The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-06
Practically Withdrawing the
Senator From the Contest.
TO STAND BY THE GUNS
Urges Friends to Instruct Dele
gates for 'sPrOgressive.'
Still Says Name VIII Be Pre-
sented to the Convention.


longest and hardest fights in the his
tory of American politics, Senator La
Toilette has authorized a statement
which is regarded by even his friends
as an admission that he can no longer
continue in the lead in the progressive
cause. or make the fight for the presl-
dencv that he has planned.
Through the day the senator had un-
der consideration an unqualified with
drawal. He is under no Illusions as
TO his physical condition. He knows
as well as his friends that he is now
absolutely unfit to take part in any
poutical battle.
FI1t his managers, unwilling TO per-
nit him to withdraw TIL the last nUpe ~
bas ebbed. persuaded him to modlLy
the statement and it was issued as 1ol-
lows: = raoes-
ssrv to take a few weeks rest 1nlS
may prevent him making speecheS ia
+ho states which are to hold early prA-
r1aries and his friends in those states
Iii make such campaign for MIN as
in their judgment viii best serve en0
-1rnerressive principles which ms can
didacy represents. ;.
irnpossible, because of his present IN
ability to fill speaking engagements TO
secure the election delegates 1of nun mn
they will best serve tie progressive
cause bv instructing delegates Where
they find it possible to do so, for the
II Forough going and definite principles
which he has advocated and aided IN
embodying in progressive statutes, pro
posed in constructive measures Whlcn
he has introduced in the United
states Senate and in the addresses
which he has already made in this
campaign.
Entered in Good Faith.
Senator LaFollette was urged to be-
come a candidate by the most active
progressive Republicans of the country
because they believed that he, better
than any other man by the Whole
course of his political career, repre-
scented those principles. He would
never have consented to stand as a
candidate excepting in good faith.
Though he finds his plans interfered
with by his temporary indispos1t1on, n
fulfllment of the implied pledge which
his candidacy made to those who have
believed in the sincerity and
constancy Of his purpose, his name VIII
be presented to the national Repub1-
can convention and delegates will make
an aggressive contest for his nomina- |
ton and for a strong platform. To this
end the progressive Republican cam /
paign committe will devote it's best ef-
forts.
whatever time senator LaFoIlette
ing a needed rest for a few weeks will
be given, subject to such demands as
his official duties make upon him.
(Signed.) ''W- l. HOUSER-
washington, Feb. 5, 1872
W. l. Houser is the LaFollette
manager in Washington. With him
when the statement was issued were
Senators Bourne and Bristow, both en-
thusiastic LaFollette men. Both were
in a very serious frame of mind They
did not conceal grave doubt that their
leader, in permitting even this hope
full statement to go abroad, had prac-
tically eliminated himself from the
race and placed upon the shoulders of
his friends the duty of selecting his
successor.
Who that successor is to be is the
question that is agitating all the poll
ticians in the capital There is one
ready answer and that is Theodore
Roosevelt.
All the enmity to Roosevelt that the
LaFollette men have harbored is gone
now that the colonel is no longer
stumbling block in Senator LaFol-
lette's path. They are united in their
determination to beat Taft. They have
got to have somebody to beat him
with and there is no one else to turn
to save Roosevelt