New Ulm review., 1920-07-21
LA TOILETTE IS
STANDARD BEARER
WISCONSIN SENATOR AGREES
TO RUN AS CANDIDATE OF
THIRD PARTY.
,AMALGAMATION OF PROGREs.
SiVE GROUPS AT CHICAGO
FAILED.

According to latest ,advices which
reached New Ulm Monday evening
Senator Robert La Toilette, has agreed
to become the standard bearer of the
Liberal Party which was formed
alter the amalgamation Of the labor
forces and the Committee of Forty /
eight at Chicago last week proved
failure. This good news was con
veyed to the Review by Stanley L.
Ryplns of Minneapolis, State chairman
OF the. Committee of Forty-eight and |
Will prove heartening news to all the |
liberals and progressives in the country
who had sincerely hoped for the forma- 4
ton OF d third party at Chicago of ALI
the progressive forces to lead the fghtI1
for democracy against both the oldH
reactionary parties in the NovembeEs
election. This failed to materialize.
Amaigamation Failed.
The joint convention, developed into I
tragedy and for time every liberty
loving citizen felt down in the mouth
because his fondest hopes for a true,
thoro and harmonious blending of
all the progressive forces of the countrz
had been dashed to the ground. A
the outset when both the two Sig
groups held separate conventions,
it was confidently believed that an
amalgamation would be perfected
form adopted which would appeal to
the rank and file of all progr essives.
Only One Candidate.
Not until both conventions were
merged into one, did doubts arise as to
the wisdom Of merging agreeing upoa
platform, naming the new party and
selecting the standarda bearers. Both
parties were willing to adopt radical
platforms and saying in no uncertain
terms what in Their opinion was necces
sary to prevent the country from going
to wreck and ruin There was only
one candidate for the office of President
of the Upited States who was adj
mittedly strong enough to carry with
him the independent votes of the
country and that was Bob" La
Toilette of Wisconsin. Practically
the unanimous choice of the members
of the Committee of Forty EIGHT and
of a large maj ority of the rank and file
of the delegates of the Labor Party,
the cards were so poorly played that
when the platform was adopted and
the name of the new party agreed up
on, it was found that the only avail
able candidate for the office of
President on the new party ticket had
been eliminated.
Choice of Forty-Eighters./
If any proof were required that the
senior Senator of Wisconsin was the
choice of an overwhelming number
,f +l,n o1o ofn, nf + bn
ton which met in Garments Hall, it
t was Forthcoming when demonstra-i
ton was staged in behalf of La Toilette
which lasted over an hour. Lester
Barlow who; is we'll and favorably
known here was responsible for the.
demonstration and if he had not been
prevented from reading the La Toilette
! platform which was Kissed in the Re-
publican convention, it is highly prob
able that, with the enthusiasm then
prevailing, the convention would have
adopted the La Toilette platform and
not waited for the report of the con-
/ ference committee on platform, named
La Toilette as the standard hearer and
| decided on running mate and adj
| journed.
Failed to Agree on Platform.
After working fifty hours without
sleep, the conference committee was
ready to report that they had failed
to agree on a platform, that they were
hopelessly divided and that the con-
4 vention would have to decide which
Iof two platforms embodied in a ma
jority and minority report it would
adopt. Those who were opposed to
La Toilette, and it was generally be-
lieved that some of the leaders of the
! Labor Party were not friendly dis
/ posed to the Wisconsin man, made it
appear that the representatives of La
| F,ollette were opposed to a plank which
would guarantee the negro political
and civil liberties. Whether true or
1 not, the spread Of this report decided
the convention in favor of the more
radical of the two platforms which
was adopted by q handsome majority.
LA Toilette 8 Name Withdrawn.
4 Before the time set for the nominal
i tlon speeches it was announced by the
4 chairman Of the meeting that word
had been received that the Senator
i from Wisconsin desired that his name
! be not presented to the convention. In
i spite OF that announcement some one
1 did present the Senator's name for the
4 Presidency and it was shortly after
ward that La Follette's son appeared
on the platform and announced that
he had gotten into communication
with the Senator at once after his
4 fathers name had been presented to
4 the convention and the Senator /,
| had told him over the telephone
! he was not to be considered a can
didate and that his name be with
drawn.
Christensen is Nominated.
i With La Toilette eliminated at his
own request, the convention became