The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-08
THURSDAY. FEB. S, 1912.
HAS LAFOLLETTE WITHDRAWN:

The Times prints III its first page
today Il news story which on Its face
indicates the withdrawal of Senator
LaFollc,te from the presidential
race. Some comment on this story
is necessary in order not to he unfair
and to take nc advantage of a Pc
culiar situation. The news story Is
given for its face value. AS a rule,
news evcn of Il political character
can be taken NJ what it says because
it is either a recital of fatcs or de-
auctions from facts, or if opinions
it is So stated and the reader can
determine the value of the opinion
just the same as a juror can deter
mine the merit of n witness story.
The item we are now considering
hardly fits into any Of those condi-
tons.
The story published was written by
Louis w. Strayer. Washington CORE
spondent of the Plttsuurg Dispatch,
an experienced and We nave always
found. reliable newspaper man. He
has an opportunity TO know the con-
ditions and to secure such facts as
would be necessary to form a reliable
conclusion. on the surface il looks
as though he had done so, but the
Importance of the matter is too great
TO accept his statements without con-
sideration.
The Associated Press is non-parti-
san. 1t gives the poiirlcal news OF
all parties and all candidates. Its
board of directors is composed of
hoth Democrats and Republicans and
any news editor who violated the
or colored his news would he sum-
marily discharged. So much for the
Reliability of the Associated Press
news The Grand Forks Herald re-
ceived in its Monday night report the
following news story which was pub
lished in its issue of Tuesday. The
story was sent out from Newark,
New Jersey. and reads:
At q banquet here tonight of
tn" Hudson county progressive
Republicans. George T.. Record,
chairman of the county progress
sivr committee announced they
had received Il telephone mes
sag" from Washington tonight,
saving LaI'ollctte had with
drawn as Il candidate for the Re
publican nomination for presi-
dent and that progressives all
over the county now would work
for the nomination of Roose-
Welt.
Record added that every pro-
@rcssiNc delegate to he national
convention from Hudson. county
would vote for Roosevelt. La
Toilette was To have been tho
chief speaker of the evening
and the auditorium was packed
with proGressivcs who We're anX-
ions to hear him. Senator
Clapp of Minnesota was among
the speakers.
The Times did not Use the story on
the day following because as a rule
SOM confirmation or rather contin-
uation of such stories follow the dav
or night after thr original, or the
story is denied. These are matters
of routine To news editors. hut the
reader will I've able to recall that such
things are often found in new. coll
unns the purpose being to finally
arrive ut the truth. None Of these
things occurred With reference to tho
story quoted above. and to he on tho
safe side and avoid the appearance
of doing Senator LaI'ollctte or his
friends in this state an injustice. VIC
~ " hH. w w. IL liltIe were
any confirmation. The story of Mr..
Strayer seems to be confirmatory.
Yet before we care to make such an
assertion we prefer to nave even moro
corroboratinE evidence.
Our own opinion is that the story
has Il foundation in fact. 1t lies AT
the very root of the reason WHY we
are supporting Roosevelt. We have
repeatedly stated that in our opinion
Senator LaFollctte could not be
nominated. At one time we gave the
l-aFollctte strength in the several
states and said that if he were nomi-
mated. the fight would have to be won
after that time. That estimate gave
hi mless than a fourth Of the conven-
ton vote. He has gained nothing
since that time, but on the contrary
has lost ground. Senator LaFollette
is too shrewd and experienced a pol
itician not to he able to accurately
Judge his w strength. His knowl-
edge is based on accurate and COM
%prehensive information. He knows
that he is not dead politically and
that a fight to The end with defeat In
the convention AS the climax would
not only iniure him personally but the
policies which he advocates. Better
for both. if after the arousing he has
given the country. he follows that
course which assures the nomination
of he mar who stands for the same
principles, instead of the one dia-
metrically opposed to them.
Certainly Senator Cummins would
not have announced his own candi-
dacy and thus have taken the La
Toilette strength in iowa from him,
had he not have understood even at
that time the ultimate purpose of
LaFollette. We doubt if there will
be. a formal withdrawal of the sena-
tor. even If the stories Of such with
drawal are correct. Wisconsin will
present him as a favOrlte son and
cast her vote for him. But he will
not push his active campaign further
and his adherents. except in his w
state. will turn to Roosevelt.
This seems to us the fair conclu.
sion to be drawn from the develop.
ments of the last few days. But lest
We be misunderstood or our motives
be questioned, we repeat hat the
whole matter is too important to de-