The Tupelo journal., 1906-11-30
Election Aftermath

Ill tIlC ldgS CdlIlpdlSI1 d W dill
swer certain questions put to him
by an organization known as the
Federation for Peoples
Rule. An examination of the
returns show that as a result of
this question one hundred and
four members elect of the next
House are pledged to support
measures for popular instruction
of Congress on important SUBJ
jects, direct legislation by the
Initiative and referendum, the
election Of United States Sena-
tors by the people, and election
of fourth class post masters by
the patrons of each officer. The
Representatives so pledged In
clude some from each of twenty
eight States. Seventy-two are
Democrats and thirty-two. Re-
publicans. Every one of the
sixteen Democratic candidates
in Missouri was pledged, and
twelve of these were elected. In
Wisconsin six pledged Republican
and two pledged Democrats were
elected. InSouth Dakota, whose
State constitution already incln-
DIES the initiative and referedum
all the candidates of both par
ties made the promises asked
for. Of course, the idea Of the
election of Senator by popular
vote is much stronger than these
figures would indicate-The
House has supported it again.
and again with practical unanmi-
ty. The election of fourth-class
post-masters in the same way is
considerably more remote from
the great tides of public thoughts
and probably not many candi-
dates have given the idea very
serious attention. The chances
are that the thing most of the
one hundred and four were
thinking about when they signed
their pledges was popular law
making by the initiative and re-
ferendum. This idea must Ger
tainly be gaining ground when
statesmen of such diversity as
Senators La Toilette, Hale, and
Frye, Representatives Hearst
and John Sharp Williams, and
Governors Folk, Cummins, and
Deneen can be brought together
on the Advisory Committee of
the organization that is pushing
it.
1t appears that the Republican
Party escaped losing control Of
the House by a much narrower
margin than the face of the re-
turns indicated. A majority
of sixty members is apparently
a very substantial lead. But an
analysis Of the returns show
that it could have been wiped
out and replaced by a DEMOCRAT
ic majority if less than four
thousand citizens in certain dis
tricts had changed their votes.
In over thirty districts the Re-
publican candidates were cleo
ted by majorities of less than
two hundred and fifty each. In
each of those districts a Demo
crat would have been returned
by a change of less than one
hundred and twenty-five votes
and these changes would have
given a Democratic House. A
study of such t cts as these has
convinced Republican politicians
that it Will be necessary for Con-
greso TO walk dlscreetly if the
party is to enter the Presidential
campaign with any assurance OF
success.
There were many more than
thirty districts IN which the re
.uuDIcan nl"jpltt.e5 Were:due en-
lheJy - the appeal OF .Preslden}
R0o.etc.L " the people to give
hlal a l:epluiA:tn Congress .that
would back nINs III carrying on!
ms policies. II it. should appeal
that the Congress elected In re,
Spouse to tie appeal had beeom,
an obstruction instead OF an ait
TO the Presjdenh, the Roosevelt
popularity Woulu 6e tlrned from
u source of Republican strength
to one Of weakness. Hence, Pres
ident Roosevelt holds the whip
hand over the Legislative branch
Of the Governmental an extern
never approached in REGENTS his,
tory. Scores Of Republican men,
bers Of Congress know that their
own seats as well as the genera
success of their party are ALSO
lutely dependent upon their iden-
LITIGATION with the Administra-
tons policies. Hence if the
President announces firmly that
it is time to revise thetariff there
will be few Republican standpat-
tiers bold enough or hardened
enough to resist him. The time
when he needed to compromise
and temporize with the Cannons
and McClearys is past. 1t is their
turn to follow. hin. -Coiiier'S