The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-29
The Lieutenant Governor to
have the Leadership Of the
Progressive Republicans
MAY GO TO U. S. SENATE
Merlin Hull Speaker of the Assembly is
Already Being Groomed as Cand;-
date for Governor McGovern to be
side-tracked by Republican Majority.

Will Lieut-Gov. Thomas Morris Of
Lacrosse, be a candidate for United
States senator or will his choice be to
run for governor of Wisconsin?
Within the next few weeks this
question will be determined and until
it is settled the political prospects Of
a number of LaFollette republicans are
in state of suspension During the
entire session there have been repeat
ed conferences among the LaFollette
republicans to perfect q preliminary
program covering possible candidates
for the senate and governor. Among
this class of politically active men, it
is conceded that Morris can have his
choice either to run for the senatorial
place made vacant after the expiration
of Senator Stephenson term or to be-
come candidate for governor.
BY common consent, Morris, among
the LaFollette men, holds the key to
the situation. Should his friends de-
termine that he should select the SEN
atorship, as the position aspired to, it
is doubtful if any other candidate will
appear among the LaFollette forces to
dispute his claims. The same is true as
to the governorship. This, however,
does not mean that Morris will have a
clear field for either position, for it
seems to be generally understood that
McGovern Is future course is the thorn
in the political flesh of the LaFollette
republicans.
To all intents and purposes, in the
opinion Of his friends and supporters,
Gov. McGovern is candidate for the
United States senate, and with this
there is string which may possibly
again make him candidate for COVER
nor If the legislature should Kill most
of the measures McGovern has recon-
mended and is interested in, he may
go to the people for a third. term with
an issue based upon the assertion that
he wants chance to enact his policies
into law. This chance has been de-
MED him, he may claim, by the pres
emit organization.
Lieut.-Gov Morris has for some
months been trying to arrive at de-
termination as to what he should do.
His friends argue that as candidate
for governor he will have the united
support of the entire LaFollette wing
of the party, and they believe that he
can be nominated and elected as gov
ernor with a minimum of effort. Other
friends and supporters assert with
equal earnestness that Morris should
run for the senate and that while
there is considerable of question as
to his success as candidate for the
governorship, his chances to be elected
to the United States senate are far
better, even with McGovern in the
field.
1t is argued that for many years
Morris, in a political way, has been
hitched to sort of water tank place,
all out of proportion to his abilities
and entirely inadequate to the excel
1ant rarxyiao ha hos o;x,op JU;soopr;n "A
his party. AS a candidate for the SEN
ate, other men like Lenroot, Hatton,
Houser and possibly others, among
those occasionally mentioned, would
clear the track and allow this program
to 60 through. Should he. not be
candidate for the senate, the chances
are that there would be number of
candidates and maximum amount of
friction and trouble in controlling
the situation.
In this matter, it is stated that Nor
ris has been told that if he is can
didate for the senate, he will have the
united support of the LaFollette wing
of the party and other possible candi-
dates will assist him in his election.
The candidacy of McGovrn is recog-
nized, but if the program being arrang-
ed is executed, McGovern has nothing
to expect in the way of friendship
from the LaFollette men.
Under the assumption that Morris
will ultimately decide to become can
didate for the senatorship, the same
forces have been giving earnest atten-
tion to the possibilities involved in the
gubernatorial situation. The name
most mentioned in this connection is
that of Speaker Merlin Hull of Black
River Falls. That Hull would like to
be the candidate of the republicans
is conceded by his friends, but with
this comes the strong declaration that
Hull S candidacy in no way will be al
lowed to interfere with the possible
candidacy of Morris. IF Morris de-
cides to select the senatorship, then
Hull's friends assert, he is the right
man to nominate for governor and some
of them go SO far as saying that he is
the only republican who can be elected.
They point to his six year record as