The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-09-17
WILSON WILL
CARRY W|SCONS||
THE SITUATION IN THAT STAT
WHERE POLITICS is PLAYe
BY EXPERTS.
(By John McLaughlin.O

time TO time by various democrat
leaders more perhaps, in a spirit
hope than because of any particul;
knowledge OF the conditions in tn
state. The more familiar one bt
comes with the situation, hOweye
the clearer becomes the conviCtiC
that the prediction is well founded.
The game of politics in Wiscons
is played by experts. There are mol
shades of political opinion in Wi
consin miltantly expressed, than
probably any other state in Il
union. The electorate is free and ou
spoken and party lines are not r
garded seriously.
1t is a progressive state. Indee
Wisconsin folk are fond of sayir
that Wisconsin is the most progress
i've in the country; that it is Il
mother of progressiveism. Durir
the long agitation of Senator LaFO
lette for the reform measures thi
have made him a national leader
his party, he had no staUncher su
porters than those he found in IL
democratic party There are demo
Gratis who have not approved OF VIII
| nL'a f,i, Oh
Gratis" but the disapproyal of the Of
line democrats did not deter man
thousands of democrats from SUI
porting and voting for the LaFt
lette program. indeed, Cot. Sryi
himself gave the fair minded der
ocrat' the stamp Of his approval a
more than once came into the sta
to urge support for LaFollette p
icies.
All this is in the past The LaFd
lette program has been written ir
the law and customs of the sta
Many of the reforms which have be
brought about in Wisconsin had be
advocated for years by the democrs
ana today the democrats of WiscC
sin are as progressive as the electo
of any state. That is why in tt
campaign the candidacy of Woodrc
Wilson will receive such support
Wisconsin, The LaFollette repu
Leans have always stood for pra
ttcally the same things that the den
ocrats have stood for.
The Lal'ollette republicans ha'
not failed in every test during Il
last four years to show disapprov
of the present republican administr
ton. Two years ago there was o
ganized a so-cailed Taft republict
campaign under the direction or
l.. Phipp of Milwaukee and w.
Connor of Marshfield, to capture Il
republican primaries. The report
the committee in charge of this can
paign showed that over 100000 WI
expended in six weeks before the pl
maries. The Taft republican cand
date. Ed T. Fairchild of Milwauke
was defeated by an OverwhelmiI
majority by the LaFollette repub
can candidate, Francis f. McGover
the present governor.
The campaign was made on
straight Issue of Taft and his reCol
up to that time. There had been
convention at which Vice PresideI
sherman and EX- Congressman Wa
son of Indiana eloGuently pleaded fl
endorsement of the party's titul;
leader, President Taft. The results
the primaries, therefore, cannot
regarded as anything but a compile
reputation of Taft and his polici
because the candidates whom Viz
President sherman asked the peop
to vote for were simply showed III
der.
All this is by way of recalling 81!
nilicant events which bear upon Il
present situation. During the la
few years Senator LaFollette hil
self both in his speeches in the Sc
ate. on the Chautauqua platform al
in his paper. "LaFollette's Weekly
has criticised President Taft and ri,
iculed his pretensions to progressi
repubic2nism. Lafollette's paper h
lampooned and cartonned the pre-
dent week after week, holding him
to public scorn and pro"laiming hi
a reactionary and willing tool to t
interests. The action Of Col. Roos
welt in snatching the support OF t
progressive republicans from Sen
tor LaFollette prior to the Chica
convention and his conduct tows
LaFollette during and since the
publican convention have aroused t