Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-10
REPUBLICAN HOPES
DIM IN WISCONSIN
Presidents Visit Would Be
Welcome, but Without
Any Political Tinge.
BY ROBERT L. SMALL.


President Coolidge comes to Wlscoh
sin for his Summer vacation this year
he will not find the Badger state q
fallow field for political purposes.
has been reported from time 70 tinle
that Mr.. Coolidge might choose " lS-
consin with the idea of winning the
state back 10 the Republican column
after it's long domination by the iate
Senator La Toilette.
Wisconsin people want the FfeSi'
dent TO come. They want nin 10 en-
10Y the physical beauties ana the fat e
Summer sports of the Commonwealth
F9,t when If comes to promises of po-
litical support, that is different. me
might Of the Grand Old Party IN Wis
consin is best evidenced by the fact
that this State has no member OF the
Renublican national committee since
1924. Ira S. Lorenz, the last MEMBER
of the committee. resigned IN l9Z4 10
support La Toilette for President. 10
dav there is neither committeeman nor
comnaitteewoman from this State.
Butler Forced to Flee.
Former Senator William NJ. Butler
of ssaChusetts, chairman of the Re-
publjcan national committee and close
friend of President Coolidge, has tried
several times to straighten matters
out in Wisconsin, but on each occa-
sion has had to throw up his hands
and fee the state. It is now stated
that the national committee VIII take
the matter up at it's meeting in Wash
ingon next December.
Former Senator Lenroot OF this
state has said he expects the com
rnittee to follow his recommendation
To do so, however, the COMMITTEES
would have to read young Senator
Bob La Toilette and Senator-elect
John J. Blaine out of the party. Such
a step cannot be contemplated at this
time. Both Senators from Wisconsin
are needed in the fold IL the Repub-
licans are to organize the new Senate
I'm December. To offend them even
to an extent where they might simply
refrain from voting would give the
Senate to the Democrats. The NOM
final Republican control is by one vote
only.
Senators La Toilette and Blaine
have the whip hand. and it is re-
garded hers as certain that they viii
have to be recognized both in filling
vacancies on the Republican national
committee and in the distribution Of
Federal patronage in Wisconsin. SEN
at0r Lenroot has handled the patron
nSE up ~ AAAlS tAi1lEs anu AilG Il CAtCA al
plums have fallen into the laps of
the stalwarts. Senator Lenroot was
defeated last year, however, and a
new crisis has arisen in the State
for the administration.
If the national committee should
recognize the influence Of Mr.. Len
root and name his. selections the dis
tribution of patronage would remain
in the hands of stalwarts. Under
such conditions would the Wisconsin
Senator, support the administration
aud the regular Republican organiza-
ton in directing the affairs OF the
new Senate? The chances are they
would not.
LenroOt Seeks President.
Senator Lenroot has been very &C.
tive in trying to get President Cool
idge TO Summer in this State. but
when one contemplates the various
political pitfalls which abound all the
way from the towering North woods
70 the flats adjoining the Illinois line
there arises some doubt as to the de-
cision, especially if this is to be a
political Summer.
President Coolidge lost Wisconsin
70 Senator La Toilette in 1924 by
something like 142, 600 votes. With
the death of the elder La Toilette it
is claimed there has been no percep-
tible change Of sentiment. The voters
of Wisconsin still stand for things
La Toilette taught them. His mag
nettc personality is gone, his absolute
dominance of the State is lost, but his
ideas and his principles still live in
the hearts of Wisconsin folk.
Considering the political attitude OF
the State for the past 20 years or so,
there can be much speculation as to
where the electoral votes of Wiseon-
SIN would go next year IL Mr. Coolidge
IS again to be the standard bearer Of
the Republican Party. Can the mill
tant progressiveness Of the voters in
four short years be converted to the
conservatism Of Mr.. Coolidge and the
platform on which he will consent to
run?
La Toilette Factor.
In figuring the possibilities of Wis.
consin next year il must not be for
gotten that Young Bob La Toilette
viii be running again for the Senate
and the La Toilette influence will
again be at work at the polls. The
Young Senator, by the way, is not in
the best OF health at this time, but his
friends are hopeful of his recovering
before the campaign opens.
In the event Young Bob" cannot
run, however, there are many who
believe his younger brother. Phil,
would enter the race. Phil is really
more like his father than Young
Bob" He is more vivid and eloquent
on the stump but, Bob" has the
priceless asset Of his fathers full
name.
There is also some talk that Her.
man L. Ekern, former attorney gen.
eral of Wisconsin and close friend
Of the late Senator La Toilette, may
make a bid for the Senatorial toga
In any event it seems certain that
the La Toilette wing of the party
viii have the dominant hand in the
campaign.
The Wisconsin situation is interest
Ing even from a Democratic point of
view, and there are Democrats out
here who confidently. claim that Gov.
Al Smith might win the State from
President Coolidge or a stalwart of
his type. There is no doubt whatever
that Gov Smith VIII get the Wis.
consin delegation in the Democratic
convention. The people out here like
his views on the eighteenth amend
ment, but 1t is said his main strength
with the La Toilette voters would
be the progressive character of his
administration of affairs at Albany.
and his views on taxes, water power
and other issues. Wisconsin will bear
~sDGe Watching 4baSa rAw+ ( Q ,>.1-#r..