The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-09-07
(Bx ROy ]. Gibbons.

is political crazy quilt rs IT'S Re
publican primary take place today.
The materials Of this quilt are the
main battle lines and offshoots in Il
struggle between LA Folletteism"
and Republican conservatives.
Young Bob La Toilette is backing
Gov. John j. Blaine for the L. :.
senatorial nomination against Sem
ator Irvine l.. Lcnroot, candidate
for Il third term.
LIN Toilette supports Herman J..
Ekern for governor against Fred Is.
Zimmerman, progressive bolter
from the La Toilette ranks.
Odds ! to on Blaine
Blaine il the old friend and ally
Of the late Robert NJ. La Toilette, Sr.
Young Bob is out on the firing line
making typical La Toilette speeches
for Blaine speeches which have
raised odds Of three to one that
Blaine will defeat Lenroot by sub
stantial majority.
Never before in its hectic political
history has Wisconsin seen Il contest
with such a weller Of alignments.
An outsider coming into the state
and trying to find his way through
the tangled maze of party affilia-
tons is sorely puzzled. The present
lineup has even native Badgers
guessing as to who's who" in the
melange.
Survival Of the Fittest
The senatorial conflict overshad-
state contests. Nevertheless the
the state lineup from which it draws
its nurture and background that you
cannot overlook the one for the
other.
The struggle between the La Fol
lette camp and the various groups Of
near-pure and self-vaunting simon-
pure Republicans is to see which is
to survive.
LenrOot claims to be a "cOnscrva-
tive progressive Republican," but as
such has refused the aid or organiza-
ton endorsement Of the regular Re-
publican party of the state headed by
II. b. Daggett of Milwaukee.
This group embattled itself at OSh-
kosh two years ago to perfect a
''standpat realignment" OF old-time
Republicans who had been scattered
and alienatcd by the dead Robert
LII Toilette, ST., when he was in
power.
LcnrOOt Remembers
This regular Republican group
would very much like to take Len
root to its bosom and make his fight
its own. But Lenroot, remembering
the disastrous defeat Of the regular
Republican organization candidate
Roy Wilcox. two years ago, by young
Bob La Toilette will have nothing to
do with the party which claims to
love him.
Therefore, the anomalous position
is created of Lenroot managing his
own fight and refusing the aid and
succor Of the dyed-in- thew0ol Cool
idge machine.
Lenroot brands La Toilette. Jr., as
something close to rabid insurgent
progressive, likewise tarring with
the same name and brush Gov.
Blaine. his opponent, since Blaine is
the La Toilette choice and flair
haired boy"
Better or Nothing
On the other hand the La Toilette
crew say that LenroOt is nothing il
not q progressive bolter, and accuse
him Of being linked with big bust
ness and Of effecting a secret trade
and coalition with Zimmerman,
Fighting against the middle and
having for their common objective
the destruction Of the La Toilette
state stranglehold, the regular Re
publican stalwarts have divided into
two or more camps and present a
broken front endeavoring to split the
La Toilette vote.
The organized stalwarts under
Daggett Of Milwaukee have no sena-
torial candidate Of their own, since
Lenroot refused them permission ia
give him aid, but they have nomi-
mated Charles b. Perry Of Wauwa-
tosa for governor and hope thus to
divert telling votes from all the La
Toilette candidates.
Joining in this effort, but indie
pendently other coteries Of stalwarts
rallying round one banner or an
other are pecking away at the La
Toilette shock troops.
Hard to Sort Them
The situation is made more com.
plex by the legal fluke which per-
mits all Republicans Of whatever
shade TO sail under common party
flag.
Only on dodgers and pamphlets
can a candidates true party affilia-
tions be discovered, since at the polls
unless he is Democrat, Socialist
or Prohibitionist, the statutes per.
nit him to call himself Republican
The upshot Of the whole situation
it is believed. will be the formation
of new party, to be known as the
Progressive Republican party in
name as we'll as fact, so that here
after Wisconsin will have party lines
drawn by statute and convention in
stead Of just by self-selection as is
now the case.
World Court and Prohibition
Issues in the fight revolve chiefly
about the question Of adherence ia
the world court as favored by Len.
root, prohibition, and the so-called
loft set" tax controversy created by
Gov. Blaine.
The tax situation is purely mat.
ter Of local interest and has to dc
with tax on personal property and
earnings alike for which Blaine and
This measure, intended to "make the
rich pay" saddles q double burden
on the state and compels each tax
payer to pay on two sources Of in
come.
This enactment hasn't done great
deal for Blaine's popularity. But he
has sidetracked interest ON the issue
and 70 focusing on the world court
question, viewed very much with dis.
favor BY the German preponderancy
ii he state. Blaine f. against the
court and experts predict that II Len.
root 10 dofeated he will owe his de.
feat psimarily 10 sponsoring that
neAna,aTa ~ The SnnatA.
Klon Question Minor
- Kan issue has ben injected
- infby0nee, but effects only the gu.
hesat5Saal contest and probably Il
"a Sorious extent. The L. Toilette.
H3Sino elate RAISED Il.
'HGfh 0Iaino and Lenroot are wet
H1n3n1 openly and Lenro0t with tn
41a Hon tAat - = In favor Of