The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-12
DEMOCRATS FOR L.AFoLLETTE.

The Times II few days ago stated
III this column that the Democratic
party was doing all in its power TO SCI
cure votes in this state for Senator
I.aFollette. That statement VIII bear
repetition. The Democratic party
members in this state are urging Re
publicans to vote for LaFollette he
cause they know that every vote cast
for him in North Dakota is q vote
cast in the interests Of President Taft
and in aid of his nomination. That
assertion requires an explanation,
Use it would be on an equality with
me hare assertion that q vot" for La
Toilette is a vote 70 defeat Taft.
Suppose We analyze the conditions.
Senator LaFoligr. ROW has in pros-
pect at the best including North pa-
kota's strength. less than .ifty votes
in the convention. Wisconsin has
twenty-siX votes and in a spirit Of
charity, the Times and other Roose.
Welt papers have conceded the whole
state to LaFoiiette. But Taft has the
certain guarantee OF ;he TWO delegates
from Senator LaFollette's own con-
%gressional district and in addition six
more are reasonably SURE for him.
iowa is lining up for Taft and in ev-
cry state where LaFollette had any
show when he first entered the con-
test. his workers have deserted him
and joined Roosevelt. Thirty votes.
ten of them from North Dakota. OUT
side Of Wisconsin is more than any
we'll informed LaFollette leader can
point II II should be apparent to
anyone that under these conditions
LaFollette has not Il ghost of a chance
in the convention.
But before We consider the reason
why the Democrats are working so
strenuously for him. let us unnask
the real motive behind his candidacy.
LaFollette men in this state argue
that he will have a few votes in the
convention and with these in his hand
he can force his nomination because
of the bitterness of the fight between
Roosevelt and Taft. That
ton is the merest folly. for the bitter
ness is about equal among the three
n both the Taft and Roosevelt fol-
lowing will go to some other man
like Cummins or Hughes before they,
would go TO La Follette. There is TOO
much bitterness in the LaFollette fol.
lowing for him to become the dark
horse. Now conceding all that the
LaFollette men in his state claim
in this particular. if our vote is tied
to LaFollette with a mere corporal's
guard. we not only have no voice in
defeating Taft but are unable to helm
nominate another man unless that
man is LaFollette with not one chance
in ten thousand of winning.
Now let us study the easons why
the Democrats are working for La
Toilette. one Democrat stated to the
writer that he was for LaFollette be-
cause he had advocated the same low
tariff rates as the Democratic party
stands for. practically free trade. That
is not the reason. There has never
been since 1892 as completely organ
lied determination as now to elect
a Democratic president and congress.
That party can win neither on its his
tory mol Its principles. It can only
win on the DISCRIMINATION Of the Re-
publican party. The Democrats are
turning heaven and earth to create
discussions in the Republican party
and at the same time urge the nomi.
nation Of the weakest candidate by