The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-23
THE BULL MOOSE PROGRAM.

Under the caption: "a Tail to La
Follette's Kite" the New York Times
discusses the Wisconsin senator's
plans for third party. What it say:
probably applies with equal force tc
other senators in the Bull Moose con-
tingent.
IF there is going to be any third
party at ALL" says the Times, Senator
La Toilette wishes it to be understood
that he will regard it as his private
property. Such is the necessary infer
ence from the remarkable statement
which he issued at Washington.
Equally remarkable is the list of
names of the men whom he has sum-
moned to go to the capital to confer
with him on December 1. If they all
assemble in one place, the police re-
serves will almost surely have to be
called out. They could not agree on a
single point, except their own impor-
lance, and would be at daggers drawn
if it came to passing so much as reso-
lutiops that were not empty plati-
tudes. OF this probability Senator La
Toilette is himself aware, for he de-
clares that no third party can he
formed by ladies and gentlemen sit
ting around a table who have nothing
in common but pious and underlined
aspirations He adds that he himself
is too old a hand at the political busi-
ness to go off chasing a wiII-o-the-
wisp." The Times continues as fol-
lows:
Senator La Follette's real plans
obviously look to something other and
deeper than a third party. He has
embarked upon campaign of political
intimidation. He hopes to terrorize the
Republican party~into submitting to
his dictat.on, in the matter both of leg
islation by congress and of candi-
dates in 1924. His preference plainly
would be to stay within the party and
subject It to his own will and ambi-
tons. If he proves unable to achieve
this. then he means to organize a bolt
callin6 it a third party or whatever
he pleases. Meanwhile, with a fine
audacity he reaches out to annex to
himself all the uneasy folk who want
they know not what, provided IL is
something every different from what
exists or can ever be attained. If they
recall what Senator La Toilette old
to them in 1912, and how his name
has since become almost a synonym,
outside of Wisconsin. for q hopeless
cause. one would think they would be
little shy about accepting the invi-
The immediate intention of Senator
La Toilette is plainly to make all the
trouble he can in congress. Particu-
LARRY does he set out to thwart and
block the president. His open denun-
ciation OF the Republican administra-
ton is a strange thing to come from
man who has just been elected SEN
ator under the guise and name of a
Republican. He charges that both
the administration and congress have
been repudiated by the people, and
ought not to attempt any legislation
whatever, except the routine appropri-
alton bills But this is nonsense,
whether as a matter of law or of prac-
tice-- The president and congress have
their terms to serve out, and it is their
duty as well as their privilege to seek
to do whatever they may believe 10
be for the good OF the county. They
may be mistaken in their Judgment.
but they certainly are not TO be
stopped by the cavalier assertion OF
Senator La Toilette that they have
been shorn OF lawful power. He is so
glaringly out for mischief. and plenty
of II. that perhaps some of the lesser
Observation-Disclosures will refuse to make
themselves a tail for his kite.