Evening star., 1936-07-23
LAFOLLETTE BID
WAS CONSPICUOUS
Wisconsin Senator Was
Original Head of ''Pro-
gressive" Party.
BY ALEXANDER r. GEORGE,
Associated Press Stan Writer.


Next to the charge of Teddy Roose-
velt's Bvu Moose Progressives in 1912
which temporarily sundered the Re
publican party, Fighting Bob" La
Follette's drive in 1924 was the most
conspicuous third party" bid for the
presidency in modern political his
tory.
The La Toilette supporters also were
known as "Progressives." In fact,
Senator Robert NJ La Toilette, father
of the present Senator who bears
his name and Of Gov. Phil La Fol-
lette Of Wisconsin, was the original
head Of the earlier Progressives, Col.
Roosevelt assuming the leadership in
1912, when he split with the Taft
administration.
Old Timer in Command.
The Progressive organization, like
several other third-party movements,
had its origin and strength largely
among western Republican leaders
disafiected because of the alleged fall
ure of the G. o. P. to give adequate
heed to cries of agricultural distress.
Unlike Representative William
Lemke, standard bearer of the new
Union party this year, who is COM
parative newcomer in national pol
itics, the elder La Toilette had been
q prominent figure in statecraft for
a quarter of century. when he finally
broke away from the Republican party
in 1924.
Wheeler on Ticket.
The Wisconsin delegation to the
Republican convention at Cleveland,
which nominated Calvin Coolidge for
the presidency, had presented labor
and farm aid program" on behalf OF
Senator La Toilette. When this was
rejected, Fighting Bob" became the
presidential nominee of the confer
ence for progressive political action.
He arose from a sick bed to stump
the country, letting loose his famed
oratorical thunder at "reactionaries
in both old line parties" Senator
Burton K. Wheeler, Montana Demo-
crat, now a prominent New Dealer,
was La Follette's running mate.
Their platform called for public
ownership Of railroads public control
Of water power, extension Of the initia-
tive and referendum to the Federal
Government, direct nomination and
election of the President and a consti-
tutional amendment enabling Congress
to override q Supreme Court veto by
re-enacting q statute.
Coolidge and Safety"
Republican campaign strategy con-
sisted largely in stressing the safety
and sanity" Of President Coolidge and
in attacking the alleged extreme
radicalism of the La Toilette pro-
posals. Republican speakers for the
most part ignored the statements OF
John w. Davis, the Democratic
nominee, and the Democratic on
slaught on the Teapot Dome Cor
ruption" Of the Harding administra-
tion.
Coolidge received huge plurality.
his popular vote being l5,725,ol6 to
1886, 500 for Davis and 4,822,S56 for
La Toilette.
La Follette's popular vote, as usual
with third party presidential aspi-
rants. was much larger relatively than
his electoral vote. He carried only
his own Wisconsin.
Sons Garry On.
The elder La Toilette died in the
Summer of 1928, and no sustained
effort was made to continue the Pro-
gressive party of 1924 nationally. His
sons, young Bob" and Phil, however,
continued to preach much Of his
political philosophy, maintaining the
La Toilette dynasty in Wisconsin.
They supported the candidacy OF
Franklin Roosevelt In 1882, and sub
sequently left the Republican party
and formed a new Progressive party
of which they are considered titular
heads.
This organization, which has been
allied to some extent with the Farm
Labor party of Minnesota, has not
given any definite indication OF
nominating its own third party pres
1dential candidate this year.
It soon will hold convention when
announcement Of its position in the
current presidential campaign may
be made.