In Wisconsin

There is nothing duller in the Senate's business than the approval of the long lists of postmasters periodically nominated for office by the President. Yet the knowing were very much interested by a block of 40 postmasters whose names the President submitted last week.

All 40 were from Wisconsin. More than that, all 40 had been selected with the approval of Senator Irvine L. Lenroot of that state; and still more, neither Senator LaFollette nor the Representatives of the state (all Republican insurgents, save one Socialist) were consulted. So was the patronage club leveled at the heads of the insurgents. Senator Lenroot is the only Wisconsin member in either House of Congress who approaches regularity. The event seemed to mark the end of the policy of trying to appease and mollify the insurgents--a policy of which Mr. Harding was the chief proponent. It seemed to mark an attempt on the part of regular Republicans to dethrone rather than to seek an alli- ance with Mr. LaFollette who has long been the political emperor of the state.

The action is further aimed as a direct attack on the future politics of Wisconsin. Senator Lenroot was once a lieutenant of Senator LaFollette. He, like most of the latter's lieutenants, eventually broke with his captain. In Mr. Lenroot's case, the break came over Mr. LaFollette's War policies. Mr. LaFollette does not forgive defection, although himself many times forgiven by the Republican Party. Ever since the break, Senators LaFollette and Lenroot have been antagonists. In 1920, Mr. LaFollette made vigorous efforts to bring about a defeat for Mr. Lenroot, who was up for reelection. Only the Harding landslide reflected the latter. But, in 1926, there will be no Presidential election to save Senator Lenroot; and it is thought that LaFollette's machine looks forward to retiring him in favor of someone who would do its leader's bidding. Taking patronage away from the LaFollette group, however, not only weakens it but puts the entire patronage of the state in Senator Lenroot's hands--a great aid to his reelection.

The campaign of Mr. LaFollette and his followers against the Republican national ticket forced President Coolidge and William M. Butler to acknowledge that the insurgents had seceded from the Republican Party. So the Party has turned to attack them.