The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-16
PROGRESS|VES'
TICKET FIELD
IS WIDE
la Toilette Is Strongest, but
Other Independents Have Big
Appeal, Says Writer
By JONATHAN wICKWuRE,
tcoDyright 1894 By The washington
Times ComnnnYN

/ SOANSA = A8AAAN w AN4A w AM4kba
copyright. 1894 By The WashIngton
| Times Company
Probably no one claiming a modi.
cum OF respectability wishes that
any disability may prevent Senator
Robert M. La Toilette from taking
his full part IN the coming cam.
paign. Yet. should an unkind fate
produce such an eventUaltty 1t may
fairly be believed that q host Of
his most distinguished opponents
fund which would aid In keeping
him contentedly at home.
So far a. this attitude Il induced
by their belief that the elimination
OF La Toilette would simplify theiT
political problems. this writer has
reason to believe that the members
of this distinguished group are III
advised. Those Of them who think
the loss Of Fighting Bob's" leader.
ship, inmeAsurably valuable ~ that
leadership IL. would prove catastrO-
phical to the progressive farmer.
labor movement simply convict
| themselves OF careless thinking.
Associates Tested.
Senator La Toilette, during the
years Of his prescription by the
political leaders Of both old parties,
had ample time for introspection
In the years Of his struggle back to
power he has had full opportunity
to test the good faith and capacity
Of those who, In good times and
bad. have marched with him
shoulder to shoulder. He 10 too
honest with himself not to have
measured shrewdly his physical
limitations, ana too honest with
his followers to attempt TO lead
them on to new battlefields without
assurance that they shaIf continue
competently led should he be in.
capacitated or stricken.
So, IL La Toilette should consent
to head an independent Presidential
ticket for the coming electoral cam
paign It may Be taken a. certain
that he will do 90 assured in his
own mind that In case Of un.
toward happening another IL avail.
able to take his place with little
danger OF losing a vote that would
have been his. In fact, he win 60,
II he goee nj all. believing that his
following IL better equipped for emer-
gsnCy lcadershin than are either
Of the old parties, especially In the
matter Of vOte-getting. Also, and
this IL OF prime Importance, he has
imbued his most enthusiastic fol.
lowers with q spirited measure Of
his own belief.
La Toilette Pre.eminent.
None Of them. mind you, thinks
for one minute that among them
there is a man to equal La Fol.
lette as a vote.getter. He Is held
without peer for individual drawing
power among prOgrossivos OF every
| type. Farmers, labor, and the SO.
called intelligentzia alike are for
him. II a Presidential ticket were
composed OF one man, al would ad.
! NIT that La Follette's loss would DO
utterly irreparable: that without
him their cause politically and pres.
emily would be completely hopeless.
But there IL the point, well con-
sidered by both La Toilette and his
followeNR. With La Follette's name
at the head Of the ticket, no man
who conceivably could be chosen
for second place could materially
| either strengthen or weaken Il,
From the standpoint Of practical
| politics, he would stand alone ON
| any progressive ticket possible at
this time as the vote-getter. Ger.
! tain a. they are Of this fact, La
| Follettites see the situation q little
differently than do the conclusion.
Jumpers outside the progressive
fold.
A Presidential ticket, they point
out, IL composed OF two men, one
usually complementing the other ana
bringing each to the ticket some ele-
ment Of strength that the other
lacks. Admitting and gIorying IN
the universality Of La Follette's an.
peal to American progressive eie.
ments az presently unattainable by
any other single Individual, they YET
believe that among them IL more
than one combination which for the
sheer practically Of vote getting
would work almost, IL not quite as
efficiently a. q ticket headed by La
Toilette himself. !.
Some Possibilities.
George r. Norris and Warren b.
stone, for one instance.
Practical politicians will find It
hard to say where these two old
war horses OF agricultural and labor
progressivism. teaming together.
would lose votes that would 20 tO
La Toilette, even though Norris or
| Stone were on the ticket with him.
Who, the prcgreesives ask, could
replace Coolidge on the Republican
ticket. In case OF emergency, and