AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1324, 30 December 1911, Page 6

AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

LA FOLLKTTK CAMPAIGN OPENS. By Tclccraph-Prcss Association—OoDjrichl New York, Decernlx>i' 28. Sir. Eolwrl M. La I'ollette, the Progrcssivo Republican candidate for thu I'rcsidoney, has opened his Presidential cam*paign. lie attacked the trusts iind proposed a plan fur the formation of a commission to deal with restraints of trade. LA FOLLETTE AXJJ 11 IS CHANCES. There was hold in Chicago in the early days of November :i conference ol M>-eallcd "Progressive. Republicans," at which resolutions wore adopted "endorsing" Senator Robert .Marion l.a Folletle, of Wisconsin, as Iho candidate of the Progressives for thu Republican nomination lor the Presidency. The Progressives are the Radical wing of (lie Kepuhlican I Party, who were tho chief supporters oi Jlr. Kooscvelt when lie was President, ami were earnestly in favour of his nomination lor a lliii'il term. When that was found to he impossible or impolitic they grudgingly accepted Mr. Tail's noiiiiiiaI tion, regarding it merely as a slop-gap. I Senator La. r'ollette, tlie man on whom tho Progressives pin their faith at the present moment, is rather an interesting character, typical of his time and environment. In a sketch of his career published recently in the London "Morning Post," Jlr. A. Jlmiricc Low said:— "lie is hfly-six years old, and began his political career thirty-one years ago. He was, as he admits in his biography, now appearing serially, in one ol tho magazines, 'as poverty-stricken a young lawyer as ever hung his shingle to tho wind iu the State of Wincoksiu.' He had no money, no powerful friends, and, of course, no clients. Jlr. La i'ollette confesses that thirty years ago men went into politics just as they went into any other business. 'Often the' commonest reasons and Hie niott immediate necessities commanded them.' Here was a young lawyer without money and without, clients. His immediate necessities commanded him... There was a District Attorney to bo elected with the munificent salary of X'lCO a year and JCIO additional for expenses. To a clientlets attorney it was magnificence. Jlr. La Follctto became a candidate, and was elected. That was tho beginning of his political career. Since then, with an occasional interval owing to circumstances over w!ih he had- uo control, he has been steadfast in his devotion to the public and being paid for his services, for in tho United States no politician goes unrewarded, and no official has scruples about pocketing his salary. Jtr. La i'ollette has in turn been Dislrict Attorney, member of Congress, Governor of his State, and is now a Senator. When Jlr. Taft was nominated, he was a candidate for the Presidency. Jlr. La Toilette served for tour years as District Attorney. It was a good beginning, but polities offered richer prizes. A seat in Congress is tho ambition of every politician, and Jlr. La I'ollette aspired to Washington. Jlr. La Folletto naively says in his biography that ho started out on the campaign 'as though it were some fine game,' and he ingenuously observes that 'by this time 1 was thoroughly well acquainted in Dane County.' fle turned that acquaintance to good use, and was elected. He was then twentynine years old, the youngest member of Congress. For a man wno had etaited wjth nothing he had already gone far. "Jlr. La. toilette's 'endorsement'by the Progressive Republicans as their nomineo for tho l'resideucy does not itcan that ho stands a ghost of a chauco to receive the nomination. Nothing less than a political earthquake would bring that about. Jlr. Taft will be nominated against the protests, and opposition of the Progressives, who will be iu ; u minority iu the Convention, and, therefore, will bo unable to'defeat his nomination. But the aim of the Progressives is to defeat Jlr. Taft for re-election, so as to be able to demonstrate that the temper of the country is Progressive and not 'reactionary,' which is tho term used to describe' Jlr. Taft and his supporters. .Tlie-Ecpublican..;Erogressives would, I believe, rather see a Progressive Democrat elected than Mr. Taft, and iu thoso /Western Statos iu which tho Progressive element is strong their vote cast for the Democratic candidate or their abstention from voting.will defeat Jlr. Taft."