Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-24
Band Wagon Tendency
May Injure BOb'S Run
SINCERITY OF MOTIVE BACK OF
LA TOILETTE ORGANIzA-
TIoNS is DOUBTED

There is a possibility that Senator
LaFollette may find after the cleo
tions are over that in Wisconsin, at
least, he was handicapped by having
too many friends who hoped to ride
Into olIlce upon tho strength of his
,.5Dularity Organizations named for
him are being formed in many coun-
ties. 1t has not been customary in the
LIST to accord him this courtesy, and
only few years ago it was consider
ed but little short of treason to be
known as one of his supporters. His
name was Kissed when mentioned in
public places and a good many com
munities had their civic, political or
fraternal organizations that passed
lengthy resolutions condemning him
and his acts. 1t is now being conceded
more and more that he was nearer
right in his views than his critics.
Right or wrong, both his friends and
foes have reason to know that the
LaFollette side of any political issue
is pretty sure to be the winning one
in Wisconsin elections. For that rea-
son we are not so much impressed
with the sincerity of the present
swing toward him all over the state,
as we would have been had it come
in year when there are no county
offices to fill. Most counties announc-
ed as having formed LaFollette Pro-
gressive organizations, are also spon
soring complete county tickets under
that banner, without much regard as
to whether the candidates are or
ever have been known as progress
sives of any party The necessity or
value of county tickets in assisting
LaFollette to win the presidency is
not very clear. In some counties,
some Of his supporters will explain
in a vague, mysterious way, that
there is a miniature Teapot Dome
located within the shadow of the
court house, so zealously guarded by
all of the old county officials that it
is impossible for the new men oc-
casionally elected to some of the
offices to get close enough to jerk
the lid off and see just what the con-
tents consist Of They are supposed
to contain evidences of graft and NAL
feasance in office from the time the
last court house was built, down to
the present when the county high |
way commissioners are supposed to |
be in league with all of the road ma |
chinery manufacturers, the district at |
torney and sheriff in cahoots with |
the moOnshiners and other law VOL /
ators and if any on the county payroll
are not getting any part of hesillicit |
profits, it is because they are not
smart enough to get in on the graft,
and not because of any moral objecA
lions whatsoever As a matter of alb
solute fact such statements wherever
made are only the imaginary delu-
sions of disgruntled office seekers of
the past or of those who from some
cause are not on friendly terms with
those whom they would like to eject
from office. They certainly are not
the views of the majority of the tax
payers and voters of any county.
Therefore, it is possible that wherever
county campaigns are permitted by
tried and true LaFollette men, to
descend to the levels of vicious and
untrue personal attacks, under the
cloak of LaFollette Progressive prin-
ciples, that Wisconsin's distinguished
senator and presidential candidate
may have cause to regret his sudden
popularity with many of the voting
population of his native and home
state.
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