Evening star., 1925-06-26

lette's contribution to the world ar.
generously made. According to the
New York Evening World, there is
found in his career "a list of things
accomplished more extensive than
that of most publicists who are pop
ularly credited with things actually
brought to pass" He was one of
those who shaped the history of his
times" says the Rochester Times
Union. while the Flint Journal. ad-
mitung its opposition to La Toilette
during his career, says: "Unquestion-
ably he WAS a leader, influencing
thousa nds who honestly believed in
what he was teaching. Political his
tory, written by unbiased historians.
will place him among the politically
active Americans Of this generation,
historically in his true setting" "A
sta nding refutation 0f political pessi-
mism may be found in his life work"
states the New York Times, while the
Springfield Ohio, News holds that 1T
is, very doubtful whether he would
have been an unsuccessful President"
In a sense he won one Of the great
political triumphs OF our time" as
serts the Des Moines Register.
Akx
"He has been a factor with which
both of the great national parties had
to account, and whose dicta changed
the course of political history" in the
view of the Knoxville Sentinel. He
was happy enough to see an unusual
number of programs promoted by him
become the accepted method of the
country" according to the New
Orleans Item, to which the Kansas
City Journal adds that 'he will loom
large in the political history of the
country"
Tho opiri+ of hi. o,,,,n.;u - -
fiected in numerous comments He
fought" in the judgment of the Read
ing Tribune, for about everything
that was fair. and his survivors can
probably turn to his record with pride:
but the bulk of the reforms he fought
for are reforms which the older parties
believe in." Furthermore, according
to the Duluth Herald. his bitterest
enemies must yield to La Toilette the
tribute that he was brave, tirelss
honest, and however mistaken at times
he may have been as to methods, his
efforts were aimed at the welfare of
the common people,
What of the estimate of history"
asks the Milwaukee Journal and TO
its own query it replies: THE fight
against privilege will always go on.
and La Toilette had a great place in
that fight. His war attitude will re-
more Evening Sun records that his
shortcomings were those which seem
inherent in the man who plays poll
tics for a living in this country. His
virtues were the fundamental ones OF
courage and consistency far beyond
the average"
He made men and he made them
think" observes the Morgantown New
Dominion, which ranks this as a serv-
nrfn h,, Al
in public life.''
La Toilette was "a public servant
of unexcelled courage and spotless
purity of purpose" to the Omaha
World Herald IA man of big mind and
sublime courage" to the Houston
Chronicle: and one whose place will
not Immediately, if ever, be filled" in
the view of the st. Louis Post. Dis
patch.
A somewhat different point of view
is presented by the Portland Oreeo-
nian, which says: 1T seems that his
detestation of the undoubted evils
that he saw so magniffed them in his
estimation that he could not see them
in due proportion to the undoubted
good that existed; while the Chicago
Daily News concludes: No other
American public man has had a
career more dramatic and passionate
or at the end more disappointing to
personal ambitions. The Cincinnati
Times-Star comments in similar vein.
There was q difference between his
ideals and his methods He NAV have
been wrong, but he thought he was
right. And, after all, man must
morally be judged in politics by his
ideals" The Atlanta journal esti.
mates his career as a burning.
though not always shining, light
In reply to these the Seattle Times
notes the extraordinary devotion of
his followers" and the Oakland Tri-
bune recognizes the devotion of his
political life ito the ideas which he
believed represented the cause of the
people"