Requiescat

It was sudden, but it was not dramatic, for it was not prepared for. Senator LaFollette was ill with a cold at his home in Washington. The country hardly noted the fact. Then swiftly came a bulletin telling of his death from angina pectoris complicated by bronchial asthma and pneumonia. Only that and the event had passed, like the flicker of a cinema film.

Gradually, the country began to realize that a prominent politician had died, that a brilliant actor had shuffled off the scene, that a fiery orator, a leader of great causes, a maker of great troubles had disappeared--that also, the status quo of which he was a part had come to an end, and politics was in the remaking.

What He Did. He made his appearance on a farm near Madison, Wis., on June 14, 70 years ago. He grew up in poverty. He eked out a schooling and an education in the Law. He hung out a shingle. He married. He fought to be District Attorney of Dane County and won. In 1884, at 29, he was elected to the House of Representatives--the youngest member of that body. He was put on the Ways and Means Committee, and helped Representative William McKinley to write the McKinley Tariff Bill. After six years in the House, he went back to Wisconsin. In 1901, he was elected Governor of that state. He broke the corrupt organization that had ruled the state, and since then has dominated Wisconsin politics. In 1905, he resigned to become U. S. Senator. In 1908, he had 25 votes for the nomination for President in the Republican Convention. In 1912, he might well have run independently for President if his rival, Roosevelt, had not done so. That being the case, he chose to stay in the "regular" organization as an irregular. In 1917, he voted against the War, and was temporarily ostracized. He started the investigation which led to the oil lease scandals. In 1924, calling dissatisfied farmers, radicals and socialists to his banner, he ran independently for President. He got over 4,000,000 popular votes and 13 electoral votes--Wisconsin's. His last year was spent mostly away from Congress, in quest of health in Florida.

What He Was. He was a fighter. He Avas pure.He was uncompromising. He was a lonely leader. He saw concrete reforms and proceeded to them without other considerations. He inspired some. He angered others. He was loyal to ideals rather than to party. Few lieutenants were loyal to him through his career. He was fearless. He was true to his causes, and too sure of his convictions. He was too fierce a warrior to be a great general.

What He Fought For. As Governor of Wisconsin, he fought for the direct primary, he fought to have railway property taxed on the same basis as other property, he fought to have control of railroad rates (within the state) under state control. He won all these fights.

In the national arena, his program is best set forth by his platforms in successive presidential years :

In 1908. Favored: 1) Permitting the Interstate Commerce Commission to institute proceedings, to pass on increases of railway rates, to ascertain the value of railway property; 2) reducing the tariff so that no higher duties should be imposed than would equalize the cost of manufacture here and abroad; 3) creation of a permanent tariff commission; 4) enactment of an additional anti-trust law to prevent control of prices; 5) publishing the names and amounts given by donors to political campaign funds; 6) creating a separate Department of Labor; 7) enacting of an 8-hour day law.

Opposed: 1) Ship subsidies.

In 1912. Favored: 1) Popular control of banks; 2) creation of a commission to fix tariffs to equalize costs of production here and abroad; 3) better patent laws; 4) Federal control of raw materials of which there are limited resources; 5) prohibition of injunctions in labor disputes; 6) creation of a separate Department of Labor; 7) creation of a U. S. Health service with control over pure food, etc; 8) free passage of vessels in intercoastal trade through the Panama Canal; 9) graduated income and inheritance taxes; 10) extension of initiative, referendum and recall to Congress; 11) direct vote for President and Vice President; 12) Woman suffrage.

Opposed: 1) Ship subsidies.

In 1916. Favored: 1) Tariff to equalize costs of production; 2) better patent laws; 3) a U. S. Health service; 4) laws protecting workers; 5) Government manufacture of munitions in time of peace; 6) Government operation of coal mines, oil wells; 7) strict neutrality; 8) a popular referendum before declaring war; 9) woman suffrage; 10) initiative, referendum and recall for Congress.

Opposed: 1) "Dollar diplomacy"; 2) ship subsidies.

In 1920. Favored: 1) Immediate conclusion of peace; 2) a League of Peace with all nations, pledged to abolition of military service; 3) restoration of free speech; 4) law against injunctions in labor disputes; 5) repeal of Esch-Cummins railroad law; 6) economy in government; 7) adjusted compensation for War veterans ("not bonus") 8) a Great Lakes-to-Sea deep waterway.

Opposed: 1) Entrance into the League of Nations; 2) Compulsory military service in peace time.

In 1924. Favored: 1) "Housecleaning" in the Departments of Justice and Interior; 2) recovery of the Naval Oil Reserves, prosecution for fraud; 3) public ownership of water power, including Muscle Shoals; 4) public ownership of railways; 5) economy, especially by reduction of the Army and Navy; 6) excess profits taxes; 7) tax publicity; 8) power of Congress to override any "judicial veto" by the Supreme Court; 9) election of Federal judges; 10) reduction of tariff on manufactures; 11) laws against speculation in farm products; 12) reduction of freight rates on farm products; 13) abolition of injunctions in labor disputes ; 14) ratification of the Child Labor Amendment; 15) direct nomination and election of President; 16) initiative and referendum; 17) referendum on war.

Opposed: 1) The Mellon Tax Plan. The greater part of these recommendations (particularly those of the earlier years) read like a list of Federal enactments in the last 15 years.

What He Leaves Behind. He leaves behind a question mark. What is to become of the group he led? Can Borah gather them together or would he try to? Probably not. Can Norris do it ? Hardly. Can Wheeler do it ? No. His was only a temporary alliance with LaFollette. Brookhart? Frazier ? Norbeck? Howell ? McMaster? The big question, time alone can answer.

The smaller, immediate question is nearer solution. Due to the peculiarities of Wisconsin law, Mr. LaFollette's successor must be elected, not appointed. The suggested candidates include Governor Elaine of Wisconsin, Attorney General Eckern of that state (rivals), Mrs. LaFollette. With their leader dead and their ranks split with dissention, the LaFollettians must heal their quarrels, or Lenroot and the regular Republicans will regain the ground which LaFollette took.

The death of LaFollette improves Lenroot's chances. It improves regular Republican chances in the northwest--so it seems--unless the Democrats manage to come back to the lands which they have long abandoned.