Evening star., 1924-09-16
Coalition Is Talked OF.

Coalition Is Talked OF,
There is not a little talk here about
the possibility of the Democrats and
the La Toilette supporters reaching
working agreements in some of the
western States to prevent Coolidge
from getting the necessary 266 cleo
toral votes, and to throw the election
into Congress, the plan being to throw
enough Democratic support, if the
leaders become convinced that Davis
cannot win. to La Toilette electors
in number of Western States to give
the electoral vote to La Toilette in
those States. Democratic leaders so
far deny they have any such intention
and insist that they are going to put
their man in the White House by the
regular route. On the other hand
however, Progressives are inclined to
give more credence to the suggested
conspiracy to prevent the election of
the Republican ticket and force the
issue into the House. Rumors of
deals locally considered, in some
states are reaching their ears. Wheth-
er the leaders could actually deliver
the votes of these Westerners is
problema tical.
q. D. p. Getting Together.
The Republicans in Illinois. it ap-
pears today, are getting pretty well
together. notwithstanding the bitter
factional differences Of recent months.
Former Gov. Charles S. Deneen. the
Republican nominee for the Senate,
is engaged in a vigorous campaign,
which will take him into every county
and district Of the State. Deneen is
strong with the people of the State,
and it is believed he will help to
strengthen the national ticket in
some quarters, and that the national
ticket will help him in others. His
Democratic opponent is Col. A. A.
Sprague, who. some of the Republi-
cans are unkind enough to point out,
was working hard to bring about
the nomination of Gen. Leonard Wood
on the Republican ticket four years
ago Col. Sprague is going to get the
support of some of Senator McCor-
mick's friends. he is going to get sup
port of some Of the members of the
American Legion. But, and it is
very big but, he is not going to get
the support of the men and women
who plan to vote the La Toilette
Wheeler ticket in this State, T. am told
by Progressives. In fact, Deneen is
not displeasing by any means to many
of the Progressives. And it may be
noticed that Deneen himself is not
throwing any harpoons into the La
Toilette Wheelerites.
Attnck ON La Toilette Cited.
No more conclusive evidence has
been produced so far that the La Fol-
lette movement this year is far diff
ferent in its personnel and it's po-
litical effect from the Roosevelt
in 1912 than the statement
Nryf 1yr$
prominent men and women who sup
ported Roosevelt in 1912 denouncing
the La Toilette candidacy in un-
qualified terms. A committee. con-
sisting of Raymond Robins of Chi
cago, Chester H. Rowell of California
and f. A. Van Valkenberg of Penn
sylvania, issued the statement. They
denounce La Toilette as a radical.
declare he deserted the Progressive
cause in 1912 when he could have
aided the Bull Moose materially and
that Roosevelt himself in 1917 likened
La Toilette to the "Copperheads" of
Civil War days
Ihe Bull Moose movement, while it
gained the support of some Demo-
Gratis, was distinct split in the Re-
publican party, resulting in the elec-
ton of Woodrow Wilson. A glance
at the vote in this State in 1908 and
in 1912. cast for President, shows how
it wrecked the Republican party. In
1908 the Republican nominee re.
ceived 62s.s29 votes. and the Demo.
cratic nominee 45O.7s5. In 1912 the
Republican nominee received 25S,613I
votes. the Democratic, 4o5,04s and
the Bull Moose. 3SS,47S.
In other words, the Republican
votes dropped in the State bv an
proximately 376.00O in 1912 below
what it was in 1908, and the Demo
cratic vote fell off only about AZ o0o
Later, the Bull Moose vote returned
to the Republican fold and in 1915
and in 1920 the State went Republi-
can in the presidential elections in
1920 by 1920. 4S0 votes to 534.3s5 The
La Toilette movement is drawing tic
support pretty evenly from both the
old parties, SO far as records show to-
day.
According to reports received at both
Progressive and Democratic head
quarters here, the La Follette-wheal-
er ticket is going to show SURPRISING
strength In some of the dyed-in-the.
wool Democratic States Of the South
Both predict that the third tickl will
run ahead of the Republican ticket
in those States.