will not go into fight
in their states for him. A good indi-
cation of this Is seen IN an interview
given out by Representative Prouty. OF
Iowa. who represents the DeS MONIES
district in the house and who succeed
ed Representative Hull. Judge Prouty
said that while he had not always
asreed with President Taft ne De
lieved him to be sincere and just; that
he had believed Taft was doing tne
best he could for the country and the
party; that he was convinced he was
entitled TO denomination: and that ne
believed Taft would have the solid
Iowa delegation in 1912. Furthermore.
said Judge Prouty he believed all the
members Of the Iowa delegation took
the same view. He also predicted
Taft'S reelection.
Inasmuch as Judge Prouty is close
ly associated IL politics with Senator
Cummins It is quite clear that his
remarks are significant. Iowa VIII al
most inevitably go into the Taft col
L., wig Of
| trend Of that state 20 progressiVeism,
will he a large asset for the Taft
| forces.
What Will Roosevelt Do?
The position which Theodore Roose-
Welt will take in the TaftLa Toilette
| fl ght is one that is the subject OF wide
| " conflicting opinion here. Not long
go. If was announced from a source
| close to President Taft that Roosevelt
would support Taft. Then Roosevelt
denied it. Now, some Of the friends OF
La Toilette are speaking In hopeful
| fashion Of getting Roosevelt to line up
| for La Toilette. They are talking the
some way about other prominent pro-
gressives who are being listed In the
Taft column. However, what polite
ians here look at is that Roosevelt Is
not making a fight against raft dele
cation in the state Of New York The
| delegation will be unit for Taft and
under the circums stances. there is no
reason to suppose Colonel Roosevelt
could do much for La Toilette In the
way of actually getting delegates even
were he to come out for hlm
May Gain il He Loses.
One view Of the situation pointed
| out here is that it is good politics FOR
Senator La Toilette to make the fight
for nomination even II he loses. 1t is
pointed out that the fortunes Of the
republican party now are at low ebb.
# the democrats sweep the country.
then the republican party VIII reor-
sanize 1t will almost inevitably re-
organize along more progressive lines
| and some Of the old regular leaders
will be discarded. In such a situation.
It has not escaped notice here, Senator
La Toilette would be in position to
exert all the more power from having
! made fight for nomination in 1872,
rolled up a good showing of delegates.
and demonstrated that he was po-
litical force 10 be reckoned with.
Moreover, Senator La Toilette is aware
that the best way to keep his forces
| together is not by keeping out Of a
fight but by always keeping in one.
Under the circum stances, the candi-
| dacy Of La Toilette, as viewed by
many here. Is far sighted politics.
GrinneIl and Vicinity.