The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1913-06-20

About His Program-Liquor Inter
ests in the Legislature.
| Madison, Wis, June -(Special)
Members of the Wisconsin legisla-
| ture are again talking politics. The
| charge has been made that they have
| spent most of the time of the session
! doing that and killing saloon bills,
but in view of the fact that the house
! is about ready to adjourn, and the
senate seems disposed to hurry legis-
| lation, the allegation is hardly justi-
| fed.
| Governor McGovern appears to be
| the most interesting figure in the
! speculation that is going on among
| the legislators. 1t has generally been
| accepted that the governor would be
| a candidate for the United States SEN
! ate to succeed Isaac Stephenson, but
recent speculation has brought out
new angles picturing the governor in
new roles.
May Run for Third Term.
One theory is that he may run for
third term as governor. Argument
along this line is that Mr.. McGovern
| feels that by reason Of his defeat in
the Ekern case his chances for cleo
| ton to the senate have been serious
! ly injured Because he has managed
| to stick pretty close to the platform
Of the Republican party and because
| his record as governor is still of
| high character and because he
| has an attractive issue in the mar
| keting commission idea to improve
agricultural conditions and reduce the
| high cost Of living, it is contended
| that he may confne his political &C
| tivities 20 reelection as governor.
In the event that this is correct
line Of speculation, the question
arises as to whether he would run as
a Bull Moose candidate or whether he
would attempt to remain within the
ranks of the regular Republican par
! ty in the state. The fact that his
candidacy for any office will meet
with the opposition of the La Toilette
| forces, makes it certain that if he
runs for the governorship or the SEN
atorship he will be forced to cam
paign under Bull Moose co1ors.
Attorney in Milwaukee.
Another interesting theory touching
upon the future plans of Mr.. Meow
! ern features him in the role of an at
torney back in Milwaukee. 1t has
been. limited that the governor at the
expiration Of his present term will re-
| tire with a view Of running for the
! senatorship against Senator La Fol
| lette In all of his political contests
! in the past, the governor has had the
support of Senator La Toilette. That
support, particularly in the last gu
bernatorial campaign, was decided
ly important factor. The governor is
a clever politician and doubtless fully
/ appreciates his position He may
i have reached the frame of mind
where he feels that if he has to fight
the current of opposition caused by
I Senator La Toilette, that he might
! just as we'll do it in a contest which
will bring him into the field as an op-
! ponent of the senator.
Then, too, the governor may be
considering the possibility that in
1916, Senator La Toilette may be the
| Republican candidate for president.
In the event of such a development,
he would go into contest with less
danger of defeat, perhaps, than he
would face in a contest for the SEN
atorship within two years against
some strong La Toilette man.
Governor McGovern, however, is
not telling anyone about his program
for the future.
Lieutenant Governor Morris is ex-
pected to make formal announce
ment of his candidacy for the gov
ernorship or the senatorship within
a short time The best information
is that he will be the La Toilette
candidate to succeed Senator Ste
phenson.
Liquor interests in Legislature.
To one who views current events in
the legislature from an impartial
viewpoint, it appears as though the
liquor interests are about to over
step themselves, and that reaction
will follow which may change the as
pect of anti-saloon legislation in years
to come in this state. Flushed by
their own success, the agents who
have been here as representatives of
the liquor interests, have become SO
active that members of the senate
have already charged that the legis-
lature is controlled and dominated by
the brewers of the state.
The debate became particularly
sharp when the Ackley bill which
wiped out a portion of the so-called
Baker law relating to the granting
and transferring of saloon licenses
was up for consideration in the SEN
ate. Senator Skogmo limited that be-
cause of the domination of the liquor
interests that two years hence some
Of the men who are now willing to
champion the cause of the brewers
may find themselves retired to pri-
vate life He believed that the activ-
4fv Of fhn saloon IQhhv would make