The Washington herald., 1912-02-25

hand press each week on Wednesday.
Forty miles distant was the village
OF MondovL On Christmas day. 1876.
Houser appeared in that place with a
wagonload of junk which Morse had
| sold him at a knockdown figure, pay
ment to be made in the future. He
had come. he notified the go inhabitants.
| to establish a weekly newspaper ''I
managed TO float" he told me. "for a
year. with the help and advice Of Mr..
Morse. No one on Gods earth could
have kept his head out OF water any
longer. Then I gave up and practiced
law for a living. Later, I regained pos
So began the eagie-eyed lieutenant OF
| the great reformer.
when sid you make the acquaintance
of Mr.. La Follette?' asked. for La
Toilette was the man I wanted to un-
cover.
II had been going to conventions q
long time Mr.. Houser answered. and
had been urging a good many reforms In
my weekly newspaper-reforms that are
now emphasized in all progressive plat
| forms. La Toilette was then known to
me only by reputation. In 1894 he be-
gan his first big fight on the Wiscon-
sin machine and induced Nils P. Haugen
to be a candidate for governor. Haugen
and / had gone to a district school to-
I
crooked Norwegian accent, but he was
good student and a fine fellow. /
went to the convention OF 1894. helped
Haugen all / could and made the per-
sonaI acquaintance of La Toilette. Our
friendship has continued from that time
why They Deserted La Toilette.
1T is reported said. that all OF his
! old friends are now his enemies"
The report is untrue, though he lost
some OF the men who were at his side
at the outset OF his war on the wiscon-
sin bosses. They did not realize what the
contest meant. 1t was soon to be over,
they thought. When 1t dragged on for
years. however. and they felt its effects
financially and socially they dropped out
OF the fighting ranks one by one. The
men who were actually in earnest are
still La Follette's friends"
What kind Of a campaign are you car
rying on?'
When Bob telegraphed me last July
to come TO Washington, knew exactly
what he wanted. He told me on my ar
rival that he had decided to be a candi-
date for President and showed me some
letters. / agreed TO take charge OF his
interests. We had at first a corner in
his private ONCE. After We had out
grown the corner the rooms we now oc-
cupy were obtained. ! wrote to progres-
sive men in all parts OF the country.
Gradually We worked up a mailing list
and began sending out documents show
ing what La Toilette has accomplished
in Wisconsin, including Endorsements
from Senator Cummins and Theodore
Roosevelt In October delegates from
thirty StAtes met in Chicago and held a
progressive conference. They travelled
long distances and paid their own eX-
penses. La Toilette was formally recon-
mended for the Republican Presidential
nomination. We have main Offices in Co.
lumbus, Ohio, and Chicago. and branch
Offices elsewhere in the country"
IF II Is not an improper question" I
said. Il should like to ask who is financ-
ing Mr.. La FoIlette's campaign"
Friends, only friends. They have sent
us contributions ranging from 81 to
well, TO a larger amount. Although We
look big and have really done a big
work. We have spent hardly more than
S3O.O00. No campaign anywhere equal in
size and results was ever run with so
VIII Senator la Toilette and his close
personal friends vote for President Taft
IL he is renominated?"
II am not authorized to speak for Bob.
AS for myself. I can't give a reply 10
your inquiry at the present time. I am
an independent man. II Woodrow Will
son runs against Taft, I may vote for
him."
The Risks that Roosevelt Runs.
DO you really believe that Mr. La Fol-
lette will be nominated?'
Two months ago I was sure he would
be the Republican candidate. The sud-
den clamor for Roosevelt, must admit,
gave US a temporary setback and con-
fused the situation. I do not know IL
Roosevelt will take or decline the nomi-
nation, but whatever he says or does will
not alter our plans a particle. La Fol-
lette will stay in the fight and his name
will go before the convention. That much
is settled. It seems to me, however
that Roosevelt will jeopardize his great
reputation IL he consents openly or tacit- |
ly to be a candidate. He may not be
nominated, or, IL nominated. he may not
be elected, or, n elected. something may
occur during four more years in office |
to injure or destroy his fame"
VIII you tell me about La Follette's
machine in Wisconsin,
Surely. Our organization Is called a
machine, and I have no cause TO quarrel
with those who use that name. 1t is a
machine, and the most perfect political |
machine in the United States But there |
is a difference in the purposes OF ma |
chimes. The ordinary machine is built |
up on post-ofiices, marshalships, and |
other patronage. The La Toilette ma |
chine rests on principles alone. We have |
five men," and Mr.. Houser held UP his |
four fingers and his thumb to impress his |
figures on my mind, Tin each voting pre-
cinct in the State. TIey have been test
ed in the crucible of time. They sincere
ly believe that. the people should rule this /
in fact and not In theory. They |
are not concerned about getting Offices
for themselves.
We'll, those FIVE men supply us with /
the names Of all the voters in their pre-.
cinct. classifying them as 'reactiouaries,' 4
'progressives,' and fair Democrats A
fair Democrat Is a man who thinks Of |
his country first and his party afterward.
citizens in the State We send them lit /
sowing Il broadcast among ciods and /
and another that. and so on. Nor do we
purpose TO arouse any needless hostility.
The wise choice &C literature Is an sex-
reedingly important matter. We have
gone about our business intelligently. To-
iay our majority OF 10000. always 70 be
counted on, makes us invulnerable"
Never Changes his Mind.
"wouid you cali Senator Ia Toilette
4 pugnecious mans?
II suppose you mean a quarrelsome
man. one who walkh around with q chip
sn his shoulder. No. he h not While
he never looks for a iishi. hs WIN taae
IN hln coat and roll up his sleeves n he
lal..ha a a.hf A unnQolfnhia 40 49,. |