Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-17
LA Toilette To RUN.
ON OWN PLATFORM
LEADING NEW PARTY.
BY THEODORE TILLER

BY THEODORE TliILER
WASHINGTON, d. c., June Is
Senator Robert M. La Toilette, rad
ical Republican, of Wisconsin, in
tends to run as an independent con-
didate for the presidency, regardless
of who may be the nominee at the
Democratic convention in New York.
This decision, which became
known here late Saturday night,
through La Toilette lieutenantlwho
had Just talked for long time with
his chief, means one of several
things.
The La Toilette independent candi-
dacy may bring, and undoubtedly in
| creases the probability of a Demo
cratic president, as the Bull Moose
campaign of Roosevelt in 1912 help
ed to elect Woodrow Wilson
1t possibly means also the throw
| ing of the election for a president
into the house Of representatives.
Under the constitution the house, as
at this moment constituted, seems
unable to elect.
After that comes election of a
president by the senate in the per
son Of a vice president, who shall
act. The balance of power in the
senate now is held by the La Fol
lette group, and the real new feature
of this information is that La Fol
lette, whose Wisconsin delegation
was rebuffed, ridiculed, steam-rolled
and cat-called at the Cleveland con-
vention this week, now is fighting
mad and ready to make the an
nouncement.
- =
will be withheld until the Democrats
have nominated, but it will come,
according to present plans, before
the July 4 convention of the pro
gressive conference for political
action.
That convention is slated to in
Also La Toilette leaders here are ne
gotiating with Huston Thompson,
chairman of the federal trade COM
mission, and a lifelong Democrat, to
induce him to take second place on
the La Toilette independent ticket.
When his statement finally is
lette will announce that he is run
ming as an independent" and not as
an independent Republican"
He will not disavow his Repub-
licanism, it is declared; neither will
he avoW it.
He will take a position which, his
friends say, any person in any .,arty,
but dissatisfied with that party, can
support.
Incidentally, by becoming an in
dependent and nothing more, he
stands to bring to- his side the
socialist party.
Victor Berger, the lone socialist
member of congress, has declared
that if Senator La Toilette divorces
himself from his republicanism, he
probably will be given the socialists
nomination on July 6, which is the
date when the socialist party holds
it's national convention. This meet
ing is just two Gays after the confer.
ence for progressive political action,
and is to be held in the same city,
Cleveland.
Tt seems apparent to La Toilette
people here that his program is to
make a direct bid for the support,
not only of radical Republicans, the
socialists and malcontents generally,
but also to radical Democrats.
This is indicated by the fact that
MS pGOplS dl0 LIZ llIIS Will I1uSlOH
Thompson, the Democratic chair.
man of the federal trade commits
/ sion.
Mr.. Thompson is one Of the fore
most progressives in his party He
was a staunCh Wilson man and was
the citizen of Colorado who the for
mer president publicly suggested to
Governor Sweet, of Colorado be ap-
pointed to the senate at the time
Senator Alva Adams was named
If the Democrats nominate can
didate in New York sufficiently pro-
gressive to satisfy Mr.. Thompson,
such as McAdoo. Mr.. Thompson's
friends say there is not the slightest
chance that he could be induced to
go on the ticket with La gillette If
a reactionary Democrat is named,
however, or a man so regarded by
Mr. Thompson, the federal trade
commissioner might be persuaded.
The La Toilette people feel that
with former Republican heading
their independent ticket, and a for
mer Democrat running for the vice
presidency, they would have an idea.
combination with which to go be-
| fore the country, although, until the
word went out today that Mr..
Thompson might be La Follettes
running mate, the presumption was
| that Warren S. Stone, president of
| the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi,
neers, would be named for the vice
| presidency by La Toilette.