New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-02
LA TOILETTE CAN
SWING WISCONSIN
Continued from page I

umn If he were so inclined. If Wilson
is elected ny the electoral vote Of Wis
consin, as is possible in the event Of a
close finish, La Toilette would be large
~ responsible.
Crane Behind the Scenes
"The State journal here, regardeC
throughout the state as La Toilette s
personal organ next 20 the La Fol
lottc magazine. has been supporting
Wilson and La Toilette. Behind that
support Is an interesting story by II.
SELF. Il mas its roots in the distant
past and is still far from a conclusion
"The State journal" is financed, ac
cording to a publicly made and not
denied charge, by the ample fortune OF
Charles x. Crane. late Of Illinois and
now Of Massachusetts, The La Fol-
lette campaign is also said to be backed
by Crane money. Il IS a matter OF
public record that Mr.. Crane has been
one of the heaviest contributors Ia
the Democratic national campaign
fund.
That China Incident
Mr.. Crane, as the world knows, used
TO be a Republican. His income is
said TO be $750000 year; he has re-
tired from business and has diplo-
, matte ambitions. In the days OF his
Republican condition or state Of mind
Mr.. Crane was appointed Minister 10
China by President Taft. lie never
got there. Certain indiscretions of the
tongue, hotlv and promptly resented
by the Chinese Minister at Washing
! ton, resulted in somewhat humlhat
ing experience.
, Mr.. Crane was plucked from the
I steamer on which he was about 70
sail from San Francisco by telegraphec
orders from Washington, He never
I represented the United States in high
diplomatic post. The Crane influence
/ is pro-LaFollette and pro-Wllson
/ either or both Of which means the
same as anti Republican, even in Wis
cousin and even in friendly Madison
I Mr.. Cranes son is Robert Lansing S
secretary in the State Department.
From Madison one gets new angle
Of vision on the practical pollucs' OF
Wisconsin. They are extremely prac
teal. No state anywhere "has anything
on" Wisconsin when 1t comes 10 man,
agement of both parties to the practical
satisfaction of the brewers OF Mllwau
kee. For example, this year 1t matters
little to the brewery interests who is
I elected Governor, who is elected Unltef
States Senator, or, to large extent a
/ least. who gets the local Offices Botf
/ state machines, while 1t would be IN
I fair to say they are controlled" b. The
Milwaukee brewers, are distinctly
/ friendly TO that element.
Brewers Backed La Toilette
/ La Toilette has no reason to regarC
/ the brewery crowd as hostile to him
/ During the recent primaries his oppo
nent, Malcolm G.. Jetfris, of GAINESVILLE
was said to have had the support Of
that Milwaukee influence. Before the
end of the bitter primary campaign
/ the support seems to have beer
switched to La Toilette.
Wisconsin, from a political point o.
view, presents a most complicated ap
pearance. One must have been born
and brought up in the state to under
stand more than the main currents
/ The cross-currents are so strong tina
frequently they have all the effect anC
force of main currents. Perhaps the
most interesting question to a natlv,
Of the state concerns La Toilette. ],
he Through? OF course, he Is COINS
back to the Senate and his inhuenc,
must be reckoned with. But the mos
observing Badgers appear to believ,
that the La Toilette influence is wan
ing. In the state as well as the nation
/ IT is a lone hand for him. The recen
primaries were won handsomely by l.;
/ Toilette himself but he carried yer!
+ few of the Halfbreeds with him anC
the next state Legislature, if IT is Re
publican, as seems probable, will no
/ be controlled by La Toilette.
La Toilette does not seem TO have
/ the capacity Of making enduring politi
cal friendships. He has had many
friends They have been Republicans
Democrats, independents. They have
been used by him or have used him
and have been transformed int
enemies, or at least are no longer sup
porters. He has no machine here il
the true sense of that word.