Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-09
WISCONSIN IS
STILL PUZZLE
IN POLITICS
q. Q. P. Platform Fails
To Mention Party
Heads; Interests of
Groups Are Mixed
BY BYRON PRICE
Associated Press Staff Writer

MiLWAUhEE, Wis, Oct. 9.-(R1-
Old in the ways Of political indie
pendence, Wisconsin continues to
keep her sister states interested and
puzzled, even in a year when insur-
gency has become commonplace.
A fleeting glimpse of the chief ar
chitects of the states political desti-
MES shows the young Senator LaFol-
lette. heir TO his fathers leadership,
running for reelection as the repub-
Ican nominee on a platform that
favors beer and the McNary-Haugen
bill and saying nothing about Smith
or Hoover; LaFollette democratic OBJ
ponent withdrawing in his favor; his
republican colleague, Senator Blaine,
refusing TO support the party's presi-
Dental nominee; a reconstructed re-
publican state organization, headed
by a "gubernatorial nominee who won
over LaFollette opposition, seeking
to rally the states tremendous re-
publican majority under the Hoover
banner; a democratic committee do
ing what IL can to promote the re-
publican split, and thus swing the
state to Smith. Both sides are pre-
dieting victory but both are still hard
at work.
Varied Influences
The materials at hand are of the
most varied character. Taken more
or less at random they may be in
ventoried in part as follows: Wis
consin is a republican state, which
followed its favorite son, the leader
LaFollette, on his third party ven-
ture four years ago and gave the
democratic nominee in that election
but one-twelfth OF its total popular
vote. The count stood LaFollette
453,675, Coolidge 1854, Davis 6s,-
lis.
Wisconsin is a wet state. which two
years ago endorsed 2.75 per cent beer
by q vote of two to one. Once the
home Of many ~breweries, it is de-
scribed in the handbook of the anti
saloon league as having continued
"a center Of anti-prohibition agita-
ton"
Wisconsin is the country's leading
dairy state, and her farm problem
often has been spoken Of IN terms Of
a protective tariff for dairy prod
ucts.
Interest in immigration
Wisconsin has . citizenship en-
braeing a little more than the aver
age percentage Of Catholics, and far
above the average percentage Of Ger
man and Scandinavian Lutherans,
many of whom harbor a long-standing
sntagonism toward Catholicism.
Wisconsin is interested in immi-
grafton. by virtue Of her large for
eign population, and her Germans
and S~candinavians are being told by
the republicans that Gov. Smiths i'm
migration policies would favor SOU
thern Europe. Large elements in the
state are interested in the St. Law
n waterway, favored by Hoover.
and in government retention Of wa
terpower sites, made a talking point
by Smith.
Kohler Choice Surprise
One Of the striking political events
in the recent history Of northwestern
politics wa the nomination Of Wal
ter ]. Kohler, a millionaire manufac-
turer, as republican candidate for
governor over the direct opposition
of the LaFollette wing of the party.
His advent TO leadership was hailed
by his friends as marking a Wiscon-
sin political epoch. II was followed
by refusal of the republican nation
al committee 10 seat a LaFollette
follower, Herman L. Ekern, as ma
tional committeeman, and recognition
IN his place Of George Wits. former
president Of the Wisconsin Manufac-
turers' Association. To complete the
reconstruction Of the party machin-
cry, the national organization has
placed active management Of the
Hoover campaign in the hands Of
Stephen J. Mcmahon, a Kohler back
er, who sits as chairman OF the wis
consin Hoover-Curtis campaign COM
mittee."
Both Parties Busy
Mcmahon has just opened his Off
ces here in Milwaukee. and SAYS he
proposes TO Conduct a comprehen-
sive, progressive. efficient campaign,
and carry the state for Hoover by a
satisfactory majority" His commit
tee has branches in most counties,
and expects soon TO have them in all.
II counts confidently on considerable
help from those who previously have
followed LaFollette. It's campaign is
based on such appeals as an exposi-
tion of the republican tariff and
economic policies, a recital of Mr..
Hoover's accomplishments as an ad-
ministrator. and a denial that Gov.
Smith can make effective his ideas
about prohibition.
The opposition effort 10 consoli-
date the democratic and LaFollette
vote behind Smith. proceeding just
now under the added inspiration Of
the nominees recent. visit TO Milwau-
kee, takes the form of a three-way
campaign. It's central figure among
the democrats Is John NJ. Callahan,
the national committeeman. who was
Smiths pre-corvention campaign
manager for Wisconsin. He has been
claiming the state for the democratic
ticket ever since the Houston con-
vention. Associated with him are the
officials of the "Al Smith clubs"
who say they have branches in every
county, including in their member
ship both republicans and democrats.
The third element in the situation is |
the progressive republican" move
ment for Smith, whose headquarters
at Madison are captained by Frank
Kuehl. former secretary TO Senator |
Blaine, and now on leave from his