The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-04-04
BOB LAFOLLETTE
MAKES EN- GUESS
UNCERTAINTY OF HIS INTEN-
TIONS WORRIES LEADERS
OF BOTH BIG PARTIES.
BY EDWARD 8. CLARK

not intend TO give sleep TO his more
or less beloved brethren of the two
political parties if he can help IT.
Some persons believe the wisconsin
senator thinks that by keeping the
leaders OF the two parties guessing be
can keep them sufficiently mentally
active TO outlaw sIumber.
Thus far there has been sort OF
delicious indefniteness about the sug-
gestions of what action may be taken
concerning Senator LaFollette and by
those men of his political and eco
nomic school OF thought who seem
DESTROYS to form a third party for ac-
ton during the coming campaign.
Within a day or two the word has
been that LaFollette has Indicated a
willingness TO head an independent
ticket in the event that the Repub-
lican convention shall nominate Cool
idge or adopt a reactionary or ultra
conservative platform. The statement
Of LaFOllette's willingness was put
forth as an indirect quotation of what
he had TO say on the third party sub
ter If the quotation had been direct
His Intentions Are Doubtful.
1t will be noticed that as the state
ment appeared it expressed the willing
ness of the senator to run on an in
dependent ticket If Coolidge were
nominated cor" If an ultra-conserva-
tive platform were adopted by the Re
publicans.
Some of the politicians here are
saying that the use of "or" may mean
that the senator will bolt in the case
of either the nomination of Coolidge
or Of the adoption Of a reactionary
platform. no matter whom the Re
publicans may nominate.
Some of the politicians, however.
think that originally Senator LaFol-
lette used land" and this means he
will stay by the party If Coolidge is
nominated, provided a. platform suffi-
GENTLY progressive TO suit him is adopt
ed. The truth is that nobody can tell
yet what the senator will do. but he
Is throwing interest into the field of
speculation as TO the future by his
seemingly zigZagging course
The same day that brought forth the
stories that Senator LaFollette was
willing TO head third-party movement
brought out another one that friends
Of the Wisconsin man had denied that
he intended TO have anything TO do
with third party. 1t is a matter of
taking your choice
Which Party Would Suffer?
1t seems that most persons who are
not on the sin" of things political be-
Heve that If Senator LaFoIlette shall
head third party he will draw more
largely from the Republicans for sup
port than from the Democrats. The
leaders of the Democracy here say
they will lose no followers to LaFol-
lette; the Republicans say. Democracy
will lose just as many followers to
the Wisconsin man as will the Re
publicans, and the thing therefore is
a standoff
Senator Wheeler Of Montana was
elected TO the United States senate as
a Democrat. His following. however,
largely was composed of ultra-progres-
sives of the LaFollette type. In Mon
tana II may be that LaFollette would
draw more heavily from the Democrat
ic party than the Republican party, and
this may be held as true of the prob
able election outcome of several other
OF the Northwestern states. The, Wis
consin senator has been Republican
in name only for a good many years.
The change that has come over his DO
litfcal views since he was a friend and
confidant of Mckinley in the old days
has been such as possibly to justify
the use of the word startling.
LaFollette, it is said, has a large
following of those voters who gen.
orally are classed as pacifists, men and
women who in the days prior TO the
entrance of the United States into
the war were somewhat vehemently
opposed TO preparedness. This element
was perhaps even stronger in the Dem
ocratic party than it was In the Re
publican party.
Nobody. probably, will know def
nitely about the third party matter
and an expressed determination Of
LaFolIette TO lead it until after the
Republican convention. 1t is appar-
emily a part Of the policy of LaFol-
lette and his third partyites to keep
the politicians guessing until the last
moment They seem to think there
is an advantage TO be found in this
procedure.
Filipino Liberty Ten Years Hence
Today it looks as if the congress
Of the United States is certain to
frame and indorse the legislation
necessary TO give the Filipinos lib
erty at a time about ten years in
the future This will not suit the
islanders nor those Americans who
think il will take another quarter of
century TO fit the so-called little brown
brothers for self-government. but
seemingly the islanders are TO be
given what they ask for. not immedi-
ately but about decade hence.
II is not difficult thing to under
stand the attitude of mind of many
members of congress toward this ques-
ton of full freedom for the Philip
pines. Probably there is no member
who would not vote for freedom for
the Islanders ar once If he were GER
tain that they could make proper use
of ii. There are many members, how
over uho believe that If liberty should