Grape-Shot and Greek Fire

POLITICAL NOTES

Senator Burton K. Wheeler, smart, young Montana radical, who deserted the nominee of his Party (Democratic) and turned not only to support LaFollette, but to join with him on a third ticket adventure, leaves the Democrats in a peculiar position. They cannot directly attack Wheeler now, because at the same time they are pointing to him with pride as the man who slew the dragon Daugherty. But with the Republicans it is different.

The New York Evening Post (independent Republican) opened, with grapeshot and Greek fire:

"The eye of Butte sees in Davis a creature of the red octopus, with the scarlet tentacles, that lives in Wall Street. . . . The 'great open spaces' know him (Wheeler) as a political two-gun man with a cold, slate-colored eye. . . .

"This spare-built lawyer from Butte is looking to the future. If things go well with the 'third ticket' there will be a permanent 'third party.' Will it need leaders? It will. Senator LaFollette is sick and aging. So Senator Wheeler shoots in the back the party that sent him to the Senate and fares forth in search of new political grass and water-courses."