Evening star., 1925-09-16

rnent under Gov. Blaine, Progressive
and urged the voters to drive out the
Madison ring" The answer of the
primaries has undoubtedly strength
ened the position of the Progressives.
A defeat Of La Toilette would have
been a severe blow to the entire State
agniZation.
Six candidates are slated to strive
for the senatorship in the coming cleo
ton, as follows: Robert NJ. La Fol
lette. jr.. Republican, Madison; Roy
p. Wilcox, Independent, Eau Claire;
Edward f. Dithmar, Independent.
Baraboo; John NJ. Work, Socialist, Mil
waukee: Arthur Barry, independent.
Milwaukee, and George Beauman, So
cialist-Labor, Milwaukee.
McGovern Made Poor Race.
Former Gov. McGovern. running
as mild progressive for the Re-
publican nomination, stepping along
somewhere between the La Fol
lette Progressives and the Wilcox
conservatives, made q poor showing.
He was practically without oragniza-
tion in the State. He now fades out
of the picture.
Strength shown by Rev. Daniel Wood
ward, was surprisingly In many places
he ran ahead of McGovern. But, like
McGovern, the klan candidate is no
longer a factor in the senatorial race.
Gil Z. Sitter of Stanley was reckoned
a Klan candidate, had originally filed
as an independent candidate and was
expected to make the race in the cleo
ton as the klan candidate. He has
withdrawn from the contest, however.
Wilcox, the stalwart candidate now
running as an independent, is Catho-
lie. and so is Barry, an independent
and "wet" candidate. While the klan
has no love for La Toilette because
the late Senator La Follettee de-
nounced the hooded organization dur
Ing the presidential campaign a year
ago, and Gov. Blaine. supporting La
Toilette, has also attacked the klan,
1t is unlikely that any of the klan
votes will be cast for the others
against La Toilette in the election two
weeks off.
Face Further Split.
Dithmar had originally filed as an
Independent in order to insure having
a 'stalwart" Republican in the race
after the primaries. He was formerly
lieutenant governor of the State.
Whether he will withdraw from the
race and permit Wilcox to bear the
standard remains to be seen. 1t is
felt here that he was opposed to the
selection of Wilcox as the standard
bearer of the regular Republicans. If
he remains III IIle Tdce lHe leg
will be even more hopelessly split
than they have been in the primaries.
The La Toilette people have tasted
first blood, and are greatly encour-
aged. Their candidate will have the
benefit of the party designation on the
ballot in the election, while Wilcox
must run an an Independent. The
overwhelming defeat of Wilcox has
tended to dishearten the stalwart fac
ton. The other candidates have not
the slightest chance with all these
elements in the field.
The fact that La Toilette is not to
be recognized as a Republican by the
Republican national committee, as an
nounced by Senator Butler, chairman
of that committee, because of his op-
position to the Coolidge administra-
ton, apparently had no influence on
the result of the primaries unless 1t
was to increase the determination of
the Progressives to elect their candi-
date.
Support Is Problematical.
Wilcox, on the other hand, may or
may not receive the support of the
national committee openly. He GER
tainly will bear the good wishes of
the regular organization in the COM
ing election in any event.
An outstanding feature of the pri-
mary campaign just closed is the de-
velopment of young La Toilette as a
potential leader to take his fathers