The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-10-10
CALLS ROOSEVELT A TRAITOR
Senator Declares That McGovern
Should Have Made His Flop Before
Being Nominated as a Republican
candidate and Taken His Chances.

Under the heading "McGovern,
Senator LaFollette in the leading edi
toHial in this week g issue of his ma ga
zine, goes after Gov. McGovern for hi:
plunge into the Roosevelt tar barrel
The senator says the act was per
formed with bravado, but declares il
would have been a finer example Oh
courage if he had taken the high dive
before he was safely nominated
The editorial follows:
"Since the last issue Of LaFollette s
McGovern has plunged bodily into the
Roosevelt tar barrel.
eff anything were NEEDED to int II
pref the true significance of his course
ct Chicago, his action at this time is
quite conclusive.
THE act was performed with bravo
do. But it would have been a finer
example Of courage to have taken his
high dive before he was safely
nominated.
It muses. him up shoekingly as
a progressive republican candidate fol-
governor of Wisconsin.
"But in the face of even greater
misfortunes than this the Wisconsin
progressive cause has survived and
steadily advanced.
In support of his claim that Roose.
welt caused him to become presiden.
tial candidate against Taft when he
believed Taft could not be eliminated
from the race and that, when he be
lieved there was q chance to sidetra A
the president, he threw LaFollette
over and became a candidate himself
the Wisconsin senator began publica-
ton on Friday of the history Of his re.
cent campaign. In LaFollette IS maya.
zine the senator tells Of visiting
Roosevelt at Oyster Bay where Che
former president told him he had ar.
rived at no settled conviction regard.
ing the initiative and referendum.
LaFollette says: "The Roosevelt
administration, came to close on
March 4, 1909, without leaving to its
credit a definite progressive national
movement with clearly definite body
of issues He adds, "On the 24th
Of March, 1909, Roosevelt sailed to
Africa. He was absent from the
country until June, 1910. In that
period, under the administration OF
President Taft, the progressive repub.
lican movement made greater Roadway
than during the entire Roosevelt ad.
ministration. This was due largely to
the fact that Taft's course was the
more direct, Roosevelt's the more
devious.
Openly denouncing trusts and com.
binations he made concessions and
compromises which tremendously
strengthened these special interests
Thus Roosevelt smeared the issue, but
caught the imagination of the younger
men in the country by his dash and
mock heroics. Taft co-operated with
Cannon and Aldrich on legislation
Roosevelt co-operated with Aldrich
and Cannon on legislation.
Neither president took issue with
the reactionary bosses of the senate
upon any legislation of national i'm
portance. Taft s talk was generally
in line with his legislative po1icy.
Roosevelt's talk was generally at
right angle to his legislative policy.
Taft's messages We're the more direct
" reactionary; Roosevelt's the more
progressive But adhering to his
conception of a square deal, his
strongest declarations in the public
intertes were invariably offset with
something comforting for privilege;
every phase denouncing had trust
was deity balanced with praise for
good trusts