The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-09-17
WILSON WILL
CARRY WISCONSIN
THE SITUATION IN THAT STATE
WHERE POLITICS is PLAYED
BY EXPERTS.
(By John McLaughlin.)


Milwaukql Sept l6.-Gbyenor
Wilson will carry Wisconsin.
This prediction has been made from
time to time by various democratic
leaders more perhaps, in a spirit OF
hope than because of any particular
knowledge of the conditions in this
state. The more familiar one be-
comes with the situation, however,
the clearer becomes the conviction
that the prediction is we'll founded.
The game of politics in Wisconsin
is played by experts. There are more
shades of political opinion in Wis
consin militantly expressed, than in
probably any other state in the
union. The electorate is free and out
spoken and party lines are not re-
garded seriously.
1t is a progressive state. Indeed
Wisconsin folk are fond of saying
| that Wisconsin is the most progress
i've in the country; that it is the
mother of prosressiyeism. During
the long agitation of Senator LaF'ol
| lette for the reform measures that
his party, he had no staUncher sup
pOrters than those he found in the
/ ip
Gratis who have not approved OF what
LaFolette called "fairminded demo-
Gratis" but the disapproyal of the old
| line democrats did not deter many
thousands of democrats from sup
porting and voting for the LaF'ol
| lette program. indeed, Cot. Sryaa
himself gave the fair minded dem
ocrat' the stamp of his approval and
more than once came into the state
to urge support for LaFollette pol
icies.
All this is in the past. The LaFol
| lette program has been written into
the law and customs of the state
Many of the reforms which have been
brought about in Wisconsin had been
advocated for years by the democrats
and today the democrats of Wiscon-
sin are as progressive as the electors
of any state. That is why in this
campaign the candidacy of Woodrow
| Wilson will receive such support in
leans have always stood for prac-
ti;ally the same things that the dem
ocrats have stood for
The Lal'ollette republicans have
not failed in every test during the
last four years to show disapproval
of the present republican administra-
ton. Two years ago there was or
campaign under the direction or E.
l.. Phipp of Milwaukee and w. d..
republican primaries. The report of
the committee in charge of this cam
paign showed that over 100000 was
expended in six weeks before the pri.
maries. The Taft republican candi-
date, Ed I. Fairchild of Milwaukee,
was defeated by an overwhelming
majority by the LaFollette republi-
can candidate, Francis f. McGovern,
! the present governor.
The campaign was made on a
straight Issue of Taft and his record
up to that time. There had been a
convention at which Vice President
sherman and Congressman Wat
son of Indiana eloGuently pleaded for
| endorsement of the partys titular
leader, President Taft. The results of
the primaries, therefore, cannot be
regarded as anything but a complete
reputation of Taft and his policies
because the candidates whom Vice
President Sherman asked the people
to vote for were simply showed un-
der.
All this is by way of recalling sig
nificant events which bear upon the
present situation. During the last
few years Senator LaFollette him
self both in his speeches in the SEN
ate, on the Chautauqua platform and
in his paper, "LaFollette's Weekly"
has criticised President Taft and rid
iculed his pretensions to progressive
republic2nism. Lafollette's paper has
lampOOned and cartonned the presi-
dent week after week, holding him up
tC public scotn and proolaining him
a reactionary and willing tool to the
interests. The action of Col Roose7 /
welt in snatching the support of thd
progressive republicans from Sena1 i
tor LaFollette prior to the Chicagd
So.