Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-05

WASHINGTON, D. c., March g.
If the Republican party in casting
about for man to head the national
ticket in 1924. should give first con-
sideration to the records made by
candidates in the 1922 campaign,
Robert NJ. LaFollette would be al
most in class by himself as presi-
Dental possibility.
Consider the figures: The Wiscon-
sin senator was renominated by a
majority of $4,000 and reelected by
a. majority of 100000. In 1916 MS
majority was 115.000.
It is also to be borne in mind that
1929 was not exactly a good year for
Republican candidates. Those who
escaped defeat were lucky and those
polling majorities that were so per
cent normal were exceptionally faV-
ored of fortune. Senator LaFollettes
record is, therefore, little short OF
amazing, and it can be readily un-
derstood by his followers are still
celebrating the November result.
The physical stature of the sena-
tor is not great, but as vote-getter
he looms up like the Washington
monument in comparison with the
Egyptian obelisk in Central Park
New York City. For years he has
enjoyed the sobriquet of Fighting
Bob" and 1t is now a fairly we'll es~
tablished fact that he is entitled TO
il, for the November returns tell the
story of the kind of fighter he is ana
the kind of fight he puts up When
he goes before the electorate. AS a
presidential candidate he may not
make so much of a showing through
out the country, but he surely DOES
show some speed in Wisconsin.
OF Senator Johnson of California,
it has been said that 1t can be set
down as a certainty that he VIII pc
a candidate next year for the Repub-
lican nomination for the presidency
AS matters stand now, the same
statement may be made Of the sena-
for from Wisconsin. He is no more
likely than his colleague from the
far West to step aside because
considerable element in the party be-
lieves that President Harding should
be renominated. Nor Is it probable
that he will be deferred from enter
ing the race because 1t is an odds-on
bet that the President can not be de-
feated. He has made it fairly clear
that when he wants a thing he goes
after it, and no one doubts that ne
wants to be president.
Has Been After 1t for Years
AS a matter of fact LaFollette has
been after the presidency for a good
many years, although he has never
succeeded in making any great prog.
ress toward landing the coveted
prize. For a time in 1912 1t seemed
that he was really in the running
When the Progressive moVement
within the Republican party nrst
crystallized Senator LaFollette was
the recognized leader and 1t was as
sumed that he would be the canol-
date Of the element that was IN re-
volt against the Old Guard or regu,
lar organization crowd that was pehl
on renominating President Iatt.
Subsequent events indicated that the
Senator and his immediate heuten-
ants been proceeding on that as
sumption without full warrant
Theodore Roosevelt was IN tne
movement, heart and soul, and the
time came when he was convinced
that il it was to make real headway
and realize its greatest possibilities
he would have to. undertake tht
leadership anu pCSOAAtS N4AS +"
tial candidate. -,
Those who ought to know insist
that Roosevelt was extre mely reiuc-
tant to do this, and that he would
have gone along with LaFollette as
the candidate had it not been for
tho representations made TO MN
that the Wisconsin senator could no.
command the maximum Progressive
strength outside his own state.
At any rate, Roosevelt jumped
into the fight with his characteristic
vigor and the LaFollette boom col
lapsed over night. A little later thf
senator himself collapsed, suffering
| a nervous breakdown while making
a speech at Philadelphia, and was II
a. precarious state of health for
long time thereafter. There are La
| Toilette men who have said that TINS
was due primarily to his betrayal
as they termed It, by Colonel Roose
welt, and they have been extremely
| bitter about it, but that Is all an
| cient History and has nothing to az
| with the present situation.
| Roosevelt was the Progressive
nominee and there are few politica
| observers in the country who belieV'
| that LaFollette could have made
| showing even comparable with tina
| fha colonel made as a third part