The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-30
L'F0LLETTE FACES
TEST OF CAREER
Administrations Forces
to Attempt to Defeat
Wisconsin Senator

years primary and general cleo
tions.
Cooperating with its local sup
portcrs in Wisconsin, tbs admins.
tration Is ready to invade the bad
ger state" primaries on September
. to give battle to Senator Robert
NJ. La Toilette, the most outspokcn
critic OF the Harding policies In the
republican ranks. La Follette's un-
compromising insurgency against
the party chiefs dates from his cleo
tion as governor OF Wisconsin TWEEN
ty-two years ago.
That La Follette's foes for the
past year have been accumulating
every weapon known to politics n
order TO beat him for reelection this
year has been no secret either in
washington or IN Wisconsin
All the federal patronage OF the
state was turned over to La Fol-
lette's Junior colleague, Senator Len
root, last summer, and from post
masterships to federal judgeships
Wisconsin patronage has been dis.
pcnsed with single view TO the de-
feat OF the senior senator, It is|
charged by La Follette's friends.
With the exception OF the Wiscon-
sin News. at Milwaukee and the
Madison Capital Times. all but two.
or three OF the daily newspapers of
the state are with the administra-
ton forces and will bitterly oppose
Ia Toilette.
In a speech at Fon du 1ac on
March 80 Gov. John j. Blaine
charged that "a campaign fund OF
ono million dollars is being raised,
within and without the state. TO de-
feat Senator la Toilette"
Lineup Cnrlyaicd
Tho lineup In Wisconsin this yenr
cannot be duplicated in any other
state and IL certain to produce a
contest of unequaled local bitter
ness and OF unrivaled national in
terest.
The administration forces, alleid
with the "stalwart" forces within
the state, have enlisted behind an
organization known as the Commit
tee u Forty-four. This body, with
-four representatives in each con-
gressIonal district, has been at work
for months in preparation for con-
VentiOn to be held at Milwaukee
early in June, At that time a fun
ticket will be put In the field. with
anti-lR Toilette candidates for
senator governor and the balance
Behind the Committee OF Forty
four are all the ultda- conservative
forces of the state, united In their
dislike Of la Toilette and the poll
cies he has championed at Madison
and Washington. Senator Lenroot
Is one of the leading spirits of the
| organization, and he will take the
| stump this summer for It's candi-
dates. The committee has opened
| pretentious headquarters at Milwau-
kee, under the direction OF State
| Senator George b. Skogmo, and
/ workers are being sent out to every
| precinct in the state to sow seeds
which the committee hopes to reap
In the form Of votes in the Septem-
Der primaries The La Toilette men,
under Governor Blaine, already
have made the charge that the COM
mittee Is adopting the methods
which were in vogue in Michigan in
1918 and that the "stalwarts" are
preparlg to "Newberryize" Wiscon-
sin.
Agreed Upon Ticket.
The La Toilette forces agreed up
on n ticket last month at Madison.
when Senator La Toilette met in
conference with Governor Blaine
and other progressive leaders The
La Toilette ticket consists OF Gov
ernor Blaine for reelection: Lieut..
Gov. George +. Comings for re-
election; Herman l.. Erkern
for attorney-general, and Fred Zim-
norman for secretary of state. Sol
Levitan probably viii be endorsed
later for state treasurer.
This is the first time for years
that the La Toilette men have been
united behind one candidate for
each of the important state offices
and that fact is said to he worrying
the Committee OF Forty-four. To
meet the situation the committee Is
raising cry against "one-man
rule" in an effort to disrupt the
harmony In the ranks II the enc
N.Y."
So far the committee has given
no intimation OF the candidates II
viii name to oppose the La Toilette
slate. Former Governor Phillip and
! Guy d. Gift assistant TO the aitor-
ney- GeneraD have been asked TO
run for the senate against La Fol-
lette. but have definitely declined.
| state officials Of the American lie.
glon have also been approached. but
have refused to back a candidate
against La Toilette.
Roy +, Wilcox, of Eau Claire, for
mer member OF the state senate, ap-
| pears to be the most likely candi-
| date against Governor Blaine. Hc
ran In 1918 and 1920 and came
! within few thousand votes OF tho
nomination, but in addition to hav-
| ing the progressives against him. ne
will he bitterly opposed by a "stal-
wart' faction led by former Cover
nor Phillip.
Attorney-GencraI Survives.
Attorney-General william j. Nor.
gan, the only stalwart OF the state
ticket to survive the La Toilette
| landslide in the 1920 primaries, will
be renominated for his present Of
flee. He will have a strong oppon.
ent in Herman l.. Ekern, former
state insurance commissioner and
eX-speaker OF the assembly,
The issues OF the Wisconsin cam.
paign differ from those OF any Other
state In the country. Through near
~ forty yeass OF campaigning Bob
La Toilette has interested the peo.
pie In economic issues, and the Wis
consin folk this year will be tusslina
| with state and federal taxes, tn,
| railroad question and the tariff.
Governor Blaine recently called
the legislature into special session
TO enact laws removing the secrec,
/ restriction on income tax returns
similar TO the amendment which la
Toilette put through the senate with
. l. l. N.- "A