Evening star., 1932-10-20
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, October 90
Well, Bob" La Toilette has gone and
done 1t. He has jumped the Republican
openly and entirely in Wis
consin and Is backing Roosevelt for
President and Schmedeman for Gov
ernor, not to mention the Democratic
Duffy for Senator. Two theories are
advanced for his course. One that
he is landing on the band wagon and
the other that he and the Progressives
In wisconsin really fear that the Presi-
dent and Walter j. Kohler, the G. o. P.
nominee for Governor, will actually
carry Wisconsin and that this Is no
time for "Progressives" to hang back.
IL can be said with considerable en-
phasis that Senator La Toilette has
never been q band wagon man.
There seems good reason to believe,
therefore, that the Republican cam
paign In Wisconsin must have been
making inroads. Furthermore, the
apparently are becoming
impressed with the drive OF the Repub-
licans to line up all business men and,
through them. all their labor, for the
ticket. They may see an
actual chance unless something is done
to stem the tide, for the reelection of
President Hoover and the return OF the
conservatives to power. Such a re-
suit would be terrible blow to the
Progressive group. of which La Toilette,
Norris Of Nebraska and johnson of
California are members. The regular
Republicans have distinctly shaken the
hold OF the La Toilette Progressives in
Wisconsin during the present year. In
the first place they defeated the Pro-
sressives in the election of the dele
gates to the Republican National Con-
vention and took away from the Pro-
gressives the control Of the State Or
ganization. Then more bitter blow
came in September, when the regulars
defeated Gov. Philip La Toilette for
denomination and nominated their can
didate. Walter J. Kohler. At the same
time they took the measure Of Senator
John j. Blaine, a La Follete Progres-
Slve. and nominated in his place the
youthful Chapple, an editor, who has
ranged up and down the State attack
ing all Progressives and particularly
Wtscaps,n WE p5ssressive' Y the University of
Two or three weeks ago the La
Follettes were undecided whether they
would come out for the Democratic
candidates for President, Governor and
Senator in Wisconsin. The inclination
OF Senator La Toilette was not to place
seal of approval upon Roosevelt, who
might turn out to be a poor sort of
Progressive If he were elected President.
Probably he would have remained silent
now, had 1t been sure that Roosevelt
would carry Wisconsin. But now he
has indorsed the Roosevelt candidacy.
apparently so as to bring the full La
Toilette Progressive strength back of
the Democratic candidate, in the hope
that 1t, together with the Democratic
forces, will oe sufficient to carry the
State for Roosevelt. If Hoover wins
there. it will be third severe blow for
the Progressives.
Two years hence Senator La Toilette
must run for denomination himself and
Tor reelection. In the past he has had
the support, as have other La Toilette
Progressives, Of many Of the Democrats
OF the State. It may be that he feels
now it is only fair to the Democrats
to give them break" this year and
to support their candidates, although
he did not come out for Smith in 1928
-
A new political star is rising in
Missouri if the followers of Col Bennett
Champ Clark are to be believed Col
Clark won the Democratic senatorial
nomination, much to the surprise Of
lot OF politicians here. He was up
against the organizations. He had the
support of the veterans OF the World
War and the backing of a lot OF old
friends Of his father, the late Speaker
Clark. He was as wet as the Missouri
River and went and told the farmers
SO as well as the city people. The
political observers in the State are pre-
dieting that Clark will go far; that he
will become a dominating personality
in the politics of the State Just as
jim Reed has bsen for many years,
as old Bill" Stone was for years before
Reed. and Vest was in still earlier days
Missouri has had in the Senate for
many generations strong representa-
tives. and Clark apparently is to wear
the mantle that was Reeds. Indeed,
in dramatic fashion at a meeting here
not long ago the veteran Reed pro-
claimed Clark the rising sun of democ-
racy in this State.
Col. Clark is a man Of PARTS He has
recently published book dealing with
the career of John Quincy Adams that
shows much research and scholarly
ability. He had a fine record in the
Army. And as a campaigner he fills
the bill for Missouri crowds. He Is a
forceful speaker. These Missouri peo-
pie like to listen to speeches-not short
speeches but long ones. If a candidate
speaks for two hours. that's all righ.
with them. If he speaks for less than
an hour they think he has nothing
to say.
1t may be that Col. Clark will have
to reckon with the Kansas City Demo-
cratic boss. Tom Pendergast, one of
these days. AS matter of fact. he
won the nomination for the Senate
over Howell, who had the backing of
Pendergast. and Charles Hay. a mill
tant Democratic dry in the past. At
present things are moving along smooth
ly. for Pendergast has had his way in
the selection of the gubernatorial and
other State candidates. But after
Clark shall have reached the Senate,
as 1t is expected he will do. there NAV
come a locking of horns Clark is not
the kind of man to take dictation, al
though he is practical enough to eet
along with the boss.
Kansas presents very different pic
ture from Missouri on the wet and dry
question. While Missouri has apparently
gone wet, both the Republicans and the
Democrats adopting wet State platforms
and nominating wet candidates for Of
the cause of prohibition. For example,
there are IA candidates for the House
in Kansas. Z Republicans and 7 Demo-
Gratis, and only l of the lot is run
ming as wet. The wet nominee is
E. w. Patterson, Democrat. running
in the third congressional district
against Representative McGugin, Repub-
lican. who Is dry. At present it looks
as though the Republicans would win
IN the first. second. fourth and seventh
where Representatives Lamb
ertson, Guyer, Hoch and Hope are seek
ing reelection, all Republicans. The
CHARGES seem to favor McCsllpin In the