The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1912-01-12
POLITICS ARE GETTING
HOTTER EVERY DAY
Unless a Progressive Is Nominated the
Democrats Are Almost Sure to Win

While President Taft is represented as
believing that Ohio is no longer to be
considered a western" state when it
comes to casting up his fortunes in
political way, thereby making it desir-
able that man from out OF the region
west of the Mississippi be selected as
running mate for the President, should
the latter again be nominated, still it
must be admitted that Ohio is cutting
big figure with both, one might say
with all, political parties. Added force
is given to this remark by the action
of Senator LaFollette, avowed candi-
date for the Presidency on the Progress
sive platform, in just making his polit-
ical declaration from the hustings to
the voters of Ohio. What he has said
may be considered the formal declara-
ton of faith by a man who is out for
the highest honors his country has to
bestow, and who is accustomed to get
what he goes after if the getting of it
lies within the range of his abilities.
Senator LaFollette has won the re-
spect of his antagonists. He has quail
fled as a fighter whose thrusts draw the
crimson, and while many profess to be-
lieve that his present campaign is more
of qualifying round for the fight to
come four years hence, he is making
great showing with his present organi-
zation. At any rate, he has added his
testimony to that Of other big politicians
that Ohio is a state which has almost a
preponderating influence in the final
result. That he goes from Ohio to
Michigan, Illinois and Indiana in no
way weakens the strength of his state
ment, but rather adds to it. Later in
the season the senator from Wisconsin
will invade country generally regarded
as more friendly TO him, probably tax
ing in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska,
Iowa, the Dakotas and Minnesota.
President Taft's decision to follow La
Toilette through Ohio only adds to the
feeling of pleased importance that resi-
dents of that state may be supposed to
enjoy.
The gathering Of strength by the in
cipient Roosevelt boom is causing some
dismay among progressive leaders.
They declare that they are unit for
LaFollette, and that the diversion in
favor of Roosevelt is a device of the
enemy to weaken their support, and
that it is without the sanction OF the
Colonel himself. Senator Bourne, OF
Oregon, prime mover in the national
progressive movement and who is going
to offer himself up as a sacrifice to the
theory that the people are to be trusted
to retain in Office those men who have
faithfully guarded their interests, and
who will disdain to make campaign
for reelection because he thinks it due
his constituents that they seould have
an opportunity to justify the faith he
has in them, has recently had an inter-
view with the sage of Sycamore Hill,
and he feels a confidence that he is
unwilling to put into words that all's
well in that quarter.
Somehow the impression is being
cultivated sedulously that this is going
to be democratic. year" and that
the republicans can't win; at least un-
til they decide to recall the Cincinnatus
of Oyster Bay from his agrarian labors
to carry the party standard. The re-
publicans who have other candidates
than the Colonel in view hoot at this
sort of talk and declare that it is always
rampant about the time Of the political
moon just preceding big convention.
They tell us that the seemingly disaf-
fected republicans will get together all
right Just as soon as leader is chosen
and wipe the earth with the free-trade
hosts, and more Of the same kind. Yet
we see an unusual earnestness among
candidates for the democratic nomina-
ton, and it looks as if they could see
that the honor would mean something
more this year Of grace than to carry
the banner to a noble defeat.
Congress is about to reassemble, and
we shall see staged there some OF the