The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-03
by THE EX-SENAToRI

| Republican leaders are wondering what
course Senator La Toilette will pursue
! with respect to future party councils
whether he will maintain his wonted in
dependent attitude and continue TO blister
his party associates. or whether lie will
Join with them in the reconstructive
| work that President Taft says is neCes-
sary. il Republicans would prepare for
the political emergency. which he thinks
| Dem"gIattr control is sure TO bring
about.
Will Ia Toilette attend Republican
Senatorial caucuses? He has never done
so. Since entering the Senate he has
fiocked by himself Always claiming to
| be a Republican. he has chosen to ignore
his party colleagues. to treat them with
contempt. He has studiously refrained
from taking part in any Of their con-
| ferenCcs.
He has preferred the Chautauqua plat
| form and the open Senate as the scenes
of his demonstrations of craftsmanship.
When he talks he must have an audi
ence. Rarely has he been present at the
executive sessions of the Senate. where
great questions of state are discussed be-
| hind closed doors: there is no limelight
in executive sessions.
He seldom attends committee meet
| ings. 1t is here that the real work OF
| the Senate is done: where n lawmaker
of Mr. La Follette's tendencies could he
power for good in restraining the I'M
| righteousness. which, according to his
| code OF political morals. dominates every
thing.
1t must have been this same spirit Of
eXcIusivcness that prompted the WiscOn-
sin Senator in the late Campaign-that
guided him in his course with respect TO
his nOnsupport of the regular Republican
! ticket and yet he did not give his ad
herenCe to the Progressives, nor openly
espouse the cause of the Democrats.
Nothing seems TO satisfy the Badger
statesman save the peculiar creed of
Robert Marion La Toilette
His policy appears to be one Of antaG-
onism: It is destructive rather than CON
structivc He is always right, and those
who have the misfortune to disagree
with him are always wrong. 1t is ever
so with the politician who would build
himself 4 personal party from impossible
materials and impractical ideas
Mr. Ia Toilette is man of ability and
force. hut he msappIies them. II" sees
no virtue in the leadership of others: he
refuses to accent advice or assistance
that does not accord with his own pre-
Iconceptions Of government. He believes
in onp-man power. and he must be that
man.
| have often wondered what he would
do were he ever to arrive at a place OF
great responsibility. where beneficent re-
suits must be achieved through wise
cornsels and the Interchange of sober
opinions: where the good OF the entire
nation was involved, and the thing to
be Accomplished did not harmonize with
the radical spectacular postulations that
constitute La FOllette's Chautauqua
speeches.
1t Is one thing to stir the imagination
of the people: il is altogether a different
thing to provide against their ills. La
Follette's speeches are full of thrills;
vet thrills cannot be capitalized to the
benefit OF any save those who emit them.
In recent years the Wisconsin Senator
has been successful in this regard; he
has managed to turn his contortion of
mind and body into a good sum OF hard
earned dollars.
Visitors to the Senate galleries con-
slider themselves fortunate, not so much
In having heard La Toilette speak, as to
have seen him speak: and they tell their
friends at home. Hence the large box
office receipts when the Chautauqua sea-
son comes around. People who tire of
picture shows and the ordinary vaude
Vile will part with their good money
to witness an exhibition of frenzy by a
real Senator, for a man who kicks the
big chairs around in the Senate chamber
and makes awful faces at his dignifed
colleagues, will upset tables, overturn
lamps and water pitchers on the public
rostTum.
Bob" La Toilette does all this. suiting